> > Statement of Concern and Protest
> >
> > Government funders within the Bush Administration at SAMHSA (Substance
> > Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) notified the Suicide
> > Prevention Resource Center (SPRC) that SAMHSA Administrator, Charles
> > Curie, would not be allowed to attend a SPRC regional conference on
> > suicide prevention if conference organizers went forward with a workshop
> > title that included the words "gay," "lesbian," "bisexual", and
> > "transgender". The conference is
> > scheduled to take place in Portland, Oregon, February 28-March 2. The
> > original title of the workshop was "Suicide Prevention Among Gays,
> > Lesbians, Bisexuals, and Transgender Individuals."
> >
> > On January 31, Lloyd Potter, SPRC Center Director, contacted workshop
> > presenters Ron Bloodworth, Joyce Liljeholm and Reid Vanderburgh and
> > requested that we come up with alternative wording for the workshop so
> > that the words "gay","lesbian","bisexual", or "transgender" did not
> > appear in the workshop title or descriptor.
> >
> > We worked with SPRC to create alternative wording so that the workshop
> > could continue to be offered but we expressed deep concern about
> > government intrusion to remove any reference to gay, lesbian, bisexual,
> > and transgender people in the workshop title and descriptor. After
> > agreeing to the title "Suicide Prevention in Vulnerable Populations",
> > we were told that the new title would be acceptable to SAMHSA and that
> > we could use the term "sexual orientation" in the workshop descriptor
> > but that the term "gender identity" would "not fly with SAMHSA."
> >
> > We are still planning to offer the workshop as originally planned even
> > though the workshop title and descriptor had to be changed but we will
> > not be quiet about the heavy handed efforts of SAMSHA to render gay,
> > lesbian, bisexual, and/or transgender people invisible. The action of
> > our government in this regard is the very reason a workshop on suicide
> > prevention with gay, lesbian, bisexual, and/or transgender individuals
> > is needed. How ironic! The discriminatory and intimidating actions of
> > SAMHSA and the Bush administration should not go unchallenged and should
> > be of concern to all Americans.
> >
> > It's important to note that Oregon Senator Gordon Smith is scheduled to
> > attend the conference as part of his support for suicide prevention
> > efforts in the U.S. We urge you to use the attached contact information
> > to express your concern to SAMHSA Administrator Charles Curie, Secretary
> > of Health and Human Services, Mike Leavitt, Oregon Senator Gordon Smith,
> > and other members of Congress from your state that represents you.
> >
> > Thank you for your concern and support.
> > Ron Bloodworth, MA, LPC, Portland, OR
> > Joyce Liljeholm, MEd, Portland, OR
> > Reid Vanderburgh, MA, Portland, OR
> >
> >
> > Contact Information for Government Officials:
> >
> > Charles Curie,
> > Office of the Administrator, SAMHSA
> > Rockville, MD 20850
> > Tel: 240-276-2000
> > charles.curie@samhsa.hhs.gov
> >
> >
> > Mike Leavitt
> > Secretary of Health and Human Services
> > 200 Independence Ave. SW
> > Washington, D.D. 20201
> > Tel: 202-690-7000
> > Fax: 202-690-7203
> >
> > Senator Gordon Smith
> > 404 Russell Bldg
> > Washington, D.C. 20510-3704
> > Tel: 202-224-3753
> > Fax: 202-228-3997
> > http://gsmith.senate.gov/webform.htm
> >
> >
> > President George W. Bush
> > The White House
> > 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
> > Washington, DC 20500
> > Comments: 202-456-1111
> > Switchboard: 202-456-1414
> > president@whitehouse.gov
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