Voice Awards: SAMHSA Honors Sensitivity
to Mental Health Issues
The
entertainment industry’s most
accurate portrayals of characters facing
mental health issues received honors
at a gala ceremony for the 3rd Annual
Voice Awards, held in Hollywood, CA.
Writers and producers from “The
Sopranos,” “Monk,” “Dirt,” Reign
Over Me, and others recently received
honors from SAMHSA at the 2008 Voice
Awards.
Award-winning actor and mental health
advocate Joe Pantoliano and Hairspray film star Nikki Blonsky hosted the
event at Paramount Studios in Los Angeles,
CA.
Winners were recognized for incorporating
dignified, respectful, and accurate
depictions of people living with mental
health problems into their programs
and films.
Awards also were given to outstanding
community leaders with mental illnesses
who have had a positive impact on the
acceptance of people with mental health
problems in society.
The Voice Awards are part of the Campaign
for Mental Health Recovery, a multi-year
public service advertising program
of SAMHSA and the Ad Council to promote
awareness, understanding, and support
for young adults and others with mental
illnesses.
“The Voice Awards honors television
and film writers and producers who
have created realistic characterizations
of people living with mental illnesses,” said
Terry Cline, Ph.D., SAMHSA Administrator.
“The Sopranos” for
the episode “The Second Coming” addressing
suicide and depression
“Dirt” for its pilot
episode addressing schizophrenia
“Monk” for the episode “Mr.
Monk is at Your Service” addressing
obsessive compulsive disorder
“House” for the
episode “Resignation” addressing
suicide
“Friday Night Lights” for
multiple episodes addressing bipolar
disorder
“Huff” for its episode “Whipped
Doggie” addressing schizophrenia
“Crossing Jordan” for
its episode “Save Me” addressing
schizophrenia
“General Hospital” for
multiple episodes addressing bipolar
disorder.
Winners in the film category were:
Canvas, which tells the story
of a family dealing with the challenges
of a loved one’s mental illness
Reign Over
Me, which explores
the rekindled relationship between
college roommates after one experiences
post-traumatic stress disorder
Home of
the Brave, which
tells the story of four American soldiers
who return home from Iraq and deal
with the memories of war.
Winners in the documentary category
were:
Cracking Up, which depicts
a year in the life of 12 individuals
who use laughter as therapy and face
their mental illnesses through the
use of stand-up comedy
Stephen
Fry: The Secret Life of the Manic
Depressive, which features
interviews with celebrities—including
Robbie Williams, Carrie Fisher, and
Richard Dreyfuss—about the impact
of bipolar disorder and how they have
recovered
Through
My Eyes, which educates
teens about mental health issues through
the testimonies of their peers who
have mental health challenges
The MTV documentary series “True
Life,” for its “True Life:
I Have Autism” and “True
Life: I Have Tourette’s Syndrome” episodes.
SAMHSA also presented a Special Recognition
Award to Howie Mandel, comedian and
host of NBC’s “Deal or
No Deal,” for his commitment
to children’s mental health as
the National Children’s Mental
Health Awareness Day Ambassador.
Marvin Alexander of Miami, FL, a recent
appointee to SAMHSA’s National
Advisory Council, received Young Adult
Leadership Award. (See SAMHSA
News online, January/February 2008, to learn
about appointees.)
A Lifetime Achievement Award was presented
to Larry Fricks—a former journalist
with bipolar disorder whose long career
includes the development and adoption
of multiple innovative, recovery-oriented
programs and services—by journalist
and author Richard Cohen.
