Mental Health America award recipients

MHA’s Innovation in Programming Award, which recognizes the continuing innovation and creativity of the MHA affiliate network in program development and implementation, goes to MHA of Wisconsin and its innovative program Strong Families Healthy Homes (SFHH). SFHH is a preventative and comprehensive visitation program that provides care for the whole family. This program is strength-based, family-driven and follows a recovery model of service and core belief that healthy family bonds create natural supports for sustaining wellness. The program is staffed by Master’s Level mental health professionals who have received orientation and training in the SFHH model and the MHA developed home-visit toolkit. The Family Advocate partners with the family, wraps intensive case management and recovery support services around the entire family and provides advocacy and support for all the systems the family is involved. Currently the SFHH model serves families an average of 24 months. SFHH is the only community program in Wisconsin that specifically targets parents with mental illness with integrated support, education, and individual advocacy services as they struggle to parent their children and hold their family together through a difficult illness.

MHA’s 2015 Media Award was presented to NBC4. NBC4, the Washington, DC NBC affiliate, spent 2014 discussing the issues surrounding mental health through its year-long Changing Mind series. Led by anchor Doreen Gentzler, the campaign has drawn significant attention to the needs of those struggling with mental health issues and continues to provide education and information on various mental health topics.

MHA’s 2015 Media Award was presented to ESPN’s program Outside the Lines. ESPN’s Outside the Lines story in 2014 of College Athletes and Mental Health: Sasha’s Story drew attention to the tragic suicide of University of Missouri swimmer Sasha Menu Courey and her unanswered cries for help to University of Missouri officials. ESPN shared the story of Sasha—a beautiful and talented swimmer who battled mental health issues and ultimately took her own life when she couldn’t find the help she needed.

MHA’s 2015 mPower Award was presented to a team of young women from the Kennewick, WA TriTech Skills Center for their creation of the Safe&Sound app. Nominated by their Tri-Tech Instructor Kristel Kinder, Amanda Arellano (18-years-old), Stephanie Lopez (17), Marina Stepanov (17), Chloe Westphal (17) were among four student groups nationally to win the Verizon Innovative App Challenge earlier this year. The Safe&Sound app concept brings mental health awareness and resources for teens. Inspired by personal experiences and recent school shootings—including one in their home state—the team knew that the app could help teens express their feelings in a safe way and reach out for help when needed. Features for this app include daily stress management, information on stress, anxiety, depression, journaling, and resources. Safe&Sound will be a functioning, downloadable app by June 2015. The award will be presented at MHA’s Clifford Beers Awards Dinner on June 4 and Chloe Westphal will be at the dinner to accept the award on behalf of the team.

MHA’s highest honor, the Clifford W. Beers Award, was presented to advocate Sue Bergeson. The Clifford W. Beers Award is presented annually to mental health consumers who best reflect the example set by MHA founder Clifford W. Beers in his or her efforts to improve conditions for and attitudes toward people living with mental health conditions. Sue Bergeson’s contributions in the field of behavioral health have saved lives of people living in recovery from mental illness and addiction, and transformed state systems and providers to promote recovery, resiliency and the peer workforce. Sue currently serves as the National Vice President, Consumer and Family Affairs for OptumHealth Behavioral Solutions, a division of United Health Care. Sue is charged with overseeing public sector network operations by providing guidance, strategy and fostering a culture of recovery and resiliency. She promotes practices that are anchored in the belief that people with mental illness are able to live, act, work and participate productively in their communities despite their disabilities, and are resilient and able to rebound from trauma, stigma and other stresses with a sense of mastery. Bergeson’s work with OptumHealth is informed by her personal experience both as a family member and as a consumer.

MHA’s 2015 Media Award was presented to journalist Yochi Dreazen. Yochi Dreazen is the managing editor for news at Foreign Policy and author of The Invisible Front: Love and Loss in an Era of Endless War. The book chronicles the compelling story of Major General (ret.) Mark Graham and his wife Carol as they faced unimaginable tragedy after losing two sons—one to suicide and one to combat. The book brings to light not only the tragedy of suicide and post-traumatic stress disorder throughout the military, but also the evolution of how the institution and its leaders are dealing with this crisis.

MHA’s 2016 George Goodman and Ruth P. Brudney Social Work Award, which is given for significant contributions to the care and treatment of persons with mental illness, goes to Karen Sowers, Ph.D. Dr. Sowers is a Professor and Dean of the College of Social Work at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Dr. Sowers is a trained clinical social worker in mental health, and is well known for her research in the areas of international practice, juvenile justice, child welfare, cultural diversity and culturally effective intervention strategies for social work practice, evidence-based social work practice and social work education. She is the author of numerous books and is the founding co-editor of Best Practices in Mental Health: An International Journal.

MHA’s highest honor, the 2016 Clifford W. Beers Award, was presented to mental health advocate, bestselling author and documentary filmmaker Kevin Hines. The Clifford W. Beers Award is presented annually to mental health consumers who best reflect the example set by MHA founder Clifford W. Beers in their efforts to improve conditions for and attitudes toward people living with mental health conditions. Kevin’s story is a remarkable testament to the strength of the human spirit and a reminder for us to love the life we have. Two years after he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder (19 years of age), he attempted to take his life by jumping from the Golden Gate Bridge. He is one of only thirty-four to survive the fall, and the only one to regain full physical mobility. The fall would break his body, but not his spirit. Today, Kevin dedicates his life to saving lives by spreading the message of hope and sharing his art of living mentally well.

MHA’s Innovation in Programming Award, which recognizes the continuing innovation and creativity of the MHA affiliate network in program development and implementation, was presented to MHA of Georgia for its Project Healthy Moms—the only program of its kind in Georgia—that works to increase awareness, identification, treatment, and support of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs) in Georgia. Project Healthy Moms’ programs target both individual factors, such as peer support, education, and awareness, as well as environmental and societal frameworks, such as resource linkage, provider education, community partnerships, and advocacy work. The program has been and remains at the forefront in raising awareness about maternal mental illness in Georgia.

Mom is an American sitcom on CBS. The series was created by Chuck Lorre, Eddie Gorodetsky, and Gemma Baker. It stars Anna Faris and Allison Janney in lead roles as mother/daughter duo Christy and Bonnie Plunkett. Both characters are in recovery from drug and alcohol use, and the show has become a standout for its efforts in tackling heavy storylines few others explore, including struggles with sobriety, addiction, substance abuse, and relapse. In addition to capturing the truths of substance use, mental health, and recovery, Mom and CBS are going the extra mile to educate the public about addiction, most recently joining with U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy on an addiction PSA.

MHA’s 2016 mPower Award was presented to a two-person team from Duke University, Nancy Su and Eddie Liu. Together, they created one of the most popular and helpful smartphone apps for depression called MoodTools. MoodTools is a free smartphone app that provides six evidence-based tools to aid against clinical depression and negative moods on a large scale. The mPower Award celebrates the life and work of a teens or young adult who has spoken out about mental health issues to educate his or her peers and fight stigma.

Sarasota Herald-Tribune and reporter Carrie Seidman tackled a topic many do not understand this year: schizophrenia. In “The S Word: The Stigma of Schizophrenia,” the newspaper looked at the disease in a way the media rarely does—from the inside out and the people living with it every day. In a multi-part project, Ms. Seidman highlights not just the shame and stigma surrounding the disease but also herself—as the mother of Keaton, a man living with schizophrenia. In addition to her story, readers hear from other individuals and families and are educated about the misconceptions and myths surrounding the disease.