Saturday, October 28
8:00 – 9:15 a.m. (open)
Plenary Address:
The Impact of Role-Modeling and Mentoring
Leonard E. Lawrence, M.D. Clinical Professor, Department of Psychiatry Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
After serving as Dean of Students and Professor of Psychiatry, Pediatrics, and Family Practice, Dr. Leonard E. Lawrence is currently working part time as a Clinical Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, primarily focusing on faculty development. In his “spare” time, in addition to the numerous Boards of which he is a member, he is a “GrandDad” to four young persons, three of whom live within two blocks of him and the fourth of which—a 21-month old—lives three miles away. Dr. Lawrence has the best of all possible worlds; he gets to teach young psychiatrists and learn from his grandchildren.
In his speech, Dr. Lawrence focuses on two areas—Jeanne Spurlock’s mentoring and role-modeling and the manifestation of the impact of that role-modeling and mentoring in Dr. Lawrence’s professional and personal development and career directions. Drs. Lawrence and Spurlock were mutually involved, for many years, with AACAP, the American Psychiatric Council on Children, Adolescents and Their Families, Black Psychiatrists of America, and the National Medical Association (NMA). In fact, Dr. Spurlock’s leadership in the NMA influenced Dr. Lawrence to become the first psychiatrist to be elected President of the NMA from 1993 to 1994. Dr. Spurlock also continually pointed out the need for all physicians to be knowledgeable of and involved in as many aspects of health care policy making and delivery system enhancement as possible, which Dr. Lawrence has advocated for throughout his career.
With a sense of gratitude for Dr. Spurlock’s guidance and friendship, Dr. Lawrence describes another journey that has been a part of his life for the last 30 years. In 1972, a lawsuit was filed against the State of Texas and against the Texas Youth Council, the board that was charged with oversight responsibility for Texas juvenile correctional facilities. This litigation, known as Morales v. Terman, assumed the status of a landmark case in juvenile justice circles. The most significant cause of action was that approaches and policies within Texas juvenile correctional facilities represented “cruel and unusual” punishment and this was a major point of litigation.
Dr. Lawrence focuses on the results of that litigation and the subsequent developmental process which has occurred within the Texas juvenile correctional system. The role of an African-American child psychiatrist who testified against the State of Texas in the original litigation and who eventually became the longest tenured chairman of the Board of the Texas Youth Commission, the entity that evolved from the Texas Youth Council, is presented as part of the discussion. That the Texas juvenile correctional system has become a recognized model for the United States, actively incorporating a recognition and understanding of culture and diversity as they relate to the “habilitation” of juvenile offenders, is a point of focus.
8:00 – 9:15 a.m. (open)
Plenary Address:
The Impact of Role-Modeling and Mentoring
Leonard E. Lawrence, M.D. Clinical Professor, Department of Psychiatry Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
After serving as Dean of Students and Professor of Psychiatry, Pediatrics, and Family Practice, Dr. Leonard E. Lawrence is currently working part time as a Clinical Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, primarily focusing on faculty development. In his “spare” time, in addition to the numerous Boards of which he is a member, he is a “GrandDad” to four young persons, three of whom live within two blocks of him and the fourth of which—a 21-month old—lives three miles away. Dr. Lawrence has the best of all possible worlds; he gets to teach young psychiatrists and learn from his grandchildren.
In his speech, Dr. Lawrence focuses on two areas—Jeanne Spurlock’s mentoring and role-modeling and the manifestation of the impact of that role-modeling and mentoring in Dr. Lawrence’s professional and personal development and career directions. Drs. Lawrence and Spurlock were mutually involved, for many years, with AACAP, the American Psychiatric Council on Children, Adolescents and Their Families, Black Psychiatrists of America, and the National Medical Association (NMA). In fact, Dr. Spurlock’s leadership in the NMA influenced Dr. Lawrence to become the first psychiatrist to be elected President of the NMA from 1993 to 1994. Dr. Spurlock also continually pointed out the need for all physicians to be knowledgeable of and involved in as many aspects of health care policy making and delivery system enhancement as possible, which Dr. Lawrence has advocated for throughout his career.
With a sense of gratitude for Dr. Spurlock’s guidance and friendship, Dr. Lawrence describes another journey that has been a part of his life for the last 30 years. In 1972, a lawsuit was filed against the State of Texas and against the Texas Youth Council, the board that was charged with oversight responsibility for Texas juvenile correctional facilities. This litigation, known as Morales v. Terman, assumed the status of a landmark case in juvenile justice circles. The most significant cause of action was that approaches and policies within Texas juvenile correctional facilities represented “cruel and unusual” punishment and this was a major point of litigation.
Dr. Lawrence focuses on the results of that litigation and the subsequent developmental process which has occurred within the Texas juvenile correctional system. The role of an African-American child psychiatrist who testified against the State of Texas in the original litigation and who eventually became the longest tenured chairman of the Board of the Texas Youth Commission, the entity that evolved from the Texas Youth Council, is presented as part of the discussion. That the Texas juvenile correctional system has become a recognized model for the United States, actively incorporating a recognition and understanding of culture and diversity as they relate to the “habilitation” of juvenile offenders, is a point of focus.
