SAMHSA Honors Community and Entertainment Leaders at 2013 Voice Awards for Giving a Voice to Behavioral Health Recovery

National awards program to recognize David O. Russell, Patrick Kennedy, and more who educate others about mental and/or substance use disorders

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 25, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Tonight at the 2013 Voice Awards, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) will honor Academy Award nominee David O. Russell, former U.S. Rep. Patrick Kennedy, retired U.S. Army General Peter Chiarelli, as well as community leaders and TV, film and documentary screenwriters and producers for helping educate the American people that people recover from mental and/or substance use disorders.

Now in its eighth year, the Voice Awards program—held during National Recovery Month—brings together representatives from the behavioral health community and the entertainment industry to improve the public awareness about mental health and substance use issues. The event—hosted by actors Mehcad Brooks (USA Network's "Necessary Roughness") and Max Burkholder (NBC's "Parenthood")—will take place at Paramount Studios in Hollywood.

"It is more important than ever to raise our voices -- through TV, film and other media -- to proclaim that behavioral health is essential to overall health, that prevention works, that treatment is effective and that people recover," said SAMHSA Administrator Pamela S. Hyde, J.D. "This year's theme -- Giving a Voice to Recovery -- reflects SAMHSA's focus on the great impact that individuals and communities can have when they support and give a voice to people with mental and/or substance use disorders. And the Affordable Care Act will help to ensure that behavioral health services will be more accessible to Americans in need than ever before."

The 2013 Voice Awards individual and entertainment industry honorees are:

Career Achievement

• David O. Russell, screenwriter and director of Silver Linings Playbook and The Fighter, for his efforts to educate film audiences about the real experiences of people with behavioral health problems.

Lifetime Achievement

• Joseph Rogers of Philadelphia, PA, for his impactful leadership to advance the recovery movement.

SAMHSA Special Recognition Awards for work to reduce the discrimination and misperceptions associated with people with behavioral health problems, and increase access to behavioral health services and supports.

• Gen. Peter Chiarelli, U.S. Army (retired) and chief executive officer of One Mind for Research, Inc.
• Patrick Kennedy, former U.S. Representative (Rhode Island), and author and lead sponsor of the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008.

Consumer/Peer Leadership Awards for sharing their stories of recovery and working to improve public acceptance of people with behavioral health problems.

• Jennifer Constantine, Rapid City, SD
• Robert McKinley Gilmore, Sr., Houston, TX
• Drew Horn, Freehold, NJ
• William Kellibrew, IV, Washington, DC
• Mia St. John, Calabasas, CA

Young Adult Leadership

• Lauren Grimes of Baltimore, MD

Television Productions

• "Call Me Crazy: A Five Film" (Lifetime) for addressing a variety of mental disorders, peer and family support, and recovery;
• "Elementary" (CBS–Series Award) for addressing substance use disorders and addiction, support from co-workers, and recovery;
• "Homeland" (Showtime–Series Award) for addressing bipolar disorder, resilience, support from co-workers, and recovery;
• "NCIS" (CBS) for the episodes "Shell Shock (Part I)" and "Shell Shock (Part II)" addressing post-traumatic stress, resilience, support from colleagues and co-workers, and recovery;
• "The Newsroom" (HBO) for the episode "Bullies" addressing the impact of trauma, support from colleagues, and recovery; and
• "Perception" (TNT–Series Award) for addressing schizophrenia, support from co-workers, and recovery.

Documentary Productions

• Bill W. for addressing substance use disorders, peer support, and recovery;
• Of Two Minds for addressing bipolar disorder, friends and family support, and recovery; and
• Running From Crazy for addressing mental disorders, suicide, family support, and recovery.

Film Productions

• Being Flynn for addressing behavioral health problems, suicide, homelessness, friends and family support, and recovery;
• The Perks of Being a Wallflower for addressing the impact of trauma, friends and family support, resilience, and recovery; and
• Silver Linings Playbook for addressing bipolar disorder, the impact of trauma, peer support, and recovery.

The Voice Awards program is a collaborative effort among behavioral health and entertainment industry organizations. For a complete list of the 24 organizations involved in this year's effort, visit http://www.samhsa.gov/voiceawards.

The 2013 Voice Awards event will be streamed live on the Web on September 25 beginning at 6 p.m. PDT/9 p.m. EDT. To view the live webcast, visit http://www.samhsa.gov/voiceawards. To join the conversation about the Voice Awards, follow @samhsagov and #VoiceAwards on Twitter, and like SAMHSA on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/samhsa.

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

SOURCE SAMHSA