Picture This: Mental Health in Detroit
Picture This: Mental Health in Detroit
A Local Community Approach to "Encouraging the Art of Making a Difference"
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Picture This: Mental Health in Detroit
Picture This: Mental Health in Detroit
A Local Community Approach to "Encouraging the Art of Making a Difference"
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements .................................................................................................................................... 3
Forward: Special Message to Print and Broadcast News Media Industry
Jeff Murri, GM, WJBK Fox 2 nad Brian Dyak, President & CEO, EIC ............................................ 5
Letter of Support from Congressman John Conyers, Jr. ..................................................................... 6
Introduction & Event Description
The Goal ................................................................................................................................................ 7
Depiction Priorities and Recommendations for the Local Detroit Media .............................................. 8
Developing News Stories
Questions to Ask ................................................................................................................................. 10
Language/Terminology ..................................................................................................................... 11
Myths vs. Facts .................................................................................................................................... 12
Picture This Detroit Key Speakers, Media Panelists and Facilitators
Key Speakers ...................................................................................................................................... 14
Media Panelists ................................................................................................................................... 14
Table Facilitators Share Their Thoughts ............................................................................................ 17
What is Mental Health? .......................................................................................................................... 18
Michigan Facts and Figures: Did You Know…?
Mental Health Measures ................................................................................................................... 19
Access to Care ....................................................................................................................................20
Mental Health Services ......................................................................................................................20
Detroit Community Resources ................................................................................................................. 21
End Notes .................................................................................................................................................22
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Picture This: Mental Health in Detroit
Acknowledgements
Researching health issues can be as basic as finding research papers on the Internet or as complex
as delving into public policy and the philosophical positions of interest groups. Most important is the
perspective of people who, for one reason or another, make a deeper commitment by dedicating
their time to a cause.
This document is a publication resulting from a formal meeting of experts in the field of mental health
as well as print and broadcast news media professionals at Fox 2 WJBK in Detroit, Michigan.
Numerous individuals and organizations provided insight into the complex issues surrounding mental
health and related concerns as we created Picture This: Mental Health Detroit.
Special Thanks to
Adult Well Being
Beaumont Hospital
Chase Edwards Memorial
Community Network Services
Depression and Bipolar Support
Alliance Detroit
Detroit Central Community Mental Health
Detroit-Wayne County Community Mental
Health Agency
Detroit Medical Society
Detroit Urban League
Gateway Community Health
Governor's Mental Health Commission
Greater Grace Temple
Health Disparities Reduction and
Minority Health
Henry Ford Health System
Mental Health Association in Michigan
Mental Illness Needs Discussion
Sessions Mental Illness Research Association
Michigan Department of Education
Michigan Psychiatric Society
Michigan State University
NAMI Downtown Detroit
NAMI Metro-Oakland, Wayne & Macomb
NAMI Michigan State Office
No Resolve Organization
Oakland County Community Mental
Health Authority
Providence Hospital (St. John Health System)
Psychiatric & Medical Services
Michigan Department of Community Health
Sacred Heart Rehabilitation
St. John Brighton Hospital
University of Michigan Depression Department
University of Michigan
Washtenaw County Community Mental Health
Wayne County Community Mental Health
Wayne State University
Wayne State University School of Medicine
Extra special thanks to Fox 2 WJBK for hosting Picture This: Mental Health in Detroit. Special thanks
also to Fox 2 WJBK General Manager, Jeff Murri; to the Fox 2 WJBK team, Katie Fehr, Dana Haan,
Dennis Kraniak; to our Picture This table facilitators, Neuropsychiatrist, Henry Ford Hospital Division
of Behavioral Health, Dr. Edward Coffey; Acting Chair, Department of Psychiatry, University of
Michigan, Dr. Gregory Dalack; Associate Professor and Chair, Department of Psychiatry, Michigan
State University, Dr. Jed Magen; Chair, Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State
University School of Medicine, Dr. Manuel Tancer; to our Picture This media panel, Deena Centofanti,
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Picture This: Mental Health in Detroit
News Anchor, WJBK Fox 2; Lila Lazarus, News Anchor, WJBK Fox 2; Sean Lee, Health Producer,
WJBK Fox 2; Charles Pugh, Radio Personality, WJLB FM 98; Rochelle Riley, Print Journalist, Detroit
Free Press; Megha Satyanarayana, Print Journalist, Detroit Free Press; and to our Picture This key
speakers, Jeff Edwards, President and Founder, Chase Edwards Memorial; Bishop Charles Ellis,
Greater Grace Temple; Vasilis K. Pozios, M.D., Jeanne M. Spurlock, M.D. Congressional Fellow,
American Psychiatric Association, Office of Congressman John Conyers, Jr.
Picture This Team
Larry Deutchman
EIC Executive VP, Marketing and Entertainment Industry Relations
Marie Gallo Dyak
EIC Executive VP, Program Services and Government Relations
Kimberly Rymsha
EIC Program Manager
Alissa D'Amelio
EIC Program Manager, Picture This Writer/Editor
Shawn King
EIC Executive Administrative Assistant
Brian Keefe
Project Coordinator
Abegail Matienzo
EIC Intern, George Mason University
Allison Henry
EIC Intern, George Mason University
EIC would like to thank AstraZeneca for supporting
Picture This: Mental Health in Detroit.
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Picture This: Mental Health in Detroit
Forward
Dear Reader:
Picture This: Mental Health in Detroit is a unique approach to support and position mental health
concerns within the community through strategic partnerships dedicated to making a difference.
The goal of Picture This is to establish ongoing relationships to successfully determine the most
pressing mental health-related concerns of the great city of Detroit, Michigan through the convening
of local media leadership, Detroit-based mental health medical experts, local stakeholders, elected
officials, advocacy leaders, policy experts and scholars.
The local "media industry" has a unique ability to influence attitudes and behaviors that affect the
public's health by raising awareness and providing accurate, timely and newsworthy information.
The Entertainment Industries Council, Inc. (EIC), in collaboration with Fox 2 WJBK, developed Picture
This: Mental Health in Detroit to identify priorities for news coverage, community service activities,
public service announcements and story portrayals. In the increasingly complex media environment, local media plays an important role as primary
information sources that have the power to reach the public in an unequivocally significant community-centered manner. By enriching the opportunities for local story tellers, news providers, journalists
(radio, print, broadcast and online) and public officials to address mental health related stories with
a high degree of accuracy, the Detroit audience gains greater knowledge while decreasing mental
illness stigma in the community. The Picture This: Mental Health in Detroit publication is intended to encourage further coverage
of mental health as well as support the news reporting process with fresh news angles, and timely,
accurate information about mental health-related issues. It is also intended to encourage real,
personal stories of individuals who have experienced mental illness first-hand, along with tips and
ideas for consideration to proactively position mental health concerns in Detroit's media space. We
encourage public service campaigns and support community mental health activities and services
offered by the many dedicated mental health professionals and organizations in Detroit. We encourage all local media to become actively engaged in addressing mental health-related issues.
We are appreciative of the time dedicated to this effort by community mental health stakeholders and
pleased that we created a template in Detroit that is now being implemented in other cities throughout
the country. All those who participated in the forum should be extremely proud of this accomplishment.
Thank you for your commitment of time, energy and passion in addressing mental health issues in
Detroit.
Sincerely,
Brian Dyak, President and CEO
Entertainment Industries Council, Inc.
www.eiconline.org
Jeff Murri, General Manager
WJBK Fox 2, Detroit
www.myfoxdetroit.com
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Picture This: Mental Health in Detroit
Introduction & Event Description
The Goal
EIC and Fox 2 WJBK united to raise awareness and eradicate the stigma associated with mental
health issues. The purpose of Picture This: Mental Health Detroit was simple: Create greater awareness about mental health in Detroit through the acquisition, sharing and imparting of knowledge.
How? Local media (including newscasters and journalists in broadcast, print and online media
outlets), medical experts, communication experts, other stakeholders and elected officials in the
Detroit community were convened at Fox 2 WJBK studios to identify strategic ways to strengthen the
awareness of mental health services in metropolitan Detroit. A panel of Detroit media professionals
including, Deena Centofanti, Lila Lazarus and Sean Lee of WJBK Fox 2; Charles Pugh, Radio Personality, WJLB FM 98; and Rochelle Riley and Megha Satyanarayana, Print Journalists, Detroit Free
Press, described opportunities and barriers involved in portraying mental health issues through news
stories.
This event grew out of EIC's Entertainment and Media Communication Institute's Mental Healthcare:
Media Blueprint Think Tank where a vision was set forth: "To increase the nation's mental health and
decrease the burden of mental illness." It was at this event, EIC vowed to work with members of
Congress to communicate about mental health issues at the local level.
Read on to learn about the conversations that took place and the priorities identified as the most
effective way to use the power of the media in changing the way the public perceives mental health.
To watch video clips from the event and access up-to-date mental health information, resources and
services please visit: http://media.myfoxdetroit.com/special/mentalhealth.html. This website was
developed by Fox 2 WJBK especially for the Picture This: Mental Health in Detroit forum by the
WJBK team.
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Picture This: Mental Health in Detroit
Depiction Priorities and Recommendations
for Local Detroit Media
A diverse representation of experts and professionals, (including individuals representing veterans'
affairs, clergy, consumers, psychiatrists and psychologists, researchers, advocates and other stakeholders) who interface with various facets of mental health on a daily basis was convened to come to
a consensus on depiction priorities and recommendations for local media to address mental health.
We asked our Picture This experts this question:
"If mental health-related issues could be addressed in print and broadcast
news in any manner, what are the most important aspects of mental health to
communicate to Detroit audiences?"
The following reflect the top priorities as identified by our expert attendees:
Priority 1: Reduce stigma attached to mental health by clearly and
accurately portraying characters dealing with real-life brain diseases.
佡 Many people do not realize that mental illness is a legitimate medical condition, just as cancer
or heart disease. It is not a problem caused by a person's own choice and certainly does not
mean the person is weak or lazy and should just, "get over it." A storyline involving mental
health is a great opportunity to portray a mental illness as a brain disease with very complex
causes, including genetics, biology and life experiences. 佡 Rather than using hurtful terms like "psycho," "nuts," or "loony bins" in stories, consider carefully
selecting language that describes the person themselves coping with a medical disease to
overcome distorted perceptions.
佡 Negative depictions of people with mental illnesses perpetuate feelings of fear, mistrust and
shame. Consider, instead, covering positive stories of accomplishments made by individuals
with mental health-related issues.
佡 At times people with a mental health disorder are believed to be dangerous and violent. In
reporting about crime and violence in local media remember to be sensitive to not stereotype a
person that has a mental illness.
佡 Consider portraying the harmful effects of stigma for a real person dealing with a disease. This
can include rejection by family and friends, discrimination and problems at work, difficulty
finding housing, coping with harassment and physical violence and inadequate health insurance.
佡 Be conscious of the language used. In other words, do not equate a person with their mental
illness by saying, "Johnny is bipolar." Instead, say, "Johnny has bipolar disorder."
佡 Always be on the lookout for a national figure or local newsworthy personality as a spokesperson/interviewee that everyone can resonate with. For example, Magic Johnson raised a great
deal of awareness to remove stigma for HIV.
佡 Metropolitan Detroit is a culturally diverse community. Consider portraying stigma as it relates
to cultural competency and cultural sensitivity of mental health issues. Providers, patients and
advocates need help to understand these differences.
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Picture This: Mental Health in Detroit
Priority 2: Demonstrate to people coping with a mental illness that
they are not meant to walk alone. There is hope. Recovery is possible
with treatment.
佡 People with mental health issues, along with their family, friends and support network, may not
understand what is going on, where to go and what to do. Local media can help people
understand how to get diagnosed, where to go to receive treatment, and who to talk to for
support. Consider storylines that instill the hope that recovery is possible and that treatment
works.
佡 Consider depicting the tools necessary for people coping with a mental illness to succeed in the
community by exploring real life scenarios and uplifting stories of hope, treatment and recovery.
Priority 3: Bring clarity to the debate about the integration of mental and
general health care.
佡 Present reform policies that speak to integrating mental and general health care and the
potential outcomes and costs associated with those policies.
佡 Present integrated mental and general healthcare from the viewpoint of the patient as well as
the medical community throughout the continuum of mental healthcare services.
佡 Portray the role of social support services within the recovery process.
佡 Consider emphasizing not solely short term illnesses, but longer term chronic mental illnesses
throughout the continuum of mental healthcare services.
佡 When developing stories, consider the effects of dealing with a mental illness depending on
how individuals and families enter the healthcare system.
佡 The vast majority of consumers of mental health services have both physical and substance use
issues as well. Consider portraying the angle that ignoring one of those facets minimizes the
ability to effectively treat the individual.
佡 Consider portraying a person-based or patient-based story rather than an illness-based perception of mental health.
PRIORITY 4: Show the importance of mental health parity, resources and
access to care.
佡 Mental health parity is a term that represents a concept about how insurance companies should
treat mental health benefits. The basic concept of mental health parity is that most mental health
conditions should not be treated by insurance companies as uniquely different than any other
health condition. In October 2008 a new mental health parity bill was signed into law by
President Bush. Consider developing stories that bring clarity to the parity bill in an effort to
educate the public about their rights. 佡 It is important for people to recognize the significant overlap between mental and physical
health and the importance of focusing resources on access to care for those with a mental
illness. Consider depicting real stories of families struggling to make ends meet and dealing with
a loved one's mental illness on top of debt. For example, although it sounds outrageous for an
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Picture This: Mental Health in Detroit
insurance company to deny an 18-year old boy the coverage for treatment for his cancer, that is
a reality facing many who are dealing with mental illness.
佡 Explain in stories that although there is now a parity law, it does not account for every insurer
and does not cover everyone. For example, the legislation exempts employers with fewer than
50 employees.
佡 Depict the long-term cost savings that employers, insurers and the general public can gain from
mental health insurance parity, including reducing absenteeism in the workplace.
PRIORITY 5: Portray the importance of the decriminalization of the mentally
ill through recognition that individuals coping with a mental illness that
have committed offenses due to a brain disorder are in need of treatment,
not punishment.
佡 More Americans receive mental health treatment in prisons and jails than hospitals and/or
treatment centers. The largest psychiatric facility in the United States is not a hospital but is a
prison located in New York City's Rikers Island and holds about 3,000 mentally ill inmates at
any given time.i Media stories can portray the reality of a person who may have committed an
offense due to behavior caused by a brain disorder and the cycle inherent in this system
whereby individuals with untreated disorders may repeatedly be placed in correctional settings.
佡 Many police officers, law enforcement personnel, court officers, judges and lawyers are not
trained to deal with people coping with a mental illness. Oftentimes law enforcement officers
are the first to respond to calls involving crises associated with a mental illness. Consider
developing a story that covers the need to educate members of the judicial and legal systems
about mental illnesses.
Your Developing News Stories
Questions to Ask
Here are some sample questions to ask as you are researching and developing storylines involving
mental health:
佡 Can you position the story in a manner that focuses on the successes of individuals with mental
illness rather than negative depictions that may perpetuate stigma in feelings of fear, mistrust
and shame?
佡 Does the storyline convey that effective treatments for most conditions of mental health-related
illnesses are available (but underutilized)?
佡 Does the storyline acknowledge the person's problems and struggles as well as the positive
aspects of his or her life to give a more balanced report with hope?
佡 Does the audience see the effects of mental illness on relatives and friends?
佡 Did the individual have a problem with substance abuse?
佡 Does the storyline convey that mental illness is a form of physical illness rather than a
character flaw?
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Picture This: Mental Health in Detroit
Language/Terminology
It is essential to use healthy terminology when writing about mental health. Using the proper
terminology can eliminate stigma in society.
Keep in mind that a person suffering from a mental illness is not defined by the illness. Oftentimes
people are referred to as the illness and not as a person that is coping with the illness. To make
certain you use healthy terminology and expressions, see the list below to ensure you are expressing
mental health issues in a sensitive and respectful manner.
Disrespectful Language:
佡 Derogatory Labels
Avoid, where possible, any slang term referring to mental illness, including crazy, lunatic,
nuts, deranged, deficient, wacko, loony tune, psycho, mad, freak, weirdo, schizo, manic,
handicapped, special, slow, low-functioning, retarded, disturbed, weird, strange, insane, loco,
abnormal, normal and other words with negative connotations or inherent judgments. Also,
avoid phrases such as "off his meds" when used in a judgmental or derogatory context.
To avoid derogatory labels, consider using the following healthy language alternatives.
Unhealthy Language
Healthy Language
Disabled
Experience a disability related to the illness
Become illness
Develop an illness
Consumer Supports
Recovery supports
Doctor
Healthcare provider
Mentally ill person
Person with a mental illness
Stable person
Person who has advanced in recovery
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Picture This: Mental Health in Detroit
Myths vs. Factsii
Your accurate, timely news stories provide an indispensible public service by debunking common
myths and misconceptions about mental health-related issues.
The following myths and facts may help to clarify mental health issues and underscore the need to
address the priority messages identified regarding stigma, hope, integration of healthcare, parity and
decriminalization of the mentally ill.
Myth: There's no hope for people with mental illnesses.
Fact: There are more treatments, strategies and community support systems than ever before, and
even more are on the horizon. People with mental illnesses can lead active, productive lives.
Myth: I can't do anything for someone with mental health needs.
Fact: You can do a lot, starting with the way you act and how you speak. You can nurture an environment that builds on people's strengths and promotes good mental health.
Myth: People with mental illnesses are violent and unpredictable.
Fact: In reality, the vast majority of people who have mental health needs are no more violent than
anyone else. You probably know someone with a mental illness and don't even realize it.
Myth: Mental illnesses cannot affect me.
Fact: Mental illnesses are surprisingly common; they affect almost every family in America. Mental
illnesses do not discriminate-they can affect anyone.
Myth: Mental illness is the same as mental retardation.
Fact: The two are distinct disorders. A mental retardation diagnosis is characterized by limitations in
intellectual functioning and difficulties with certain daily living skills. In contrast, people with mental
illnesses-health conditions that cause changes in a person's thinking, mood and behavior-have varied
intellectual functioning, just like the general population.
Myth: Mental illnesses are brought on by a weakness of character.
Fact: Mental illnesses are a product of the interaction of biological, psychological and social factors.
Research has shown genetic and biological factors are associated with schizophrenia, depression
and alcoholism. Social influences, such as loss of a loved one or a job, can also contribute to the
development of various disorders.
Myth: People with mental illnesses cannot tolerate the stress of holding down a job.
Fact: In essence, all jobs are stressful to some extent. Productivity is maximized when there is a good
match between the employee's needs and working conditions, whether or not the individual has
mental health needs.
Myth: People with mental health needs, even those who have received effective treatment and have
recovered, tend to be second-rate workers on the job.
Fact: Employers who have hired people with mental illnesses report good attendance and punctuality,
as well as motivation, quality of work and job tenure on par with or greater than other employees.
Studies by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and the National Alliance for the Mentally
Ill (NAMI) show that there are no differences in productivity when people with mental illnesses are
compared to other employees.
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Picture This: Mental Health in Detroit
Myth: Once people develop mental illnesses, they will never recover.
Fact: Studies show that most people with mental illnesses get better, and many recover completely.
Recovery refers to the process in which people are able to live, work, learn and participate fully in
their communities. For some individuals, recovery is the ability to live a fulfilling and productive life.
For others, recovery implies the reduction or complete remission of symptoms. Science has shown that
having hope plays an integral role in an individual's recovery.
Myth: Therapy and self-help are wastes of time. Why bother when you can just take one of those pills
you hear about on TV?
Fact: Treatment varies depending on the individual. A lot of people work with therapists, counselors,
their peers, psychologists, psychiatrists, nurses and social workers in their recovery process. They also
use self-help strategies and community supports. Often, these methods are combined with some of the
most advanced medications available.
Myth: Children do not experience mental illnesses. Their actions are just products of bad parenting.
Fact: A report from the President's New Freedom Commission on Mental Health showed that in any
given year 5-9 percent of children experience serious emotional disturbances. Just like adult mental
illnesses, these are clinically diagnosable health conditions that are a product of the interaction of
biological, psychological, social and sometimes even genetic factors.
Myth: Children misbehave or fail in school just to get attention.
Fact: Behavior problems can be symptoms of emotional, behavioral or mental disorders, rather
than merely attention-seeking devices. These children can succeed in school with appropriate
understanding, attention and mental health services.
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Picture This: Mental Health in Detroit
Our Picture This Detroit Key Speakers,
Media Panelists and Facilitators
Key Speakers:
Jeff Edwards, President and Founder,
Chase Edwards Memorial:
"Deaths occurring from mental health are largely preventable if we
could somehow manage to more comfortably raise awareness.
This includes the root of their causes as well as the care, tools,
resources, and help available locally in overcoming them. As a
broken-hearted father victimized by the suicide of my 12 year old
precious son, it is my strong heartfelt feeling that what we need to
commit to and to start right here today - in this meeting of the minds
assembled and in those of our fellow Detroiters and Michiganders
is to start our own social epidemic. An epidemic of openness in
education, an epidemic of the dispelling of suicidal myths and the
social stigmas associated with it, an epidemic that possesses a willingness to hold ourselves and other
accountable for spreading the word about these villains abducting and overcoming our loved ones
called mental illness. Hopefully with all of your help here today, we in Detroit can find the courage to
be a true blueprint catalyst for a social epidemic called, 'it is okay to talk about depression and
suicide because we are all here to help.'"
Bishop Charles Ellis III, Senior Pastor at Greater Grace
Temple:
"I believe that we in the church, as religious leaders have to be balanced enough to say there is a spiritual place and there is a clinical
place, and there is room for them to co-exist together. Once we begin to
teach that, the church will be willing to facilitate, not just support, mental
health. I ought to be able, not just to pray for that person, but to pray for
that person and say, 'I need you to go and see this friend of mine, or go on to see this person, or go
let this people check you out. We need to be our brothers and sisters' keeper. And that's something
that the church could foster, because we should be about community, and we should be about
embracing, not just blood relatives, but all of those, all of God's children, God's people."
Media Panelists:
Deena Centofanti, Fox News Anchor, WJBK Fox 2:
"I think it was Maya Angelou who said, 'People may forget what you did,
people may forget what you said, but people will not forget how you
made them feel.' My goal as a TV reporter is to make our viewers feel
something, because that is what makes memorable stories and causes
change. We are asking people sometimes at their darkest moments to
open their doors, open their lives to us. And that is part of our struggle in
doing television stories on issues of mental illness. We really need two
things to tell a really compelling story: people and pictures. Sometimes
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Picture This: Mental Health in Detroit
those are so hard to come by, especially when we're talking about these topics. Please remember
when you think about your favorite movie or you think about anything that touches you emotionally
or that stays on top of your mind. Consider television stories in that exact same way when you are
trying to communicate your messages to the public through news media. Also, think about the people
that you go home and talk to your spouses, your mates, your partners about. Those are probably
the people that we want to hear about too, the good stories that we want to put on TV. We want
to tell those stories."
Lila Lazarus, Fox News Anchor, WJBK Fox 2:
"Putting a human face on an illness makes it easier for people
to empathize and identify with those affected and therefore
helps lessen the stigma. While we are getting more conscious
of certain diseases and certain parts of our bodies, we still do
not talk as openly about diseases above the neck and behind
the face. The more we report on those who thrive in society
with a mental illness, the more I think that we can do to dispel
the stigma. To bring mental illness out of the shadows, it needs
a human face, one we all relate to. My hope is that this forum
alone will remind all of us to find more faces, tell more stories
of courage, of recovery, of perseverance to raise awareness
and change the public opinion on mental illness. We need to
get people talking about what it is, how common it is, and how to get help. I'm taking a vow this
moment that I will do more stories this coming year than I have done in my entire 20 years in media
on mental health."
Sean Lee, Fox Health Producer, WJBK 2:
"On a typical day, we receive over a hundred emails and dozens of phone calls from public
relations professionals, individuals and viewers pitching story ideas or looking for information. So, what helps distinguish a story pitch? What sets your idea apart from hundreds of
others that pour into our news room? It must have a human component that makes people
care. A health story cannot and should not be told without a compelling patient at its center.
You can have the best doctor expert or health cause in the world, but without a person the
average viewer can identify with, you have a story with no heart. A main issue we face is finding
people willing to ignore public perceptions and go on camera and say yes, I struggle with mental
illness. In the end, it is worth overcoming that anxiety to help change societal attitudes about this
issue. There is no question that we are ready to help change those attitudes and help foster an
environment where people are more comfortable discussing mental health. Broadcasters and news
representatives need to give the same level of consideration to mental health
that we give to diabetes, cancer or heart disease." Charles Pugh, Radio Personality, WJLB FM 98:
"On the radio, we crack that microphone open 25 times a morning. That is a lot
of opportunity to discuss important issues. On the radio, though, it needs to be
short, particularly because that information may need to be communicated in
between talking about traffic and weather. At the same time, we can point
people in the right direction by asking questions such as: Do you know the
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Picture This: Mental Health in Detroit
symptoms of schizophrenia? Depression? Bipolar Disorder? We have the ability to then provide
website resources and phone numbers as vehicles for help. Doctors and researchers may only reach
maybe a hundred people in a week and I can reach a hundred thousand people in 10 seconds. I
would love to help you to get to the folks who you could or should be helping but they don't know
about you and you don't know about them. Local radio can help to bridge that gap. I talk a lot, I talk
often, and I can help talk with a purpose."
Rochelle Riley, Print Journalists, Detroit Free
Press:
"One of the things that we are guilty of, those of us in this room
that care and people outside this room who haven't yet learned
to care, is that we are guilty of the nurturing and feeding of a
myth. And that is that there are 300 million people in American
walking around with bodies and no heads. We do not pay
attention in the way that we should to the integral part of our
whole body working and how important that is. Good advice
has been given today about the importance of human components in storytelling. I don't disagree with that so much as I want
to offer you something else. It has got to be about news. If you
say there is a record number of anything, it is a news story; however, we often do not pay attention to
things like a record number of cases of depression. We do not pay attention to seeking and reporting a record number of cases of mental illness. We need to find the same language where we can tell
people what they need to hear while elevating awareness."
Megha Satyanarayana, Print Journalist,
Detroit Free Press:
"One of the reasons why needing a face to put on
mental health stories becomes really important is
because we are talking about this vicious circle of
stigma. Unless there is a person who can say this is
what is happening to me and this is what's happening
to my family, it is really hard to either sell my editors
or to sell our product. We are in a very multi-racial
area, Metro Detroit. What are considered mental
health issues in one community may not be in another, but that does not mean that it is not mental
healthcare and there is no stigma attached. Remember, I get about a hundred emails a day so whatever
it is that you are trying to tell me about needs to be
included in the first paragraph or the subject heading of the email. Also, I am more than happy to talk
about the latest finding in depression, but I cannot spend half of my story describing gene regulation
or the biochemistry of how a drug works. Language really is very important for clear understanding. I
vow to do my best within this next year to cover mental healthcare as much as I can."
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Table Facilitators Share Their Thoughts
…Why Detroit?
"Addressing the mental health needs of Detroit is critically important because, putting it quite simply,
there is NO health without MENTAL health. Our mental health and well
being dramatically influences our general medical health, and vice versa. To
take just one example, if you have a heart attack or a stroke and you become
depressed afterwards, your risk of dying from that attack is more than
doubled. The point is that the mind and body talk to each other. Are we
prepared to listen?" —Dr. Edward Coffey, Neuropsychiatrist, Henry Ford Hospital Division of
Behavioral Health
"The time is ripe to develop this kind of private-public
partnership that joins academic centers, advocacy groups, health care communities
and the media to provide information to the public about mental health and mental
illness. We have let shame and stigma about mental illness muzzle us for too long.
Depression, schizophrenia, autism, alcohol dependence: these and other brain
disorders are the focus of intense study and the development of treatments that
help reduce suffering and restore function. I am proud to be a part of this initiative
to bring information to Metropolitan Detroit and the surrounding communities and
know that we can reduce stigma, provide important information to the public, and
help them find the services they need."
—Dr. Gregory Dalack, Acting Chair, Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan
"Psychiatric disorders result in a huge amount of human suffering. They affect individuals, the
important people around them and the communities in which they live. One
simply cannot have healthy communities without vibrant, healthy people living
in communities. It is difficult to see Michigan prospering without a healthy
vibrant major city that is an attractive place to live and a source of jobs,
education and culture. This cannot happen if we cannot provide for the
physical and mental health of our residents especially our children who, after
all, are our future."
—Dr. Jed Magen, Program Director, Former President of MPS,
Michigan State University
"Mental illness whether stress, depression, or more severe forms, saps vitality,
productivity, creativity and passion. These drives are critical to help Detroit
rebuild and regenerate. Identification and treatment of mental illness and a
commitment to mental health is an important element in the rebuilding of the
city and the community."
—Dr. Manuel Tancer, Chair Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience,
Wayne State University School of Medicine
17
Picture This: Mental Health in Detroit
What is Mental Health?
Mental health refers to a state of emotional and psychological well-being. Mental illness may include
any of various conditions characterized by impairment of an individual's normal cognitive, emotional,
or behavioral functioning, and caused by social, psychological, biochemical, genetic, or other
factors.
Mental illness-related issues are very common in the United States. An estimated 26.2 percent of
Americans ages 18 and older suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year. That is
about one in four adults.iii Mental Illnesses Defined:
佡 What is depression? Depression is a serious medical illness - not something exaggerated or
made up. It is more than just feeling "down in the dumps" or "blue" for a few days. It involves
feeling "down" and "low" and "hopeless" for weeks at a time.iv Research indicates that
depressive illnesses are disorders of the brain.
佡 What is Bipolar Disorder? Bipolar disorder, also known as manic-depressive illness, is a serious
medical illness that causes severe shifts in a person's mood, energy and ability to function.v 佡 What is Social Phobia? Social Phobia, or Social Anxiety Disorder, is an anxiety disorder
characterized by overwhelming anxiety and excessive self-consciousness in everyday social
situations. Social phobia can be limited to only one type of situation-such as a fear of speaking
in formal or informal situations, or eating or drinking in front of others-or, in its most severe
form, may be so broad that a person experiences symptoms almost anytime they are around
other people.vii
佡 Crisis Mental Health Response: The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration recommends that every community should have a Crisis Mental Health Plan as part of its
overall Emergency Operations Plan. Local mental health
providers are pre-trained and their job descriptions include
responding to the psychological needs of first responders and
community members during and after community crises. Crisis
mental health responders may be drawn from community
mental health centers, crime victim assistance programs,
faith-based counseling agencies and social service agencies
that serve special populations.
佡 What is Schizophrenia? Contrary to the common misconception, it does not mean "split personality," but rather represents a
constellation of symptoms that can include unclear thinking,
feeling paranoid and hearing voices or seeing things others
cannot. Schizophrenia is one of the most disabling and vexing
mental disorders; just as "cancer" refers to numerous related
illnesses, many researchers now consider schizophrenia to be a
group of mental disorders rather than a single illness.vi
18
Picture This: Mental Health in Detroit
Michigan Facts and Figures: Did You Know…?
Mental Health Measures:
The NCS-R researchers found that approximately 5.8 percent of American adults suffer from a serious
mental illness each year, translating to more than one in twenty individuals over the age of 18 with a
serious mental disorder. An additional 9.8 percent have moderate mental illness and 10.5 percent
have a mild mental illness.viii From the President's New Freedom Commission (2003) studies gathered estimated that between 5 and 9 percent of children have serious mental disorders.ix
In Michigan, suicide is the 10th ranking cause of death, with an average of 1,108 residents dying
annually by suicide; an average annual rate of 10.9 per 100,000.x
According to data gathered from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, rates of
major depressive episodes in Michigan are generally at or above the U.S. national rates for all
age groups. Past Year Major Depressive Episodes 2005-2006
Michigan
12
Percent with MDE
10
8
US
6
Michigan
4
2
0
18+
12-17
18-25
26+
Age Groups
As reported in the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, in 2005-2006, the rates of past
year serious psychological stress in Michigan were comparable to national rates for all age
groups studied.xii Past Year Serious Psychological Distress 2005-2006
Michigan
20
18
16
Percent with SPD
14
12
US
10
Michigan
8
6
4
2
0
18+
18-25
26+
Age Groups
19
Picture This: Mental Health in Detroit
Access to care:
The "Cover Michigan" report, released in January 2009 by the Center for Healthcare Research &
Transformation, documents "a state under stress," where health insurance coverage has deteriorated
since 2000. The following research was documented:
佡 53.4% of workers had health insurance through their employers in 2006, compared with
55.8% nationwide. In 2000, 63.9% of Michigan workers had employer coverage, compared
with 59.3% nationwide.
佡 11.6% of Michiganders were uninsured in 2007, up from 10.5% in 2006. The number of
uninsured children grew to 6.2% in 2007, up from 4.7% in 2006.
佡 African-American and Hispanic children and adults younger than 65 were overrepresented in
2006 among those without insurance. Nearly 24% of black Michiganders, who comprise
15.5% of the state's population, were uninsured. And 6.6% of Hispanics, who are 3.9% of the
state's population, were uninsured.
佡 Currently, within the City of Detroit, 200,000 people are uninsured-that is almost one-quarter of
the population.
Mental Health Services:
The Detroit-Wayne County Community Mental Health Agency, the largest public mental health
agency in Michigan, provided services for over 57,000 residents in the FY 2006-2007 with a variety
of mental health and substance abuse services and programs.xiv
In 2006, there were 59,255 hospital discharges in Michigan (from short-stay hospitals) with a mental
health disorder as the first listed diagnosis. That is a rate of 58.7 per 10,000, with an average length
of stay of 7.5 days. Psychoses were the fifth leading cause for hospitalization in Michigan in
2006.xv The number of psychiatric beds within the City of Detroit and Wayne County has declined sharply.
The number of private adult psychiatric beds in Wayne County in 2008 shrunk by 423 beds from the
1994 count of 780, a 54% reduction, with 357 community psychiatric adult beds--while beds for
minors have been decreased by 74%, with only 30 community psychiatric beds for children and
adolescents in the county.xvi 20
Picture This: Mental Health in Detroit
Detroit Community Resources
Adult Well Being
www .awbs.org
313-924-7860
Beaumont Hospit al
www .beaumont hospit als.com/healt h-libr ary
313-343-1000- Grosse Point
248-898-5000- R oyal Oak
248-964-5000- Troy
Chase Edwards Memor ial
www .chaseedw ardsmemor ial.com
1-800-810-0499
Community N etwork Services
www .cnsmi.or g
248-745-4900
DBSA Detroit
www .dbsa-me trodetroit.org
248-689-6110
Detroit Central Community Ment al Healt h
www .dcccmh.org
313-831-3160
Detroit Medical Society
www .dmc.org
313-832-7800
Detroit Urban League
www .detroiturbanleague.or g
313-832-4600
Gateway Community Healt h
www .gchi.org
313-262-5100
Henr y Ford Hospit al Division of
Beha vioral Healt h
www .henr yford.com/body.cfm?id=3 7030
1-800-HENR Y-FORD
NAMI Downt own De troit
313-867-6233
NAMI Metro-Oakland, Wayne & Macomb
www .namime tro.org
248-348-7197
NAMI Michigan State Office
http://mi.nami.or g/
1-800-331-4264 or 517-485-40 49
National Council on Alcoholism and Dr ug Dependence
www .ncadd-detroit.org
313-369-5 410
No Resolve Organization
www .noresolve.org
877-228-9550
Suicide Pr evention R esource Center
www .sprc.org
Pr ovidence Hospit al (St. John Healt h System)
www .stjohn.or g/behavmed
1-248-849-3301- For Southfield
1-734-432-6665- F or Liv onia
1-248-465-4335- F or Novi
St. John Br ight on Hospit al
www .brightonhospit al.org
1-877-976-2371
University of Michigan Depr ession Depar tment
www .depressioncent er.org
1-800-475-6424
University of Michigan
www .hr.umich.edu/mhealt hy/programs/
ment al_emo tional/under standingu/
734-975-3024
Mental Illness N eeds Discussion Sessions (MINDS)
www .mindspr ogram.org
248-644-8003
Washt enaw County Community Ment al Healt h
www .ewashtenaw.org/government/depar tments/
wcho
734-544-3000
Mental Illness R esearch Association (MIRA)
www .mir aresearch.org
1-800-896-6 472
Wayne County Community Ment al Healt h
www .waynecounty.com/mhealt h
313-833-2500
Michigan Psy chiatr ic Society
www .mpsonline.or g
517-333-0838
21
Picture This: Mental Health in Detroit
EIC commends Fox 2 WJBK as the first station
in the Detroit market to take the lead in establishing a
comprehensive mental health resource page on their website.
Please visit http://media.myfoxdetroit.com/special/mentalhealth.html
to gain mental health information as well as to consider how you
might also create a mental health resource page.
End Notes
i
Stephey, M. J., "Decriminalizing Mental Illness." Time Magazine 8 Aug. 2007: Health & Science.
ii
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. "SAMHSA'S Resource Center to
Promote Acceptance, Dignity, and Social Inclusion Associated with Mental Health: Myths and Facts."
7 July 2007 http://www.promoteacceptance.samhsa.gov/publications/myths_facts.aspx
iii
National Institute of Mental Health. "Statistics." 5 Sept. 2008 http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/
statistics/
iv
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. "What is Depression?" 7 May 2008 http://
www.hhs.gov/faq/healthprograms/mentalhealth/1694.html
v
National Institute of Mental Health. "Bipolar Disorder." 2 April 2008 http://www.nimh.nih.gov/
health/topics/bipolar-disorder/index.shtml
vi
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. "Schizophrenia." April 2003 http://
mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/publications/allpubs/ken98-0052/default.asp
vii
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. "What is Social Phobia?" 7 May 2008 http://
www.hhs.gov/faq/healthprograms/mentalhealth/1709.html
viii
Saba, D. K., Levit, K. R., Elixhauser, A. (2008). "Hospital Stays Related to Mental Health, 2006."
Healthcare Costs and Utilization Project, study sponsored by the Agency for Healthcare Research
and Quality.
ix
US Department of Health and Human Services, President's New Freedom Commission on Mental
Health Report. (2003). "Achieving the Promise: Transforming Mental Health Care in America: Final
Report" Rockville, MD.
x
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. (2005). "Facts and Figures: State Statistics." Retrieved
from http://www.afsp.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.viewpage&page_id=05114FBE-E445-7831F0C1494E2FADB8EA
xi
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2009). "States in Brief: Michigan."
Retrieved from http://www.samhsa.gov/StatesInBrief/2009/MICHIGAN_508.pdf
xii
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2009). "States in Brief: Michigan."
Retrieved from http://www.samhsa.gov/StatesInBrief/2009/MICHIGAN_508.pdf
22
Picture This: Mental Health in Detroit
xiii
Udow-Phillips, Marianne. (2009). "Cover Michigan: The State of Health Care Coverage in Michigan." Ann Arbor, MI; Center for Healthcare Research & Transformation.
xiv
Detroit-Wayne County Community Mental Health Agency. (2006-2007). "Transforming Lives: The
Detroit-Wayne County Community Mental Health Agency Report to the Community." Retrieved from
http://www.waynecounty.com/mhealth/docs/2008/CommunityReport_1.pdf
xv
Michigan Department of Community Health. (2006). "Mental Disorders - Michigan Discharge
Trends." Retrieved from http://www.mdch.state.mi.us/PHA/OSR/hospital/MentalDis.asp
xvi
Michigan Department of Community Health Facility Licensing Division. (2009). "Service Delivery
System." Retrieved from http://www.michigan.gov/mdch/0,1607,7-132-2941---,00.html
23
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