Announcement for 09/22/09
MINDS ON THE EDGE: Facing Mental Illness
Premieres on PBS stations in October. Many organizations are using this program for screening events to focus on systemic change.
MINDS ON THE EDGE: Facing Mental Illness Produced by the Fred Friendly Seminars for broadcast on PBS stations nationwide, the one-hour program effectively reveals the personal dilemmas facing individuals and families, the medical practices that can be obstacles to treatment, and the public policies that are falling short.
The program is moderated by Frank Sesno and includes Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer; Nobel-Prize-winning neuroscientist Dr. Eric Kandel; Pulitzer-nominated journalist Pete Earley; and other distinguished panelists from law, medicine, and public policy. Several panel members, including Fred Frese, Elyn Saks, and Lauren Spiro, have personal experience with the challenges of mental illness and offer their insights.
The program will be the centerpiece at events such as a Capitol Hill legislative briefing that the Campaign for Mental Health Reform is planning for October 7 in Washington, D.C.; a series of town hall meetings that are part of a state-wide examination of mental health policy in Vermont; and a screening and panel discussion at the U.S. Psychiatric Congress in November. National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) affiliates across the country are planning more than 100 regional activities. Additional events will take place throughout the fall and winter. Working with organizations such as NAMI, the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD), and the American Psychiatric Association, thousands of copies of the program are being distributed on DVD to individuals throughout the country. A free DVD can be requested through the web site, and a viewer’s guide and template with promotional tools are provided to facilitate event planning.
For more information or to request a free DVD, please visit the web site at: www.mindsontheedge.org.