The Jed Foundation Answers Presidential Call-To-Action To Launch A National Conversation About Mental Health

NEW YORK, June 3, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The Jed Foundation, a leading non-profit organization working to promote emotional health and prevent suicide among college students, today announced its participation in the National Conference on Mental Health, hosted by President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden, held today at The White House.

The conference will bring together mental health advocates, educators, health care providers, faith leaders and individuals who have struggled with mental health problems, to discuss how the nation can work together to reduce the shame and secrecy associated with mental health issues and help the millions of Americans struggling with mental health problems recognize the importance of reaching out for assistance.

The Jed Foundation is answering the President's call to launch a national conversation to increase understanding and awareness about mental health. The National Dialogue on Mental Health will take place through community conversations, public and private partnership commitments and social and online media. Love is Louder and Half of Us, The Jed Foundation initiatives in partnership with MTV, will be included among programs featured as key resources to help communities continue the national conversation about mental health.

"In the past year, 21.2 percent of college students received a psychiatric diagnosis or were treated for mental health issues such as depression or eating disorders, and an estimated 6.6 percent of students reported having serious thoughts of suicideⁱ," said John MacPhee, Executive Director of The Jed Foundation. "The Jed Foundation is working to change the way communities, campuses and families talk about the emotional health of teens and college students. Through innovative programs like Love is Louder and Half of Us, we are engaging in meaningful conversations about emotional wellbeing and mental health with young people, not speaking at them." 

The Peabody Award-winning Half of Us campaign (www.halfofus.com) supports college students battling issues like depression, eating disorders, substance abuse and self-injury.  The campaign uses real stories from both celebrities and students, powerful PSAs and a robust online presence to increase understanding of mental health conditions and encourage help-seeking.

The Love is Louder (www.loveislouder.com) movement's purpose is to strengthen emotional health by increasing resiliency, promoting help-seeking, creating connectedness and equipping advocates to support their peers. Individuals, communities, schools and organizations have embraced the message that love and support are louder than any internal or external voice that brings us down, and have used Love Is Louder as a way to address issues like bullying, negative self-image, discrimination, loneliness and depression.

The National Conference on Mental Health can be viewed in real-time at www.whitehouse.gov/live from approximately 9:30am to 2:45pm on June 3. Learn more about the National Dialogue on Mental Health at www.mentalhealth.gov

Learn more about The Jed Foundation and its programs, including Half of Us and Love is Louder at http://www.jedfoundation.org.

About The Jed Foundation 
The Jed Foundation works to promote emotional health and prevent suicide among college students. Our programs include: JedCampus, a self-assessment and feedback program designed to help colleges enhance mental health programming; ULifeline, an online mental health resource; Half of Us with mtvU, which uses online and on-air programming to decrease stigma and encourage help-seeking; Love is Louder, a movement to build connectedness and increase resiliency, Transition Year, an online resource aimed at helping to ensure the smooth, safe and healthy transition of teenagers from high school to college; and a portfolio of resources that helps campuses promote mental health and protect at-risk students. Learn more at http://www.jedfoundation.org.

ⁱ National College Health Assessment: Reference Group Executive Summary,  Fall 2011. Baltimore, MD: American College Health Association.

Media Contact:
Elaine Andrecovich
Makovsky
O: (212) 508-9675
C: (908) 432-7181
[email protected]

SOURCE The Jed Foundation