The Need for Mental Health Public Relations

Mental health and public relations

Mental health public relations is essential. Behavioral health services are frequently stigmatized. This is despite the fact that mental health disorders are rising in prevalence around the world and will cost the global economy 16 trillion by 2030. In stark contrast, Millennials ranked mental health issues as their number one concern. This was listed 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.

It’s widespread.

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.

Public relations reducing stigma through awareness

The social stigma we associate with mental health problems is due to numerous causes. Those who feel the impacts of mental health concerns experience different treatment, exclusion and even brutalizing 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. In turn this 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.

Empowering communities through mental health awareness

When Pinnacle Treatment Centers held its first call with THO, they had specific goals in mind. As a result, there were 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. Keeping it simple and ramping up efforts is essential.

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.

How to accomplish a PR strategy for a mental health service 

The first essential step is to establish optimal spokespeople for each region. To cite an example, at one facility the spokesperson, an experienced psychiatrist, spoke to numerous health and mental health issues. The topic was already a trend in the news and digital media. Naturally, topics varied. THO successfully put Pinnacle spokespeople front and center to address the latest headlines. This included 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.

Segments and interviews went live as they were posted on social media. In effect, this was in an effort to maximize Pinnacle’s return on investment in the campaign. Pinnacle would then take the next step in their expansion plan. By building on the success of the public relations campaign in each market this was possible. This would focus on new state/region where PR efforts once again would highlight clinicians, treatment modalities and evidence-based care. A few things became paramount during the course of the campaign and working with a treatment and recovery/mental health client.

• Language 

Language is everything. It is not what you say but how you say it. The proper verbiage is key with a sensitive population in recovery. 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.

  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. mental health public relations

• Partnership.

   It is essential to be a partner to your client. Once they feel you truly understand their big picture and goals you will both soar. mental health public relations