We are happy to share that our second panel discussion will take place in Boston, USA. MHAI will lead a panel discussion titled “Mental Health is Health: How Communities Shape Our Well-Being” at the Watertown Free Public Library on April 17.
This event is part of the Armenian Mental Health Week initiative, taking place from 16 to 22 April 2026, a space dedicated to promoting mental health awareness across Armenian communities worldwide.
The Week serves as a shared platform for dialogue, connection, and collective reflection across the globe. It aims to foster open conversations around mental health, reduce stigma, and highlight the importance of accessible and culturally relevant support systems.
Armenian Mental Health Week encourages a global conversation that connects communities, promotes openness, and contributes to a more supportive and resilient mental health landscape across Armenian and broader communities.
We invite you to join us and take part in this conversation. Through this event, we aim to explore how mental health shapes both individual and community well-being, and how communities, in turn, influence mental health. We hope to create a space for thoughtful dialogue, shared perspectives, and meaningful connection across experiences and contexts.
About The Panel Discussion x Agenda
This panel is a community-centered discussion that brings together clinical professionals, public system leaders, and community representatives to explore how mental health is understood, experienced, and shaped within the environments we live in. Moving beyond individual perspectives, the conversation highlights the role of communities, institutions, and systems in influencing mental well-being.
As part of Armenian Mental Health Week initiative, the event also creates a space to connect Armenian and Armenian-American communities, encouraging dialogue, shared learning, and opportunities for ongoing collaboration.
02:30 PM – 03:15 PM | Registration
03:15 PM – 04:15 PM | Panel #1: Mental Health? What Do You Mean?
The opening panel focuses on how mental health is defined and perceived across different contexts. It explores the differences between how individuals and communities understand mental health and how it is framed within professional and policy environments. By examining these perspectives together, the panel aims to expand the conversation beyond common assumptions and introduce a more comprehensive understanding of mental health as an essential part of everyday life.
- 03:15 PM – 03:25 PM | Dr Catherine Vuky, William James College
- 03:25 PM – 03:35 PM | Dr Aleesha N. Young, President, Massachusetts Psychological Association
- 03:35 PM – 03:45 PM | Dr Danna Mauch, President, Massachusetts Association for Mental Health
- 03:45 PM – 04:00 PM | Q&A
- 04:00 PM – 04:15 PM | Break
04:15 PM – 05:15 PM | Panel #2: Different Communities – Common Challenges
The second panel looks at how communities shape mental health outcomes and how mental health, in turn, affects communities. It highlights the real-life implications of unmet mental health needs, including their impact on social dynamics, public systems, and institutional responses. Through practical insights and examples, the discussion emphasizes the shared responsibility of communities and systems in supporting mental well-being.
- 04:15 PM – 04:30 PM | Saffana Anwar, Executive Director, City of Cambridge
- 04:30 PM – 04:45 PM | Sheriff Peter J. Koutoujian, Middlesex County
- 04:45 PM – 05:00 PM | Q&A
- 05:00 PM – 05:15 PM | Break
05:15 PM – 06:00 PM | Panel #3: Armenian Lenses on Mental Health
The final panel brings the discussion into the Armenian context, exploring how mental health is addressed within communities in Armenia and across the diaspora. It highlights the roles of public institutions, professional networks, and community-based initiatives in responding to existing needs and shaping future approaches. This panel highlights the importance of collaboration and continued engagement in strengthening mental health support across Armenian communities.
- 05:15 PM – 05:25 PM | Gevorg Gharibyan, HCPC-licensed clinical psychologist, Head of the Department of Children and Social Protection, Yerevan Municipality
- 05:25 PM – 05:35 PM | Dr Armineh Mirzabegian, Board Member at Armenian American Medical Association of the Greater Boston Area and Dr Sally Salpy Vanerian, Veterans Administration
- 05:35 PM – 05:45 PM | Artak Begoyan, Co-founder and Director, Mental Health Awareness Initiative NGO
- 05:45 PM – 06:00 PM | Q&A
06:00 PM – 06:30 PM | Reception