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ValueOptions Helps Promote Mental Health Education in the New York City Metropolitan Area; WLIW21 New York Public Television's ''Healthy Minds'' Series Gets to the Heart of Mental Health Issues

Posted on: Thursday, 7 September 2006, 12:00 CDT

Debuting Sept. 10 on producing station WLIW21 New York Public Television, "Healthy Minds" takes viewers a step closer to the realities and misconceptions of mental heath diseases and the tolls these afflictions bring to people, their families and caregivers.

Sponsored in part by ValueOptions, "Healthy Minds" is a 13-part educational series comprised of 30-minute programs aimed to inform patients, families and the general public about the diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric conditions. With each episode scheduled to air Sundays at 11:30 a.m. on WLIW21 New York Public Television, the program will feature interviews with a host of mental health experts and most importantly, the patients themselves who are undergoing psychiatric treatment and recovery. Details of each episode are posted on WLIW's website at www.wliw.org/healthyminds.

According to an estimate from the National Institute of Mental Health, 26.2 percent of Americans ages 18 and older -- about one in four adults -- suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year. That figure translates to 57.7 million adults in the United States.

The "Healthy Minds" series, hosted by psychiatrist Dr. Jeffery Borenstein with the New York Academy of Medicine, serves to educate New York metropolitan area viewers about psychiatric conditions and ways to seek professional care. It goes in depth about real-life stories and unfolds misconceptions about mental health illnesses and the stigmas behind them.

As Dr. Borenstein explains, "Everyone is touched by psychiatric conditions, either themselves or a loved one. Our goal is to share cutting edge information from experts along with personal experiences from people who have overcome psychiatric conditions. I want people to know that with help, there is hope."

"'Healthy Minds' reflects a core mission of public television, providing access to information that directly impacts the lives of families in the communities we serve," said WLIW President and General Manager Terrel Cass. "We hope this series will serve as a resource for families and healthcare providers to open lines of communication."

The series will cover a variety of mental health topics such as depression, suicide prevention, schizophrenia, post traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse, Alzheimer's disease, insomnia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, phobias, bipolar disorder and more.

ValueOptions is supporting the "Healthy Minds" television series as part of a larger company effort to raise public awareness about mental health disorders and ways to seek treatment. ValueOptions is encouraging people with mental health and substance abuse disorders to not face these problems alone, but instead to reach out for help. Only then can they begin the process of treatment and recovery.

About WLIW21

WLIW New York is the fourth most-watched public television station in the United States, with an average weekly cumulative audience of nearly two million households in the New York tri-state area. As a resource for public television stations, WLIW distributes live daily broadcasts of BBC World News and is the producer of PBS specials including the VISIONS aerial series, cultural documentaries and concert performances. For more information, visit www.wliw.org.

About ValueOptions

Covering 24 million lives nationwide through a variety of direct contracts with health plans, employers, as well as state and county agencies, ValueOptions is a national managed care company that specializes in disease management for all mental health and chemical dependency diagnoses. With offices throughout New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey, ValueOptions manages benefits and services for over 4 million people in the tri-state area. ValueOptions supports the unique needs of partner organizations with traditional managed care products, integrated behavioral healthcare services, as well as wellness and prevention initiatives and work-life programs. Leveraging a national behavioral health provider network of over 70,000 practitioner locations, ValueOptions puts the clinical well being of our members as our first and foremost priority. Visit www.valueoptions.com for more information.

For promotional images, please visit www.wliw.org/pressroom.

Source: Business Wire

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