CONSUMER AFFAIRS BULLETIN
Volume 4, No. 2 Spring 2000

Anti-Stigma Poster Kit Promotes Positive Image

CMHS continues to work to eliminate the stigma of mental illness. Toward this goal, an anti-stigma poster kit has been developed to educate the public, to amplify the voices of people with mental illness and to eliminate the negative images associated with mental illness.

The anti-stigma poster kit includes a poster, entitled "Know me as a person not by mental illness", a fact sheet, brochures and an order form. To order this kit contact SAMHSA's National Mental Health Information Center by calling 1-800-789-2647; fax 240-747-5470. You may also visit the web site at mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/stigma.

CMHS continues working on a number of other activities to reduce stigma by:

• developing a guide on how advocates can respond to stigma;
• developing bi-lingual public service announcements to be distributed to Spanish-speaking radio stations;
• developing an anti-stigma poster in Spanish;
• offering training and developing new curriculums to reduce stigmatizing attitudes, behaviors and practices within the mental health and substance abuse community;
• and overseeing a SAMHSA-wide anti stigma work group to address the issue of stigma in the mental health and substance abuse arenas.

In Addition, CMHS is supporting a forthcoming National Mental Health Awareness Campaign being developed by the National Mental Health Awareness Foundation. This anti-stigma campaign will target children as well as adults.

(For more information contact Iris Hyman at 301-443-9824 or by e-mail at ihyman@samhsa.gov.)

Consumer Affairs Bulletin
Volume 4, No. 2 Spring 2000