Mental Health Association in New York State, Inc.
(Publication Archives)

Community Connections, Spring 2002

Nationally Syndicated Talk Show Comes to Local Schools!

In Fulton and Montgomery county high schools, the stigma associated with mental illness was attacked live by a [mock] nationally syndicated talk show with a panel of "experts" on hand to blast myths associated with certain disorders. In reality, the Community Mental Heath Promotion Team, in the guise of talk show host "Janet" and her panel of distinguished "scientists" and "professors," used the unique and interactive format to engage local high school students in a lively and informative discussion of the stigma associated with mental illness, and sought to heighten their awareness with respect to specific disorders such as depression, post traumatic stress disorder, and schizophrenia, as well as a discussion of teen suicide.

Students were invited to participate in an essay contest after the presentation to convey their own feelings and thoughts about mental illness, and how their attitudes changed as a result of the CMHP presentation. The presentations were extremely well received, and more than 500 high school students were reached. The team has been invited back to each of the schools to repeat its performance for classes in the Spring semester.

The genesis for the talk show format arose through the CMHP training by MHANYS, where the focus was the role of the media in perpetuating stigma. The Team was made possible not only through the funding via the CMHP grant but also the training and support provided.

A parallel effort undertaken by the CMHP Team involved fifth graders in both counties. To address the issues of stigma, the team chose a theme of demonstrating how friendship can make a difference in the lives of those who are deemed "different." In fact, the Team showed that by being a friend, two lives are touched - the one who is befriended as well as the one extending the hand of friendship. Fifth graders participated in the demonstration by acting out a short script depicting a child in need of a friend and how making friends could change aspects of his life. Active discussions followed the skit and students were invited to create a poster describing their thoughts on how friendship can make a difference. Winning posters from each school were made into place mats and are being distributed to local area restaurants to bring the message to the community at large.

One school's fifth grade class was so affected by the presentation and its message that they decided to present the skit to the rest of the school, with the discussion and acting carried out entirely by the fifth grade students themselves. Passing on this valuable message is just the goal the Team wished to achieve.

Plans for future Team efforts include reaching more schools in the two-county area, and expanding our anti-stigma and awareness campaign to law enforcement and the criminal justice arenas, including the bench and the bar. The CMHP grant will make these efforts possible.

posted 4/9/02