“The power of words is undeniable, as is the power of the media,” said Debra L. Wentz, PhD, Chair of the New Jersey Governor’s Council on Mental Health Stigma, President and CEO of the New Jersey Association of Mental Health and Addiction Agencies (NJAMHAA) and Executive Director of the New Jersey Mental Health Institute, in her welcome remarks for the Council’s media roundtable on October 3, 2022. “Despite the greater awareness of mental illness, there is still a lack of education, and the media play a profound role in shaping the public’s understanding — and, in some cases, misunderstanding — and opinions about mental illness, as it does on all issues. This roundtable was an important opportunity for journalists, broadcasters and news directors and others to learn how to portray mental illnesses and individuals who have them in the most accurate and positive way possible,” Dr. Wentz stated.

Otto Wahl, PhD, Professor Emeritus, University of Hartford and Author of Media Madness: Public Images of Mental Illness and Telling Is Risky Business: Mental Health Consumers Confront Stigma, delivered the keynote presentation and moderated a panel discussion with individuals with lived experience and journalists.

Click here for detailed highlights and here to watch the video of the event.