(SEPT 24) National program will
recognize community, TV, and film industry leaders who raise
awareness about mental and substance use disorders and promote
recovery
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 24, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
will honor David O. Russell, writer and director of Silver
Linings Playbook and The Fighter, with a Career Achievement
Award at the 2013 Voice Awards for his efforts to educate film
audiences about the real experiences of people with behavioral
health problems. In addition, SAMHSA will recognize former U.S.
Congressman Patrick Kennedy and retired U.S. Army General Peter
Chiarelli with Special Recognition Awards for their work to
reduce the discrimination and misperceptions associated with
people with behavioral health problems and increase access to
behavioral health services and supports.
The event will take place on Wednesday, September 25, at
Paramount Studios in Hollywood, CA. Since 2005, the Voice Awards
program has brought together representatives from the
entertainment industry and the behavioral health community for
an evening of educational awareness-building about mental and
substance use disorders and the power of recovery. This year's
theme—Giving a Voice to Recovery—reflects SAMHSA's focus on the
significant impact that individuals and communities can have
when they support and give a voice to people with behavioral
health needs.
The awards program recognizes the achievements of consumer/peer
leaders who are sharing their stories of recovery and educating
the public about behavioral health. Joseph Rogers of
Philadelphia, PA, will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award
for his impactful leadership and advocacy to advance the
recovery movement. Consumer/Peer Leadership Awards will be
presented to behavioral health advocates and community leaders
Drew Horn, Freehold, NJ; Robert McKinley Gilmore, Sr., Houston,
TX; Mia St. John, Calabasas, CA; Jennifer Constantine, Rapid
City, SD; and William Kellibrew, Washington, DC. The Young Adult
Leadership Award will be presented to Lauren Grimes of
Baltimore, MD.
The Voice Awards also honors writers and producers who
incorporate dignified, respectful, and accurate portrayals of
people with behavioral health challenges into film and
television productions. This year's finalists include Silver
Linings Playbook (The Weinstein Company); The Perks of Being a
Wallflower (Summit Entertainment) "Elementary" (CBS); "The
Newsroom" (HBO); "Call Me Crazy: A Five Film" (Lifetime); "NCIS"
(CBS); "Homeland" (Showtime); and "Perception" (TNT).
WHAT: 2013 Voice Awards— samhsa.gov/voiceawards
WHEN:
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Partner-Sponsored Meet and Greet and Photo Opportunity—6 p.m.
PDT
Awards Program—7 p.m. PDT
WHERE: Paramount Theater at Paramount Studios, 5555 Melrose
Ave., Hollywood, CA
VISUAL: Award winner, host, and presenter photo opportunities
SAMHSA is a public health agency within the U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services. Its mission is to reduce the impact
of substance abuse and mental illness on America's communities.
SOURCE Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
(SAMHSA)
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