July Update on the National Anti-Stigma Campaign

NASC Spanish Language TV and Radio PSAs, Brochure Now Available

SAMHSA’s National Anti-Stigma Campaign (NASC), in collaboration with the Spanish language television network Univision, has released new television and radio public service announcements (PSAs) in Spanish. The television PSAs entitled “Friends” and “Door,” and the radio PSA entitled “7:40 Movie,” are now available. If you would like to obtain a copy of these PSAs, please contact your designated NASC Liaison (see below). When making your request, please make sure to note if you are interested in the TV or radio PSAs.

The NASC, also in collaboration with Univision, has released the Spanish language version of the What a Difference a Friend Makes campaign brochure entitled “Un Amigo Marca Una Gran Differencia.” This 17-page brochure gives helpful information on how to support a friend with a mental health problem. It also includes important resources. The brochure can be ordered through SAMHSA’s National Mental Health Information Center (NMHIC) by calling 1-800-789-2647 or visiting their Web site at www.mentalhealth.samhsa.gov. The inventory code for this item is SMA07-4289S.

NASC Liaisons

America Doria-Medina and Elizabeth Edgar share the NASC liaison role to provide on-going support to the Campaign. You can contact your designated Liaison when you need NASC related assistance or to share your Campaign activities, ideas, and plans. Please check to see which Liaison is assigned to your State and then contact your assigned Liaison.

America Doria-Medina is the Liaison for the following States: AK, AR, DE, DC, GA, HI, IA, KY, MD, MI, MO, NE, NH, NM, OH, OK, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA, WV, WI, and WY.

She can be reached at adoriamedina@shs.net or 240-747-4955.

Elizabeth Edgar is Liaison for the following States: AL, AZ, CA, CO, CT, FL, ID, IL, IN, KS, LA, ME, MA, MN, MS, MT, NV, NY, ND, OR, RI, SD, UT, VT, and WA.

She can be reached at nasc-liaison@nami.org or 703-516-7973.

Community Site Kit Availability

NASC Community Site Kits now are being printed and will be available for ordering in late-August through NMHIC. Site kits will include the following materials:

·         Kit overview

·         NASC campaign fact sheet

·         Frequently Asked Questions list

·         A document explaining how people can use the kit to help promote the campaign

·         English and Spanish language TV and radio public service announcements (PSAs)

·         Scripts for the PSAs

·         Print PDFs

·         A link to download NASC Web banners

·         A link to the NASC Web site

The kit can be used as a primary resource in your outreach efforts as you continue to encourage your local media and print outlets to support the NASC. Materials such as the print PDFs can be used with your local newspapers and magazines to spread the word about the NASC. Additional elements in the site kit can be used when printing your own brochures and materials, on Web sites, in newsletters, in listserv messages, and even at local community events.

Campaign Collaboration

Here are four exciting examples of the NASC at work:

Through an innovative collaboration with Alloy Media + Marketing, 450,000 NASC brochures will be included in Campus Trial Paks (welcome packets) that will be distributed at more than 200 college bookstores nationwide between August and October. These paks are targeted for 18- to 24-year-old college students.
-Deborah Leiter, NASC Ad Council Director

In mid June, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) held its annual national convention in San Diego, California. The NASC presented a session in which Chris Marshall, the NASC SAMHSA Project Officer spoke about the Campaign’s exciting progress. NAMI also presented Bethann Russell, a student at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, with a plaque in honor of her outstanding service to the NASC. Through public speaking engagements, Bethann shared her experiences about overcoming the effects of stigma.
-Elizabeth Edgar, NASC Liaison

From August 13-17, the NASC will be featured at the Missouri State Fair. NASC materials and PSAs will be available to the public. We also will be distributing mental health related information in order to help educate the community about the importance of mental health.
-Rita McElhany, Missouri NASC State Coordinator, Missouri Department of Mental Health, Rita.mcelhany@dmh.mo.gov

Localizing a PSA can be an effective tool in connecting our community to local stigma reduction efforts. We have devised an inexpensive “localization” tool, where we have printed labels that we affix to the back of the NASC brochures that direct individuals to our local stigma reduction efforts.
-Jerry J. Murphy, Chair, Kane County Mental Health Council, jerrym@incboard.org

The Latest Facts & Stats

The NASC Campaign brochures and materials are in high demand. Through June 2007, over 61, 000 NASC materials have been ordered.

Updated Campaign Materials List

Below is a list of Campaign materials available to the public at no cost. Please follow the links to download materials from the Web. For items without links, please contact the distributor.

Contact Information

SAMHSA’s National Mental Health Information Center (NMHIC) – 1-800-789-2647

SAMHSA Resource Center to Address Discrimination and Stigma (ADS Center) – 1-800-540-0320, stopstigma@samhsa.hhs.gov

SAMHSA National Anti-Stigma Campaign Web site (NASC)

Hartford Direct – 1-800-933-7727

NASC Liaisons, Elizabeth Edgar, nasc-liaison@nami.org, and America Doria-Medina, adoriamedina@shs.net