SAMHSA Debuts Campaign on College Campuses

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), in partnership with the Ad Council, has launched a national awareness public service advertising campaign whose goal is to decrease the negative attitudes surrounding mental illnesses and encourage young adults aged 18 to 25 to support friends living with mental health problems. The ads can be accessed at<www.whatadifference.samhsa.gov>.

In partnership with Alloy Media, the Ad Council and SAMHSA distributed 450,000 campus packs, which included campaign brochures and additional materials for students, to bookstores at more than 200 colleges and universities.

The initiative is part of SAMHSA's National Mental Health Anti-Stigma Campaign, whose partners include the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institute of Mental Health, state mental health agencies, and organizations that represent provider organizations and consumer and family member groups. ▪