SAMHSA and the Ad Council Launch National Campaign to Raise Awareness about Mental Health Problems in Chinese American Communities

1 in 6 Chinese American Young Adults Experienced Serious Psychological Distress in the Past Year

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Jul 08, 2010, 08:30 ET

ROCKVILLE, Md., July 8 /PRNewswire/ -- The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), in collaboration with The Advertising Council, announced today the launch of a national public service advertising (PSA) campaign to promote recovery from mental health problems within the Chinese American community by educating and inspiring young adults to talk openly about issues of mental health. The culturally-targeted PSAs seek to motivate societal change towards social acceptance and decrease negative attitudes that may surround mental illness. These PSAs are part of a larger multicultural public service effort designed to reach Chinese American, American Indian, Hispanic/Latino and African American communities during National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month.

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Mental illnesses, including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, are widespread in the U.S. According to SAMHSA, from 2004 to 2007, an average of 16.2 percent of Chinese American 18-25 year olds reported serious psychological distress in the past year. Despite the high prevalence among this group, only one in nine (11.2 percent) Asian American young adults with serious psychological distress received care within the past 12 months. Overall the rates at which racial and ethnic minority young adults seek treatment are much lower than their Caucasian counterparts.

"Raising awareness that effective treatments for mental illnesses are available and that people recover, can encourage those in need to seek help," said SAMHSA Administrator Pamela S. Hyde, J.D. "This outreach to the Chinese American community will help open dialogue about supporting friends or family members with mental health problems in a culturally relevant way."

Created by Asian American advertising agency Kang & Lee through the Ad Council, the new, in-language live read radio, print and Web banner PSAs direct young adults to visit the campaign Web site, www.whatadifference.samhsa.gov/Chinese, where they can learn about mental illnesses, find tools to help support a friend in the recovery process, and seek out additional resources.

"We are proud to continue our work with SAMHSA to broaden our campaign for mental health recovery into the Chinese American community," said Peggy Conlon, president & CEO of the Ad Council. "This multicultural advertising effort will help decrease the stereotypes surrounding mental illnesses while providing young adults with the resources they need to support their friends living with mental health problems."

A brochure entitled, "Your support is the most precious gift you can give," is also a part of the campaign and is designed to provide tools and resources to help young adults support a friend who is living with a mental health problem in the recovery process. An electronic version of the brochure can be downloaded at www.whatadifference.samhsa.gov/Chinese.

"Raising mental health awareness in the Chinese community is long overdue," said Cynthia Park, President of Kang & Lee Advertising. "It is essential that attention is given to such initiatives in order to educate the public for the welfare and well-being of the community."

The Ad Council and SAMHSA first launched the Campaign for Mental Health Recovery nationwide in December 2006. To view the ads, please visit www.adcouncil.org. The PSAs will air in advertising time that will be entirely donated by the media.

SAMHSA is a public health agency within the Department of Health and Human Services. Its mission is to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on America's communities. (www.samhsa.gov)

The Ad Council (www.adcouncil.org) is a private, non-profit organization that marshals talent from the advertising and communications industries, the facilities of the media, and the resources of the business and non-profit communities to produce, distribute and promote public service campaigns on behalf of non-profit organizations and government agencies. The Ad Council addresses issue areas such as improving the quality of life for children, preventive health, education, community well-being, environmental preservation and strengthening families.

SOURCE The Ad Council