FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 26, 2012

CONTACTS:
Tamara Smith/Rick Acton
Aiken Barnwell Mental Health Center
1135 Gregg Hwy
Aiken SC 29801
803-641-7700
TLS15@scdmh.org
RLA78@scmh.org
www.aikenbarnwellmhc.com


Hollywood Invades ABMHC


During the months of April and May, Aiken Barnwell Mental Health Center’ s  Peer Support Services Program  will sponsor “Movie Fridays” beginning at 11:00am in the Community Room, 1135 Gregg Hwy, Aiken SC.  Movies shown will have a Mental Health theme and will be followed by a discussion on mental illness and the stigma associated with it which is often portrayed in television and movies.  ABMHC is committed to the belief that “Prevention Works, Treatment is Effective and People Recover.”
May is Mental Health Month.

Did you know that?

  • The “Global Burden of Disease” study, commissioned by the World Health Organization, found that four of the 10 leading causes of disability for people ages five and older are mental disorders. These disorders are
    • Major Depression,
    • Bipolar Disorder,
    • Schizophrenia, and
    • Obsessive-Compulsive disorder.
  • According to the President’s New Freedom Commission on Mental Health, mental illnesses rank first among illnesses that cause disability in the US, Canada and Western Europe. 
  • Treatment for mental health problems is effective -- 85 percent of patients have a very good response to current medication and therapy programs.
  • Early identification and treatment is of vital importance. By getting people the treatment they need early, recovery is accelerated and the brain is protected from further harm related to the course of illness.

Aiken Barnwell Mental Health Center is one of the seventeen Community Mental Health Centers operating under the South Carolina Department of Mental Health.  ABMHC provides an array of Behavioral HealthCare Services for the residents of both Aiken & Barnwell Counties.   If you or someone you know needs Behavioral HealthCare, please contact ABMHC at 803-641-7700. For more information on Movie Fridays, please contact Joe Stertz Jr, Certified Peer Support Specialist at 803-641-7700 x. 102.   For additional information about Aiken Barnwell Mental Health Center visit www.aikenbarnwellmhc.com.

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