Mary Ellen Copeland, PhD, to be honored with Lifetime Achievement Award from SAMHSA
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) will present Mary Ellen Copeland the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2009 Voice Awards for her work and leadership in the mental health recovery movement. The event will take place on Wednesday, October 14, at Paramount Studios in Hollywood, CA, and will bring together representatives from the entertainment industry and the mental health community.
The Voice Awards celebrates the achievements of mental health leaders who are working to promote the social inclusion of people with mental health problems and the real possibility of recovery. Also, the event honors writers and producers who have given a voice to people with mental health problems by incorporating dignified, respectful, and accurate portrayals of these individuals into film and television productions. This year, the event will celebrate nominees that include The Soloist, Michael Clayton, Lars and the Real Girl, “90210,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” and “Law & Order: SVU.”
Copeland is one of seven mental health leaders and advocates to be honored at the 2009 Voice Awards who have been instrumental in both raising awareness and understanding of mental health issues and promoting the social inclusion of people with mental health problems. Through their leadership and advocacy, they demonstrate that recovery is real and that people with mental health problems are valuable, contributing members of their schools, workplaces, and communities.
SAMHSA is a public health agency within U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The agency is responsible for improving the accountability, capacity, and effectiveness of the Nation’s substance abuse prevention, addictions treatment, and mental health service delivery systems. The Voice Awards are part of the Campaign for Mental Health Recovery, a multi-year public service advertising program of SAMHSA and the Ad Council to promote understanding and support for young adults and others with mental illnesses.
Susan J. Katz, Vancouver free-lance writer and CIF Project Manager for the ‘Write From The Heart’ Program, was also nominated for the Voice Awards, and will be attending the ceremony.