Speaker(s):
Mark Norwine and Maria Craft, MAT
Presentation: In order to raise awareness and educate communities on the topic of mental health, Mark Norwine walked 200-miles across the state of Missouri. Along the way he presented information and held discussions in schools and small towns, one which had recently lost three young people to suicide in less than a two month time frame. He also stopped in Jefferson City to talk about this often overlooked topic with state representatives, senators and experts in the field. He was joined by his son, Eric. During their quest, father and son were forced to confront their own mental health struggles, which they had kept secret for so long. Walking Man is an honest look at one family’s journey with mental illness while displaying the need of education and awareness in our communities.
Objectives:
- Address and discuss the need for awareness and stigma reduction regarding mental health and suicide prevention, particularly in rural areas.
- Analyze possible reasons for mental health stigma.
- Identify ways the “message of hope” is presented to communities in the film Walking Man.
Message from the presenters:
Greetings,
We are excited to be presenting the documentary Walking Man on Friday at 9:30 am at the Spring Training Institute. (You can view the trailer here). We hope to see you there for the screening and a short discussion about mental health stigma and awareness, particularly in rural areas.
Additionally, we plan to discuss the new expectations surrounding mental health education and suicide prevention for Missouri students and educators. In hopes of saving some time and in order to show more of the film, we wanted to send this note ahead of time so you may have a chance to review the new changes if you have not done so already. Please see the highlighted sections of the attachment and view an article about the law here.
With this new model, school districts will be looking for ways to comply and get their staff and students the training and education they need. If you work with school districts or have the ability or desire to help students and educators learn more about mental health, while also complying with this new model, we can assist. We offer programs and services in the areas of suicide prevention, bullying prevention and more. Using the film in these programs is well-received as it shows a personal story and a sense of reality; we’d be happy to spread awareness and help schools as much as possible.
We are glad to be moving forward as a state in the area mental health education. Please feel free to get in touch prior to the conference if you would like. We look forward to seeing you soon!
Sincerely,
Mark Norwine & Maria Craft
Norwine Behavior Health Advocates
Walking Man
Slides and Handouts:
Norwine_Craft_NBHA_ppt_springtraininginst