Conference in West Valley City about mental health

The National Alliance on Mental Illness is holding an all-day conference on mental health Friday and sponsoring a walk Saturday.

The conference will be held at the Utah Cultural Celebration Center, 1355 W. 3100 South, West Valley City.

Those interested in participating can register online at www.namiut.org or in person starting that day at 7:30 a.m. The conference begins at 8:30 a.m., and the theme is "Learning from the Past, Looking to the Future."

Keynote speakers include Janina Chilton on the history of the Utah State Hospital, Dr. Roy Menninger on mental illness in the United States and Michael Fitzpatrick on the future of mental health. Afternoon sessions include substance abuse and mental illness, criminal justice, the state suicide plan and juvenile mental health court.

On Saturday, NAMI Utah is sponsoring a three-mile walk to raise awareness and money for the alliance, and everyone is welcome. There's a post-walk program that includes music and food.

Registration starts at 8 a.m., and the walk begins at 10 a.m. at Franklin Covey Field.