NJAMHAA 75th Anniversary

36 75 th Anniversary I n addition to advocating directly to state and national government leaders through meetings and correspondence, NJAMHAA communicates its budget, legislative and regulatory priorities to the public through traditional and social media. Proactive efforts include press releases, which have led to numerous interviews and comments shared in publications and on radio and television news programs, as well as letters to editors and opinion- editorials (op-eds). From these consistent efforts, NJAMHAA has established a solid reputation as an expert resource and, therefore, has been contacted by media representatives for insights not only when regular issues arise, such as annual budgets and behavioral health related events (e.g., Mental Health Awareness Month, National Recovery Month), but also when unique situations occur, such as traumatic incidents that have immediate and long-lasting impact on individuals’ mental health, and when drastic funding cuts are proposed by the state or federal government. Media communications also serve to educate the public about mental health in general, which helps eliminate stigma, and reinforce NJAMHAA’s advocacy efforts. As noted in NJAMHAA’s 50th anniversary newsletter in 2001, “NJAMHA has achieved high visibility in the media, both in the tri-state area and nationally, making the association an authoritative source. In fact, NJAMHA is featured more than 50 times per year in the media.” This trend has continued to the present day. Highlights from early in Debra Wentz’s tenure as NJAMHAA’s President and CEO include print media and radio and television stations featuring the Mugshots campaign soon after it was created in 1996 and again in 1999 and 2001. The original campaign consisted of NJAMHAA Achieves a Broader Reach and Greater Impact through Media The federal Excellence in Mental Health Act (S.264/H.R.1263) was enacted, creating a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics demonstration program that included seven NJAMHAA member agencies. 2014 2013 Nancy Lublin, then the CEO of Do Something, established the Crisis Text Line. The organization opened crisis counselor recruitment in 2015. Beloved actor and comedian Robin Williams died by suicide. More celebrities began to speak openly about their mental health struggles.