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 Centre for Addictionand Mental Health |
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Education and Courses
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Institute of Addiction and Mental Health Studies for Journalists - BackgroundThe idea for the Institute of Addiction and Mental Health Studies for Journalists grew out of the well-documented problem
of negative media depiction of individuals with mental illness or substance abuse problems and the impact negative reporting
has on influencing public attitudes. A recent literature review by the Canadian Mental Health Association, Ontario reported
that "there is a complex relationship between mass media depictions of mental illness and the public's understanding. McKeown
and Clancy (1995, cited in Cutcliffe & Hannigan, 2001) state that this link is circular: negative media images promote negative
attitudes, and ensuing media coverage feeds off an already negative public perception." The CMHA's report suggested that negative
reporting goes beyond the influence of public attitudes, but that it can be directly linked to the formulation of government
policy: as mental illness is portrayed in a context of violence, government policy responds with controlling social policy. The good news is that research has also found that positive reporting can produce positive change in public perceptions. The Institute for Addiction and Mental Health Studies for Journalists is modeled on a similar program, the Addiction Studies Program for Journalists, out of Wake Forest University in North Carolina. The purpose of the Addiction Studies Program for Journalists is to help journalists attain the highest standards of scientific accuracy in reporting about drug addiction in the print, broadcast, and electronic media. The Program was founded by The Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and National Families in Action, a drug-prevention organization in Atlanta, Georgia, and is funded by a grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse. A faculty consisting of scientists from Wake Forest University School of Medicine and from other academic institutions and experts from National Families in Action conducts the program workshops. CAMH, in partnership with Ryerson School of Journalism, held its first Institute for Journalists on June 9-10, 2005. The overall objectives for the Institute were to:
Many major media outlets demonstrated their commitment to increasingly accurate reporting on these issues by sending staff for this two-day education program. These media outlets should be recognized for their leadership. They include:
Future Institutes are in the planning. For further information, please contact:
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Last updated: Jan 08, 2006 1:19 PM Published: Oct 26, 2009 5:54 PM ID#P13484 |