PHILADELPHIA – (June 3, 2014) – The Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services (DBHIDS) hosted the first #IWillListen Day in the country on Tuesday, June 3rd in Love Park. The all-day event was part of a collaboration with DBHIDS, the National Alliance on Mental Illness of New York City, (NAMI-NYC Metro) and the Scattergood Foundation. Photos can be found online from the AP at http://bit.ly/1jPzyj4 and gratis photos can be found here – http://bit.ly/1iRtiHY
Over 2,000 Philadelphians participated and pledged to help fight stigma against mental illness. Organizations from all over the city came together for a mental health fair, listened to local city officials and enjoyed a free public concert, presented by Box of Stars. Speakers included Dr. Arthur Evans (Commissioner of DBHIDS), Dennis O’Brien (Philadelphia City Council), Joseph Pyle (President, Thomas Scattergood Behavior Health Foundation), Patrick Kennedy (Former U.S. Representative), Patrick McDade (Silver Linings Playbook), and Wendy Brennan (Executive Director, NAMI-NYC Metro)
Visitors were encouraged to create their own video pledges that will be posted on www.iwilllisten.org/philly, and promised to listen their fellow Philadelphians with an open mind, and without judgment. More than 500 video pledges were uploaded by day’s end.
About NAMI – NYC Metro:
The National Alliance on Mental Illness of New York City, Inc. (NAMI-NYC Metro) is a grassroots organization that provides support, education, and advocacy for families and individuals of all ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds who live with mental illness. As the largest affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, we work collaboratively with our state and national affiliates, and with other stakeholders in the community, to educate the public, advocate for legislation, reduce stigma, and improve the mental health system.
NAMI-NYC Metro works in collaboration with hundreds of NAMI State Organizations, NAMI Affiliates and volunteer leaders in local communities across the country to raise awareness and provide essential and free education, advocacy and support group programs. http://www.naminycmetro.org/
About DBHIDS:
DBHIDS components provide services through a network of agencies while collaborating with the Philadelphia School District, child welfare and judicial systems, and other stakeholders. The DBHIDS management team and our employees embrace a vision of recovery, resilience, and self-determination. We continue to shift to a model of care directed by the person in recovery. In this model, professional treatment is one aspect among many that supports people in managing their own conditions while building their own recovery resources. Transformation to a recovery orientation in both addictions and mental health becomes possible by focusing on the central role of individuals and families in responding to, managing, and overcoming these serious illnesses. We also strive to help people with intellectual disability live self-determined lives in their communities by providing quality supports and services. http://dbhids.org/
About Scattergood:
The Thomas Scattergood Behavioral Health Foundation is a Quaker-based, philanthropic, grant-making foundation committed to raising its voice to improve the system through which behavioral healthcare is delivered in the Philadelphia region. The Scattergood Foundation intends to employ an active, strategic approach to grant making to accomplish its vision. Scattergood will take an active role in identifying initiatives consistent with its priorities, seeking out organizations that can advance these initiatives, and awarding grants in a manner that can make a targeted and measurable impact. Scattergood will also seek out partnerships that can fruitfully leverage both material and non-material resources to extend its ability to effect change at grassroots and systemic levels. http://www.scattergoodfoundation.org/.
