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Need help? In the U.S., call 1-800-273-8255 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
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Media
Alert & Opportunity On
Sunday, May 19, PBS Stations that broadcast the WORLD Channel will air the
documentary West
47th Street
which follows four people living with mental illness at Fountain House, the
renowned community mental health program in New York City. The broadcast
coincides with the 10th anniversary of the award-winning film that
shows the human face of mental illness. The documentary is a powerful tool for
public education. PBS
stations in approximately 40 states broadcast the WORLD Channel. Please
look
at the list
of stations and then check local website listings for times. There are four
possible time slots on Sunday, May 19--including 8 p.m. ET (9 p.m. PT)-- in
which the film may run as part of the “America Reframed” series. For NAMI
members who live in communities where PBS stations do not offer the WORLD
Channel, the film already can
be viewed online
at least until May 19. The
broadcast also offers opportunities for action over the next week during
National Mental Health Awareness Month: ·
In
areas where PBS stations are broadcasting the film, please consider sending
a version of the press release to local media early
in the week (before the broadcast). Follow-up with a phone call. Remind them
that it’s. Mental Health Awareness Month and encourage them to profile a local
mental health program, someone living with mental illness or a family. (Be ready
with recommendations.) NAMI’s PR
and Marketing Tool Kit
offers tips on how to work with news media. ·
Spread
the word about the broadcast in advance by email to other mental health groups,
neighborhood associations, friends and others and through social media such as
Facebook. ·
Organize
a group or invite a few friends to watch the film together. A free 24-page discussion
guide
is available to download. ·
In
the past, some NAMI Affiliates have purchased DVD
copies
for Mental Illness Awareness Week (MIAW) or other events. ·
West
47th Street’s producer, Bill Lichtenstein, is available to NAMI State
Organizations and NAMI Affiliates to provide advice about how to use the film
for public education or answer questions about it: 617-682-3700 or bill.lcmedia@gmail.com.
Please feel free to contact him. I
hope this information is helpful. Best
regards, Bob
Carolla Director
of Media Relations NAMI
(National Alliance on Mental Illness) 3803
North Fairfax Drive Arlington,
VA 22203 (703)
516-7963
Contact:
INSERT YOUR NAME, (Phone) (Email) Award-winning
Documentary ‘West 47th Street’ Airs
on PBS on May 19, 2013 Four people with mental
illness fight for recovery and independence Offers Model for Media Coverage
and Community
Discussion During Mental Health Awareness Month Life on the streets for the poor and homeless is an
unforgiving struggle. For those living with mental illness, it is marked by the
additional pressures of fear, isolation and misunderstanding. The
national television broadcast comes 10 years after the film first aired on PBS,
updated with an interview with producer Bill Lichtenstein. It remains relevant
today as President Obama, Congress and state and local governments engage in new
debates over mental health policies. Filmed at Fountain House, the renowned community mental
health clubhouse program in New York City, West 47th Street
looks at a world of hospitals, group homes, medication regimes, work
programs, and personal turmoil and
hope that never disappear. “The movie should be a model for all media to consider
during Mental Health Awareness Month,” said [NAMI SPOKESPERSON TITLE AND.NAME]. “The movie takes place in New
York City, but there are many people here in our own community who face the same
challenges. “It should spark community dialogue not just this weekend
but in weeks ahead.” “NAMI encourages everyone who cares about individuals,
families or friends affected by mental illness to tune in on Sunday. It’s time
to learn and find ways to help each other.
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