Despite the fact that mental health disorders are rising in
prevalence around the world and will cost the global economy 16 trillion by
2030, mental and behavioral health services are frequently stigmatized. In
stark contrast, Millennials ranked mental health issues as their number one
concern in this year’s annual health report by Blue Cross Blue Shield. Among
the top 10 conditions ranked by adverse health impact affecting Millennials
were major depression, substance use disorder, alcohol use disorder, and
hyperactivity.
The fact is, millions of Americans struggle with mental
health issues. The National Alliance of Mental Health reports that one in five
adults in America experiences mental illness in their lifetime. Currently, it
is estimated that nearly 10 million Americans are living with a serious mental
disorder. The most common mental disorders are anxiety disorders, major
depression and bipolar disorder. Unfortunately, mental health disorders do not
just impact the adult population; they also affect the health and well-being of
children and adolescents. It’s reported that 20% of young people will suffer
from a mental disorder that inhibits daily functioning at some point in their
lives. These statistics support the real-life fact that mental and behavioral
health services are needed across a wide spectrum. There is a vast and growing
need for mental health professionals to provide preventative care and early and
on-going treatment to people of all ages. Unfortunately, mental health symptoms
are still viewed as threatening and uncomfortable. There are attitudes within
most societies that view symptoms of psychopathology as threatening and a topic
to avoid. These attitudes foster stigma and discrimination toward people with
mental health problems. Such reactions are common when people have the courage
to admit they have a mental health issue or concern. This can often lead to
various forms of exclusion or discrimination within the family circle, social
circles and the workplace.
The social stigma associated with mental health problems has
numerous causes. People with mental illness have been treated differently,
excluded and even brutalized throughout history. Often times the mistreatment
stems from misguided views that people with mental health problems may be more
prone to violence or are just somehow “different” but none of these beliefs are
rooted in facts. The media also plays a role in perpetuating stigmatizing
stereotypes of people with mental health issues. Cinematic depictions of
schizophrenia are often stereotyped and characterized by misinformation about
the disorder, symptoms, causes and treatment, which in turn reinforces biased
beliefs and stigmatizing attitudes toward people with mental health
disorders.
All of the above sets the stage for working with a mental
health client and navigating the challenges they face day to day. One of the
obstacles during the course of the Pinnacle Treatment services campaign was to
destigmatize the treatment of substance use disorders and people struggling
with addiction while preserving the integrity of the PTC brand and elevating
its visibility.
When Pinnacle Treatment Centers held its first call with
THO, they had specific goals in mind, with aspirations of expanding their
treatment services into several southern states and beyond. The question they
had was how do we get there and can PR help?
The THO team delineated how a strategic public relations
campaign would help significantly raise brand recognition, position executives
and key clinicians as leaders in the field of mental and behavioral health and
drive potential patients to the website. In truth, an effective PR campaign
does quite a bit more. Through inserting the brand/company into the news cycle
with relevant stories, commentaries and solutions, the visibility and
credibility of the brand and spokesperson receive a measurable boost. The more
targeted the campaign, the better the results.
First and foremost, Pinnacle Treatment Centers wanted to
garner media coverage in key markets in the southern United States in order to
drive the company’s ultimate goal of a nationwide expansion. One of Pinnacle’s
goals was to address the growing need for accessible and affordable Substance
Use Disorder (SUD) treatment in rural and traditionally low-income communities
and to establish PTC facilities as community resources. Based on that goal, the
outreach involved a multi-market strategy.
Step one was to establish optimal spokespeople for each
region, to cite an example, at one facility the spokesperson was an experienced
psychiatrist who was able to speak to numerous health and mental health issues
already trending in the news and digital media. Naturally, topics varied, but
THO successfully put Pinnacle spokespeople front and center to address the
latest headlines including: the opioid epidemic in the U.S., Purdue
pharmaceuticals role in the American opioid crisis, the importance of access to
quality care in impoverished and rural communities, the vaping epidemic, the
landmark pharma opioid settlement, Medically Assisted Treatment (MAT,) pain
management, and much more.
As segments and interviews went live and articles published,
they were posted on social media in an effort to maximize Pinnacle’s return on
investment in the campaign. Building on the success of the public relations
campaign in each market, Pinnacle would then take the next step in their
expansion plan, into a new state/region where PR efforts once again would
highlight clinicians, treatment modalities and evidence-based care. During the
course of the campaign, a few things became paramount when working with a
treatment and recovery/mental health client.
- Language is everything- It is not what
you say but how you say it. With a sensitive population in recovery, the proper
verbiage is key. So, client messaging in all marketing, social media and press
materials needed to align with that.
- Us vs. I– It was incredibly important to
make sure that we were functioning as one unit. The goal being to offer
affordable, evidence-based care to those in need of treatment and to position
Pinnacle Treatment Center facilities as community resources.
- Listening– Always listen to clients’
expectations, goals and concerns and open a dialog whenever you think they can
benefit from your expertise. Oftentimes, clients do not know what they
need…they have an idea of what they want but the reason a PR firm is brought on
board is so they can benefit from your expertise in the field of media.
- Navigation, and by that, I mean
understanding how to navigate your client to seeing the bigger picture rather
than an immediate goal. If the larger picture is a nationwide expansion, then
being able to convey the value of each step, each placement and key markets is
paramount.
- Partnership– Perhaps I’ve already touched
on this in Us vs. I, but I cannot emphasize enough, how important it is to be a
partner to your client. Once they feel you truly understand their bigger
picture and goals you will both soar.
