" You KNOW Me" Alaska Anti-Stigma Campaign
Anchorage, Alaska
Start Date
2005
Brief Description
The You KNOW Me Alaska anti-stigma campaign was developed in 2005 by the Alaska Mental Health Trust and Alaskan consumer advocacy boards. It is a statewide initiative aimed at reducing stigma and discrimination, promoting support for treatment and services, and increasing public awareness of the issues and challenges faced by individuals, families, and communities who experience mental illnesses and other disabilities.
Situation
In 1994, the Alaska Legislature established the Alaska Mental Health Trust as a means to develop a comprehensive integrated mental health program. Though the Trust is not a direct service provider, it is the agency that spends Trust income and recommends expenditures of State funds to pay for a mental health program in Alaska. Statistics provided by the Trust show that 1 in 5 Alaskans experience a mental illness each year; however, many individuals do not seek treatment due to stigma.
Solution
In 2002, the Trust authorized a statewide poll to determine two things: 1) how the public viewed issues faced by those individuals accessing Trust services and 2) the extent of existing stigma. Based on the results of this analysis, they developed a campaign slogan with the potential to reach the entire community. The You KNOW Me slogan was chosen for its overarching emphasis on personalizing the issues faced by individuals who accessed Trust services.
Several media methods were used in marketing the You KNOW Me campaign, including the use of a popular Alaskan Iditarod musher as a spokesperson for television ads, trading cards, newspapers, posters, and radio.
Results
The You KNOW Me campaign has dramatically increased traffic on the Alaska Mental Health Trust Web sites. It also has been shown that the suicide prevention toll-free number receives an increase in calls when campaign print ads include their number.
Results from a followup survey completed in July 2006 demonstrated that more individuals reported having a personal experience with mental illness than respondents of the 2002 survey. Additionally, responses to questions about the You KNOW Me campaign indicated that it has helped people to think more about metal health issues.
Contact
For further information about the You KNOW Me campaign, you may contact:
Delisa Culpepper, chief operating officer, Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority, 3745
Community Park Loop, Suite 200, Anchorage, AK 99508: Phone: 907-269-7960; E-mail: delisa_culpepper@revenue.state.ak.us; Internet: www.mhtrust.org.
Janet Oates, communications contractor, Northwest Strategies, 4241 B Street, Suite 100,
Anchorage, AK 99503; Phone: 907-261-8620; E-mail: joates@nwstrat.com; Internet: www.nwstrat.com.
Type
Local