Bill renames Public Health to "Guam Behavioral Health Center"

by Mindy Aguon

Guam - With the recent return of the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse back under the control of the Government of Guam, Bill 73 serves to give the agency a fresh start by renaming it the Guam Behavioral Health Center. According to acting director Rey Vega, the idea actually began several months ago during discussions with the Federal Management Team's Dr. James Kiffer.

The two agreed that the Guam Behavioral Health Center is more appropriate and carries less of a negative stigma. "That is a positive move in a sense that currently most center now are taking away the 'Mental Health and Substance Abuse' name and inclined to name it 'Behavioral Health Center' or 'institution,'" he explained.

Changing the name of the agency would also make it consistent with the current title of the majority of federal mental health agencies across the country.