Glickman Symposium Explores Trends and Treatment of Catatonia

PORTLAND, MAINE - Maine Behavioral Healthcare will welcome Andrew Francis, PHD, MD, Professor of Psychiatry, Penn State Medical School as keynote speaker at this year's Glickman Symposium for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry on the topic Catatonia: An Exploration of Updates, Trends, and Treatment.

Dr. Francis was the co-developer of the Bush-Francis Catatonia Scale, the standard clinical and research tool to detect and quantify catatonic symptoms. He is a recognized authority on catatonia, Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome, electroconvulsive therapy, and delirium. Dr Francis is widely published and has presented at regional, national, and international medical conferences as well as serving as invited lecturer at many academic medical centers.

Catatonia is a complex neuropsychiatric entity which can be diagnosed in medical and psychiatric hospitals, as well as outpatient settings. Symptoms fluctuate, urgent cases can be life-threatening, and prompt initiation of treatment improves patient outcomes. Over the past few years, rates of catatonia have risen across the lifespan, making this a timely topic to address.

The symposium will include talks by local subject matter experts, who will draw from their experience working in a variety of treatment settings and with different age groups.

The educational symposium is scheduled for October 4, 2024 at MaineHealth, 110 Free Street, Portland, ME from 8 am to 4 pm. Medical and behavioral health professionals are encouraged to participate, as well as school social workers, nurses, members of social service agencies, and all interested in gaining professional competence in providing care to persons presenting with this condition. Continuing education credits (5.50) will be offered.

Chair of the symposium, Robyn Ostrander, MD, Vice Chair of Psychiatry at MaineHealth Maine Medical Center Portland, views this as an exciting learning opportunity.

"We are thrilled with the national and local expertise coming to Portland this year," said Dr. Ostrander. "The 2024 Glickman symposium allows professionals to enhance their ability to recognize catatonia. This symposium will improve the care of patients by equipping medical and behavioral health care teams with skills not yet widespread in any local community."

The Glickman Symposium is made possible by the generosity of Maine Behavioral Healthcare donors Judith Glickman Lauder and the late Albert Brenner Glickman. This year's event was additionally supported by the Maine Council on Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

To register, visit mhesevents.org/17thGlickman.

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About Maine Behavioral Healthcare
As part of MaineHealth, Maine Behavioral Healthcare (MBH) is a not-for-profit organization serving more than 20,000 children, adolescents and adults at over 30 locations throughout southern, western and mid coast Maine, providing a continuum of coordinated mental health care from outpatient community offices to inpatient acute care at Spring Harbor Hospital. Learn more at www.mainebehavioralhealthcare.org.

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