Toronto, April 15, 2013 – For the second year in a row, TVO, in association with the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), present Mental Health Matters May 6 to 12. TVO will utilize its full suite of digital resources including on air and online content, along with an in-community event to raise awareness about and encourage informed discourse around mental health issues.
TVO’s flagship current affairs program, The Agenda with Steve Paikin, anchors the week May 6 through 10 at 8 and11 pm with five nights of discussion and debate of critical issues in mental health. Last year, The Agenda was recognized for excellence in mental health reporting by the Ontario Psychological Association. The Agenda will offer the same depth of analysis and breadth of perspective this year welcoming guest experts from CAMH and the mental health community. Topics covered during the week include: mental health and the immigrant experience; resilience in children; a look at the high suicide rates for Aboriginal youth; anxiety as a mental health disorder; and a broader look at the prevalence of anxiety in our society.
TVO’s dedicated mental health website at www.tvo.org/mentalhealthmatters is the online home and central resource for Mental Health Matters during the week and beyond. The site features live streaming and catch-up viewing of The Agenda with Steve Paikin as well as web exclusive videos that tell the stories of people who have been affected by mental illness, interactive graphics that map mental health in Ontario, and live chats and blogs from mental health experts. Visitors to the site will also have access to TVO’s rich archive of programs dealing with mental health issues.
Beginning May 6th at TVOParents.com, TVO’s educational website that helps parents help their kids succeed at school and in life, parents can access tip sheets, resource guides and articles about common mental health issues in children and what parents can do to help. New videos include singer / songwriter Steven Page talking about his own struggles with mental illness, and more videos from the Infant Mental Health Promotion program at Sick Kids Hospital and from the Hinks-Dellcrest Centre, a non-profit mental health treatment centre for kids.
Also on May 6th, TVOKids host Kara welcomes Kids Help Phone counselor Duane for My Feelings Matter, a special edition of the TVOKids Help Zone from 4-7pm ET live in TVOKids afterschool programming block, The Space. Kara and Duane answer emails and calls from kids about issues at school or at home and focus on helping kids understand their feelings and emotions. Prior to the Help Zone kids can go to tvokids.com to take a quiz, which will help Kara and Duane shape the program.
“Mental Health Matters demonstrates the innovative approach, unparalleled depth, and commitment to citizen engagement TVO brings to important matters affecting Ontarians,” says Lisa de Wilde, TVO’s Chief Executive Officer. “We’re happy to once again partner with CAMH, one of the world’s leading research centres in addiction and mental health, and be able to tap into their expertise to make a complex issue like mental health accessible for people.”
As a prelude to Mental Health Matters, today at 6 pm, TVO will record and stream live Innovations in Mental Health, a community event presented by CAMH and MaRS Discovery District and hosted by TVO’s Steve Paikin. The 90-minute event features a panel of experts discussing innovations driving the future of mental health and includes a question and answer session from the audience. The event can be followed live at tvo.org/mentalhealthmatters and will also be broadcast on The Agenda with Steve Paikin on May 3.
“We are very excited to partner with TVO for a second year on this initiative,” said Dr. Catherine Zahn, President and CEO, CAMH. “The feedback we received from the community last year was outstanding and we again welcome the opportunity to educate the public and make an impact on the way people understand the issues that surround mental illness and addiction.”
About TVO
TVO is Ontario’s public educational media organization and a trusted source of interactive educational content that informs, inspires and stimulates curiosity and thought. TVO’s vision is to empower people to be engaged citizens of Ontario through educational media. TVO is funded primarily by the Province of Ontario and is a registered charity supported by sponsors and thousands of donors. For more information, visit tvo.org.
Where to Find TVO
On air: Over-the-air (may vary in some areas) Cable channel 2 (may vary in some areas) Bell TV channel 209 TVO HD on Bell Fibe TV channel 1209 Rogers TVO HD channel 580 Shaw Direct channel 353 |
Websites: tvo.org tvokids.com tvoparents.com ilc.org |
Online: YouTube™ iTunes™ BlackBerry World™ |
Connect: |
For further information:
Media Contact for TVO:
Paul Ginis
TVO Public Relations Specialist
416.484.2600 x 2445
pginis@tvo.org
Contact for CAMH:
Michael Torres
CAMH Media Relations Public Affairs
(office) 416.595.6015
(mobile) 416.254.5921
(twitter) @CAMHnews
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