Columbia River Mental Health: Breaking Stigma, Opening Doors

0:00It's April 9th. You're listening to Vancouver News today, AI Power Local News. Columbia River Mental Health Services is teaming up with the TV series Empowered, hosted by Meg Ryan, to smash the stigma around mental health and addiction. Their CEO, Daniel Smith, says the toughest step for folks is just asking for help. So these spots aim to make that easier by sharing real stories. The six-minute segment hits public television this summer, reaching about 70 million households nationwide. They'll also drop a one-and-a-half-minute commercial on major cable channels. Back on March 20th, they turned their main clinic on Northeast 4th Plain Boulevard into a full production set after three months of planning. Smith is pumped about leading this charge in their community, especially since Washington has over three million people living in spot-short-on. Mental health pros per the National Alliance on Mental Illness. It's all about showing the barriers folks face right here at home. This is just one piece of their bigger push to prove behavioral health support is for everybody

1:02no matter what. Seeing someone who's been there makes it real and relatable. With these broadcasts rolling out soon, expect more conversations that could finally get people through those doors and on the path to real help.