Educational Outreach to the Media and to Legislators

A medical news and science writers seminar featuring presentations on Schizophrenia, children and family trauma, personality disorders, mental illness in an aging population, depression and anxiety, and the stigma of mental illness was attended by writers and/or editorial staffs of The Boston Globe, The Boston Herald, The Worcester Telegram & Gazette, as well as other suburban newspapers, and one television station.

The seminar provided an opportunity for the exchange of accurate and current information about mental illness, treatment and research, as well as aggressive questioning relative to violence in schoolyards, the portrayal of mental illness and related issues.

A series of three educational forums on mental illness, featuring experts, mental health consumers and family members, were developed using the expertise and networks of the Task Force Members. The first targeted audience for the forums were legislators and staff. State Representative Michael Cahill and Senator Therese Murray, Chairs of the Joint Committee on Human Services and Elderly Affairs, agreed to sponsor the forums.

Read comments from legislators and staff on anonymous evaluation forms following forums:

	"Thanks for putting a face on mental illness"
	"All of the speakers were extremely articulate. Their ability to share stories, particularly the parent (about her son), about their own lives or cases they were involved with made it easier to understand."
	"These forums have been really informative."
	"Some of the stories are amazing. Tape these forums so they can be replayed on cable."
	"Keep going - I have found that most of my friends, colleagues, family do not know about this issue. Thanks."