Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration

CMHS Consumer Affairs E-News
December 5, 2005, Vol. 05-138

HHS Seceretary Mike Leavitt to Unveil National PSA Campaign to Provie Mental Health Services to Hurricane Survivors

HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt will unveil new public service advertisements (PSAs), December 7, designed to encourage adults, parents and caregivers, and first responders to consider seeking mental health services if they are still showing signs that they have been psychologically impacted by recent hurricanes. The PSAs are the result of a partnership between HHS' Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the Ad Council. They will be distributed to 12,000 media outlets nationwide.

Viewers and listeners are encouraged to take time to check in on how they and their families are doing, and call a confidential toll-free number (1-800-789-2647 for adults/parents and 1-800-273-TALK for first responders) to speak to a trained professional who can assist with information and referrals to local services, or visit www.samhsa.gov.

WHO: HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt

SAMHSA Administrator Charles Curie
Heidi Arthur, Senior Vice President, Group Campaign Director, Ad
Council
Eartha Johnson, a survivor of Hurricane Katrina
Colonel Jerry Sneed, New Orleans Homeland Security, Office of the
Mayor

WHEN: Wednesday, December 7, 2005

2 p.m.

WHERE: Hubert H. Humphrey Building Auditorium

200 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C.

CONTACT: HHS Press Office

(202) 690-6343
SAMHSA Press Office
(240) 276-2130

Media may also listen in to the press conference at 2 p.m. by dialing 1-888-810-3948, Passcode HHS.

A delayed webcast will be available Wednesday evening at http://overhill.ncadi.samhsa.gov/asf1/KatrinaPSAs.wmv
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The Center for Mental Health Services is a component of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, United States Department of Health and Human Services.