Daniel Smith, CEO of Columbia River Mental Health Services, says having the courage to ask for support is often the most difficult part in someone’s journey to get help.
Reducing the stigma around mental illness and addiction so more people take that first step is why Columbia River Mental Health Services is working with “Empowered,” a short-form educational television series hosted by actress Meg Ryan.
Smith said Columbia River Mental Health Services’ six-minute segment will begin to run this summer on public television and will reach an estimated 70 million households across the country. A shorter 1 1/2 minute commercial segment will also be broadcast on all major cable channels.
Columbia River Mental Health Services’ main clinic at 6926 N.E. Fourth Plain Blvd. transformed into a television production set on March 20, a collaboration three months in the making, Smith said.
“We’re feeling really excited to help lead this effort across our community,” Smith said. “This is a way to, over the long term, continue to chip away at one of the main reasons why people don’t access services.”
Columbia River Mental Health Services was chosen by “Empowered” to highlight the struggles Washington residents face in accessing mental health treatment.
More than 3 million people in Washington live in a community without enough mental health professionals due to a statewide shortage, according to the National Alliance on Mental Health.
Columbia River Mental Health Services paid $3,400 to cover expenses for “Empowered” to send a film crew, equipment and field producers to the nonprofit’s main clinic for the one-day shoot. The segment will focus on Columbia River Mental Health Services employees who have experiences overcoming mental illness and addiction. They will talk about their journeys to treatment.
For Smith, the project is just one part of addressing how stigma can prevent people from getting the care they need.
“We really wanted people to be able to see that behavioral health support is really for everyone,” Smith said. “When you sit across the table from somebody who’s been in their position before, it makes a huge difference.”
