Training Teleconference - February 28, 2006

To access an archived recording of the training teleconference and presentation materials please contact the ADS Center at promoteacceptance@samhsa.hhs.gov or 1-800-540-0320.

Training Summary

In response to a call for community and societal integration of persons with mental illnesses in President Bush's New Freedom Initiative, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) developed the Elimination of Barriers Initiative (EBI) to work with States and other stakeholders to reduce the stigma and discrimination associated with mental illness. Over a three-year period, the EBI tested campaign models and public education materials in eight pilot States: California, Florida, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Wisconsin. The EBI's objectives were to combat stigma and discrimination, reduce barriers to treatment, and build public support for the principle of recovery as well as an array of accessible, quality community-based services.

Training Goals

This training will:

• Describe the pilot EBI including its goals, approach, partnerships and portfolio of public education activities and materials.
  
• Present a summary of the EBI's accomplishments and outcome in terms of the extent and effect of its outreach activities to schools, businesses and the general public.
  
• Describe the lessons learned while implementing public education campaigns to reduce mental health stigma and discrimination.
• Present future activities, including the publication of an EBI resource kit and implementation of the National Anti-stigma Campaign (NAC).

Presenters

Chris Marshall, Consumer Affairs Specialist, Center for Mental Health Services, SAMHSA, HHS
As a consumer affairs specialist and project officer for CMHS, Chris leads many activities and programs that promote the meaningful participation of consumers in the mental health system and in mental health policy development. Mr. Marshall focuses on issues of recovery, self-care, peer support, consumer education, privacy of health care information, discrimination and stigma, aging, and others. Mr. Marshall is the project officer for SAMHSA’s National Anti-Stigma Campaign, a nationwide public education effort that will develop and distribute television, radio, and print public service announcements. Mr. Marshall leads dialogue and regional consumer meetings and is also the lead staff for the CMHS National Advisory Council’s Subcommittee on Consumer/Survivor Issues. Chris Marshall is also a self-identified consumer who has spoken out on these issues in press conferences, TV interviews, and other media.

Richard Gilroy, EBI Project Director
Richard Gilroy has more than 25 years of communications experience, including more than 15 years creating and producing public education and public service advertising campaigns for agencies of the Federal Government. He has developed creative strategies for local, regional, and national marketing campaigns; and created, written, and produced communications for all media, including television and radio, newspaper and magazine, outdoor and transit, collateral, direct mail, and interactive communications. Mr. Gilroy managed the development, creation, and production of all materials for the Elimination of Barriers Initiative (EBI), and for the last year of the three-year initiative, served as project director. In that capacity, he managed all activities related to the 2005 Voice Awards, as well as the development of the Resource Kit, which is slated to be distributed to all 50 States. He is currently the project director for the 2006 Voice Awards.

James Bell , EBI Evaluation Director
As the founder and president of James Bell Associates, Mr. Bell has gained more than 30 years of experience in national program evaluation pertaining to innovative health and human service programs. As the leader of the Evaluation Team for the Elimination of Barriers Initiative Evaluation, Mr. Bell collaborated with CMHS, the eight EBI States, and members of the Implementation Team to design and conduct a formative evaluation. The methods employed were activity monitoring, case studies and focus groups to assess what happened when EBI was implemented. Besides leading the EBI evaluation, Mr. Bell has focused in recent years on evaluating integrated treatment services for persons with co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders and HIV/AIDS.