FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Release No.99-35
Richard Ottinger
Phone: 202-682-6119
[email protected]
Fax: 202-682-6255
APA LAUNCHES MENTAL ILLNESS AWARENESS WEEK WITH NEW SUICIDE PREVENTION PSA
Washington, DC -- In observance of Mental Illness Awareness Week (MIAW), October 3-9, 1999, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) has completed an initial launch of a new public service announcement (PSA) alerting the public to the reality of suicide. The PSA is expected to be seen by the public in the top 100 network and cable markets in the United States.
Entitled "Father," the emotionally charged 30-second PSA was developed under the guidance of Nada Stotland, M.D., the Past Chair of the Joint Commission on Public Affairs (JCPA), and produced in collaboration with the APA by Cyclotron Creative Director Alex Seiden, one of the top visual effects supervisors in the world.
Seiden has contributed to such landmark and Academy Award-winning films as "Jurassic Park," "Star Wars: The Special Edition," "Dragonheart," and "Terminator 2: The Judgement Day." Previously, Seiden worked for George Lucas's international film company, Industrial Light and Magic (ILM) which also supported the PSA.
The PSA will show viewers a toll-free depression screening referral hotline number (1-888-805-1000) sponsored all year by the National Mental Illness Screening Project. The PSA was made possible through an unrestricted educational grant funded by Lilly Pharmaceuticals.
The American Psychiatric Association is a national medical specialty society, founded in 1844, whose 40,000 physician members specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of mental and emotional illnesses and substance use disorders.
###
RSS