2005 Los Angeles Project Success Highlights
Thanks to all who participated and came out to get involved with the Free Your Mind Projects kick-off events in Los Angeles last August! We had a tremendous response on the website for additional information and we were able to reach out to many in need of support for mental health information.
Thousands of you responded to help break the stigma and join the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health in reaching out in support of Mental Health education.
More Free Your Mind Projects for Los Angeles will be coming again this upcoming October.
Overall the media and festivals reached out to over 100,000 people within the Los Angeles area!
• We engaged Political, Community and Corporate Leaders - Corporations in the Mental Health field, the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health, many non-profits such as NAMI and MFHA and Community Leaders such as Senator Kuehl, Mental Health Leaders and Advocates all got involved.
• Movie Night - Santa Monica Pier movie of Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery. We had a booth and addressed the crowd on mental health issues
• VIP Movie Screening - "Out of the Shadow" at the Laemmle Theater in Santa Monica.
Thousands turn out to watch a flick and learn about Mental Health Resources.
• Music Night on the Pier - The Santa Monica Pier served as a beautiful backdrop for two Free Your Mind events featuring Nina Sky performing their top ten hits of the summer, and Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band featuring Eddie Daniels. Senator Kuel and Dr. Marvin Southard of the LA County Department of Mental Health addressed the crowd of over 3,000. People also visited our booth to get more information.
Nina Sky performs their top ten hit of the summer "Move Your Body" at FYMPS Santa Monica Concert on the Pier
• Movie Festival - Free public screening of the award-winning film "Out of the Shadow" at Fairfax Laemmle Theater.
• Radio talk show interviews - Live call-in shows where listeners hear more information about Mental Health and what they can do. Listeners learned about mental health issues as “out of the shadow” filmmaker Susan Smiley, and Dr. Marvin Southard, Director of the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health, and Nancy Carter of NAMI Inglewood join host Charisse Browner on the Knowledge is Power show. These programs received more calls than any other issue they had on in the past!
Brian Canning, co-creator of the Free Your Mind Projects spends a morning on the air with Nancy Carter of NAMI-Urban Los Angeles and Jackie Stevens of Stevie Wonder's Radio Station, KJLH.
• Media - TV and Print
Press releases were sent out to inform the media and get attention for the initiatives within Southern California regarding mental health. Papers and radio picked up many stories regarding these mental health issues.
• Special Airing of "Out of the Shadow" on PBS:
The Free Your Mind Projects created a unique partnership with a special viewing opportunity for an edited version of the documentary "Out of the Shadow" which aired last October. The airing also included special outreach to secondary students at Los Angeles Unified School District.
This is a “first of its kind” project to help educate high school students about issues surrounding mental health such as schizophrenia. |
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Please contact us at info@fymps.com to inquire about events for your organization or area.
Personal Success Stories:
During the course of working with family members and various organizations we have met many people that have triumphed over their problems with mental illness and they have been an inspiration to our organization and they have also reaffirmed our work on these projects and why they are important.
Here are a few stories that have inspired us (their names are withheld for their privacy)
“Ramon”
Ramon is living proof that with the right help, that anyone that is dealing with the worst effects of mental illness can get to a place where they can live a more productive, happier life. He started out homeless on Los Angeles’ Skid Row since being released from a Mental Hospital in 1979. He suffered from auditory hallucinations that caused him to make numerous suicide attempts and undergo hospitalization and struggled with a drinking problem for 15 years.
He finally received the help he needed and in the last few years has been able to secure a home of his own, and stop drinking and control the symptoms of mental illness with the right medications. He is now a counselor for others that were in his same position and works with many Hispanic consumers to help them also regain their lives. He also met his future bride while counseling. Congratulations to him and his efforts and for being a great inspiration to us all!
“Eddie”
Someone dealing with the effects of mental illness goes through unimaginable problems throughout their lives. The only other thing that can come close to it is the experiences that the family members have while trying to help and watching their family members go through these horrible times.
Eddie is an exceptionally bright man with a genius IQ. His family didn’t understand why he acted so different all of his life since the rest of the family seemed “normal”. It wasn’t until much later, after years of neglect of treatment and alcoholism that a doctor finally saw through his act of covering up his illness. Doctors prior to that had simply said “He’s just very bright” and other things that had no diagnostic help.
But that was only the first step. Years of alcoholism used to self treat his problems (very common in a majority of cases) were difficult to overcome. Not to mention years of being arrested, in prison and homeless on the streets of New Orleans which ravaged his mind and soul. People with mental health issues often find themselves in jail from being misunderstood while under psychotic episodes etc.
The toll on the family and friends of anyone with mental illness can be devastating. The partents think “what did I do wrong?”, siblings resent the turmoil, friends and significant others move away. Often times it only gets worse as time goes on if not caught and treated early. Looking back at the lost years for the mentally ill relative as well as the whole family can be tarnished forever. Too often people just don’t know why a person is acting the way they do and don’t know where to go to get help and everyone suffers.This is yet another reason for our crusade so that family and loved ones can find help quick, get early detection and treatment and the additional effective support they need.
Finally, under close supervision of family members, and also family education on the illness, treatments and support options, “Eddie” was able to get the correct support he needed to get off the streets, get the proper medications and start to live a more productive life. Professionals helped as much as they could, although even they note that without a family member moving these things along and challenging the system, there is little hope for those out there without family. Ironic since most mentally ill people have done so much damage to the relationships of those closest to them that they are almost all alone trying to make it. Fortunately for Los Angeles’ mentally ill community, they are now making changes which should help many more people.
Although the story doesn’t end here and is not perfect, it is a journey after all, our family members can now see hope instead of despair for his future and everyone is healing together. |
