CULVER CITY, CA--(Marketwired - Apr 9, 2015) - Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services' 19th annual Erasing the Stigma Leadership Awards will honor several passionate champions of mental health awareness and prevention, including television personality Howie Mandel, former California state senator and President Pro-Tem Darrell Steinberg and his daughter, Jordana Steinberg, singer/songwriter Mary Lambert and NBA standout Ryan Anderson, a forward for the New Orleans Pelicans. Emceed by comedian Wendy Liebman, the Awards will take place on Thursday, April 23rd, 2015 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles.
"I commend tonight's honorees for courageously talking about how mental illness has affected their lives. I'm proud to be emceeing the Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services Erasing the Stigma Leadership Awards and hope one day we will all be as comfortable talking about seeing the psychiatrist as we are about going to the dentist," Liebman said.
Mandel will be honored with the Beatrice Stern Media Award, created by the Stern Family to recognize individuals who have used the media to erase the stigma of mental illness.
"For many years, I was scared that bad things would happen if people found out I suffered from mental illness. But honestly, only good things have happened since I started talking about my experience with OCD and ADHD. We need to talk about our mental health in the same way we talk about our physical health -- without stigma or shame. I'm thrilled Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services is honoring me with this year's Beatrice Stern Media Award and proud to do my part in erasing the stigma of mental illness," Mandel said.
Darrell Steinberg will be honored for championing the passage of California's Mental Health Services Act in 2004, which expanded access to mental health services, while helping provide housing, treatment and recovery for thousands of Californians every day.
"Mental Health does not have to be a life sentence of hopelessness and despair. Recovery happens. That's why we worked so hard to pass Proposition 63 and SB 82, which have ensured access to mental health care for tens of thousands of Californians. While we still face many challenges, we have made significant progress in the past decade since the Mental Health Services Act went into effect. I am proud to be honored with the Didi Hirsch Erasing the Stigma Leadership Award for our work together," Darrell Steinberg said.
Jordana Steinberg will receive a leadership award for her courage to speak openly about her own experience with mental illness.
"The more we know about mental illness, the more likely we are to seek help and get better. I'm honored to be recognized by the Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services with a Leadership Award for taking a step to help erase the stigma. I hope that by sharing my experience with a severe childhood mood disorder, I can inspire other young people struggling with mental health issues to get help and have hope," Jordana Steinberg said.
Anderson will be presented with a leadership award for his advocacy of suicide prevention following the loss of his girlfriend and reality television star, Gia Allemand.
Lambert will be honored as the mental health ambassador for her courage and willingness to speak about her experience with bipolar disorder.
"Speaking our truth is one of the most powerful things we can do to erase the stigma of mental illness," Lambert said. "I feel honored to be recognized by Didi Hirsch's Erasing the Stigma Leadership Awards for speaking my truth about living with bipolar disorder. People carry around a lot of guilt and shame for stuff that shouldn't matter, and that guilt can be debilitating. What I want to do as an artist is to invite people to let go of that shame, to remind them that everybody has something to overcome and that we can all live full and meaningful lives just by giving permission to be who we really are."
Erasing the Stigma is an initiative that supports the work of Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services, a leading provider of mental health, substance use and suicide prevention services. The more people can openly discuss mental health issues and depression, the more likely they are to receive the help they need.
"Most people are amazed that about half of us will have panic attacks, depression or other mental disorders at some point in our lives," said Dr. Kita Curry, president and CEO of Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services. "By bravely sharing their personal stories, our honorees let others know they are not alone and ease the shame that prevents them from seeking help."
Tickets for the event are available by clicking here. Additional information about the awards event is available at erasingthestigma.org.
About Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services
With more than 70 years of experience, Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services transforms lives by providing quality mental health and substance abuse treatment in communities where stigma or poverty limits access. From 11 locations throughout Los Angeles and Orange Counties and about 100 schools, Didi Hirsch helps more than 90,000 children, families and adults each year.
Founded in 1958, Didi Hirsch's Suicide Prevention Center helps people at risk of suicide, concerned loved ones and those who have lost someone to suicide. The first in the nation to establish a 24-hour hotline, the Suicide Prevention Center's crisis counselors answered more than 62,000 calls, chats and texts in 2014. The Center offers support groups for people who have attempted suicide or are grieving a suicidal loss. It is one of five in the nation taking calls for the national Disaster Distress Helpline. Learn more at www.didihirsch.org.
Contact Information:
Media Contact:
Tiffany Allegretti
LFPR (for Didi Hirsch)
949-502-6200 ext. 218
tiffanya@lfpr.com