Season 4 of Showtime's hit drama Chi, Victor (played by Luke James) invites a group of black men ranging in age from teenagers to teenage grandparents to a healing circle, a place where men can speak without fear of judgment or retaliation. . A place where you can have space for healing within this group.
It was a great opportunity to not only talk about mental health, which has become more prevalent on TV over the past decade, but also specifically about the mental health of black men.
“That episode did a great job of portraying healing circles as a mental health tool for a community with very specific mental health issues,” said Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios Senior Social Impact. said Vice President Brianna Cayo Cotter.
To foster similar conversations, the company partnered with BEAM.
beam
This is an example of the potential intersection of entertainment and action that is being highlighted this May, which is Mental Health Awareness Month. Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios will host its fourth annual Mental Health Action Day (MHAD) on May 16th, partnering with more than 2,300 nonprofits, brands and leaders to help people take action on their mental health. We plan to encourage people to go beyond their awareness and actually take steps to improve their mental health.like victor did Chi.
The first MHAD was born during the pandemic. “It was clear that the mental health crisis, which was already a problem in this country, was completely exacerbated by COVID-19. It was interesting to be in a place where we were talking about the need for awareness,” Kayo Cotter said.
make social connections
This year's call to action is to dedicate an hour to social connection. That might mean having lunch with a friend, calling a relative, or playing a game with your neighbors. This focus builds on U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy's 2023 advisory report, which found that loneliness has become a public health epidemic. Mr Murthy, not coincidentally, was one of the leaders to take part in his Mental Health Day of Action, highlighting the benefits of initiatives aimed specifically at young people.
This includes the launch of a new YouTube-based choose-your-own-adventure-style interactive video created in partnership with youth mental health nonprofit Active Minds to help people with mental health issues. The aim is to teach young people how to help those who can help them. concern. It tells them to ask questions: recognize, support and stay in touch. ASK was announced at last year's MTV VMAs.
Kayo Cotter cited research showing that young people with mental health problems often turn to friends first, but that friends often don't know the best way to help. ASK provides tools to combat that uncertainty.
“The youth mental health crisis is the defining public health challenge of our time, and these new resources will help young people find support and build social connections in their daily lives.” said Marcy. “In the face of unprecedented challenges, our youth have worked hard to create a supportive environment for each other, and on this Mental Health Action Day, we want to share with many I am grateful to see others stepping up to help them.”
The first MHAD had approximately 230 partners. This year, we've expanded to over 2,300, including YouTube, Big Brothers Big Sisters, CBS, Reddit, Pinterest, NBA, lululemon, Sesame Workshop, Trevor Project, and more.
Why should the studio behind 'Yellowstone' care about your mental health?
So why should a major brand like Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios, which encompasses pay cable networks, MTV, and most of the traditional Viacom networks, have a mental health and social impact department? Kayo Cotter points to other reasons beyond the obvious synergy, including the opportunity to explore the often taboo topic of mental health through entertainment. She says content must respond to the needs of her fans and mental health is one of her concerns for fans.
“Also, mental health is an issue that everyone faces. And there are very few studios that have it all, like ours. yellowstone to rupaul's drag race to teen mom, are there any issues that connect and impact all of these different audiences? ” she says.
What are the indicators of success for campaigns like this? Kayo Cotter says the most obvious one is tracking the number of people taking action regarding their mental health. For example, Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios includes Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios and independent stations in Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Colorado, Detroit, Miami, Minneapolis and New York, as well as Seattle and Tampa Bay.
One is a self-care & wellness fair hosted by Miami's Barbershop Speaks, featuring professional haircuts, VR relaxation, massages, manicures, stretching, guided breathing exercises, followed by a presentation on ASK.
The other is a community basketball game in Baltimore hosted by I AM MENtality that invites young men, community leaders, mental health professionals, and law enforcement officers to participate. And an event in Flint, Michigan will focus on the mental health of incarcerated people and will be held at the Genesee County Jail.
Kayo Cotter shares how we've come a long way from the impressive but simple “Lock the Vote” style PSAs of decades ago to today's aggressive action on important social issues. He points out that he has walked the path of “The world has changed so dramatically in the last few years, and I don't think this PSA model or anything like that is enough,” she says.