NOTED PSYCHIATRIST, AUTHOR TO LECTURE AT PITT

PITTSBURGH, May 24 -- Psychiatrist, author and University of Pittsburgh alumnus Michael B. First will conduct a day-long workshop and a free public lecture June 10 and 11 on the Pitt campus.

The lecture, featuring excerpts from First's new book "Your Mental Health," will take place June 10 from 7 - 8:30 p.m. at Pitt's Public Health Auditorium, Fifth Avenue and Desoto St. First co-authored this book as a lay guide to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM), the diagnostic reference book for clinicians, which he has also edited and co-authored. A book sale and signing will follow the lecture.

The day-long workshop, "Updating the DSM-IV," is June 11 from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., also at the Public Health Auditorium. Through case examples, video presentations and interactive discussions, First will address the best ways to use the DSM-IV and its revisions, clinical assessment and diagnosis, diagnosis of childhood disorders, measuring treatment outcomes and other topics. The workshop fee is $45; six hours of continuing education credits are available for licensed social workers, psychologists, national board certified counselors and certified addictions counselors.

An alumnus of the Pitt School of Medicine, First is a research psychiatrist at the New York State Psychiatric Institute and an assistant professor of clinical psychology at Columbia University. He also has a private practice at the Cognitive Therapy Center of New York.

His appearance is sponsored by Pitt's School of Social Work, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, and Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic. For more information, contact the School of Social Work at 412-624-3711.

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