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DMH Teams to Present at Journalism Schools (Third in a Series from the Office of Communications on The Department has developed a project, "Reporting on Mental Illness, Fairly, Objectively and Sensitively," to reduce the stigma associated with mental illness by making a positive change in the way broadcast and print media reporters and editors broadcast, print and assign information regarding people who have mental illnesses. The project also aims to decrease the sensationalism and misinformation associated with media descriptions of people who receive psychiatric help. This fall, four-person teams plan to go to the senior level classrooms of five universities in South Carolina (University of South Carolina, Benedict, Winthrop, College of Charleston and Francis Marion) that offer a degree in journalism, mass communications, public relations and marketing. Teams will be comprised of one member who will talk about the Department and its services; one member who will provide information about mental illnesses, treatment and recovery; one consumer and one family member who will sensitize the students to what it is like to have or be the loved one of someone who has a mental illness. A textbook, a teacher's guide and handout materials have been created to assist teams to make the one to one-and-one-half hour presentations in the classes. So far, 30 people have volunteered to participate on the teams. During two rehearsals in June and July, they will learn how to give the presentations. Evaluation sheets have been developed for students and journalism instructors to fill out and will be used to modify the presentations made to other universities in the future. |