Plenary Sessions

Georges Benjamin, MD, Executive Director of the American Public Health Association, will deliver the Susan L. Neibacher Address to open the 2012 National Health Care for the Homeless Conference on Wednesday, May 16th.

Dr. Benjamin, well known in the world of public health as a leader, practitioner and administrator, has been the Executive Director of the APHA, the nation’s oldest and largest organization of public health professionals, since 2002. He came to that post from his position as Secretary of the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Benjamin became Secretary of Health in Maryland in 1999, following four years as its Deputy Secretary for Public Health Services. As Secretary, Dr. Benjamin oversaw the expansion and improvement in the state’s Medicaid program.

Named one of the top 25 minority executives in healthcare by Modern Healthcare Magazine in 2008, Dr. Benjamin was also voted amongst the 100 most powerful people in healthcare in 2007 through 2010 and one of the nation’s Most Powerful Physician Executives in 2009 & 2010.

“Between the Feds and the Field” – A Panel Discussion

Conference attendees will participate in a panel discussion between federal officials and a panel of Health Care for the Homeless experts from the field during the plenary session on Thursday, May 17th. Text your questions in advance or during the panel discussion to be a part of the discussion. Just text “NHCHC (your question here)” to the number 66937. Make sure to provide a space between NHCHC and your question within the text message.

Joseph Benson, Committee Member, Houston, TX

Jennifer Ho, Deputy Director, U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness

Jim Macrae, Associate Administrator for Primary Health Care, Health Resources and Services Administration

Jennifer Ryan, Deputy Director, Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

Tison Thomas, MSW; Public Health Advisor, Co-occurring and Homeless Activities Branch, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

Bob Taube, Executive Director, Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, Boston, MA

Dr. Barbara Wismer, Tom Waddell Health Center, San Francisco, CA