Will Hall, Internationally Known Mental Diversity Consultant and Syndicated Radio Host, Is Honored with 2012 Judi Chamberlin Joy in Advocacy Award

WASHINGTON, Nov. 13, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- At the annual meeting of the National Coalition for Mental Health Recovery (NCMHR) in Portland, Ore., on October 10, 2012, Will Hall – an internationally known mental diversity counselor and consultant and syndicated radio host – received the NCMHR's 2012 Judi Chamberlin Joy in Advocacy Award. The award was presented by 2011 award recipient Susan Rogers, director of the National Mental Health Consumers' Self-Help Clearinghouse, who read the inspiring words of Hall's nominator, Oryx Cohen, director of the National Empowerment Center (NEC):

"As someone who knew Judi and now has the pleasure to work with Will, I can't think of anybody more deserving of this award.

"Like Will, Judi was more likely to be found at a protest than in a meeting room….Will began his mental health advocacy career by co-founding the Freedom Center, an advocacy and activist group run entirely by and for people with lived experience with mental health issues, trauma (including the trauma inflicted by the mental health system), and extreme states.

"Will is the founder and a facilitator of Portland Hearing Voices, is the host of Madness Radio (which has now registered over 100 shows and is nationally syndicated), and travels around the world speaking and training.

"Like Judi, Will believes that our movement is a human rights movement and that it needs to broaden to include other movements, including the disability movement, gay movement, poverty movement, and prison rights movement, among other movements. Will believes that we need to get ourselves out of our silo because the issues we feel so passionate about affect every human being. It won't be until we reach more movements that true transformation will be possible.

"Will is not afraid to tackle difficult and/or taboo subjects. His work on hearing voices, coming off psychiatric drugs, and suicidal feelings has been nothing short of revolutionary. I am honored to nominate my colleague and friend Will Hall for this award."

The mission of the NCMHR is to "ensure that consumer/survivors have a major voice in the development and implementation of health care, mental health, and social policies at the state and national levels, empowering people to recover and lead a full life in the community."

Contact: Lauren Spiro, director, NCMHR, [email protected], 877-246-9058

SOURCE National Coalition for Mental Health Recovery