WBFO's Mental Health Initiative Facebook Live events are an engaging way to connect with the community through social media. Each event is focused on a singular topic and brings different experiences and perspectives together into one conversation.

The first in this series of Facebook Live events focused on the changes in mental health treatment over the years. In our second Facebook Live event we examined the New York State mandate for teaching mental health. For our third event we went inside Crisis Services where 24/7/ hotlines are open to respond to citizens in need. In our fourth Facebook Live event, "Living With Mental Illness at 22," WBFO reporter Nick Lippa was joined in conversation with Kaitlyn Ledzian and Juliana Hill, both 22 years old and both youth peer advocates with Mental Health Advocates of Western New York. Watch them online now.

Our most recent Facebook Live event, "Joker: Mental Illness and Pop Culture", took place November 8. Watch the recording below.

In this Facebook Live, we examined how mental illness is portrayed on the big screen through the lens of the blockbuster film “Joker” staring Joaquin Phoenix.

We looked at how accurately the film portrays people suffering from mental illness. For example, does the film incorrectly strengthen the link between mental illness and violence?

“Joker” isn’t the only film with title characters suffering from mental illness. “Finding Dory,” “Inside Out,” “Psycho,” “A Beautiful Mind,” “Silver Linings Playbook” the Netflix series “13 Reasons Why,” and more feature main characters struggling with mental illness.

Host Nick Lippa and guests discussed which films and television programs are good models representing people suffering from mental illness and which are not. How much of a disservice are the latter to the work done by mental health advocates in the region?

We also discussed media’s responsibility to accurately portray mental illness. How much does the pop culture representation of mental illness influence society’s perception of mental illness?

Join the conversation on WBFO’s Facebook page .

Guests:

Nick Lippa: Host and WBFO reporter for the Mental Health Initiative

Karl Shallowhorn: Education Program Coordinator at Community Health Center of Buffalo

Alex Garcia: Mental Health program director at Horizon Health Services' Broadway Recovery Center

Support for the WBFO Mental Health Initiative is provided by the Patrick P. Lee Foundation.

African Americans are 20% more likely to experience serious mental illness than the general population--why?

Let's Talk | Mental Health in the African American Community

African Americans are disproportionately more likely to suffer from mental health issues than white Americans. According the US Department of Health and Human Services, in 2015 African Americans were 20 percent more likely to report serious psychological distress than white Americans, and African Americans are almost twice as likely to be diagnosed with schizophrenia as white Americans. Despite these statistics, African Americans are less likely to receive behavioral treatment. Why?

In early October the community was invited to Let's Talk, and open discussion of Mental Health in the African American Community at the Frank E. Merriweather, Jr. Library. Host Karl Shallowhorn from the Community Health Center of Buffalo was joined by Keli-Koran Luchey, At-Risk School Counselor at Sweet Home High School, Mental Health therapist Erin M. Moss, Kelly Marie Woffard of Front Seat Life, and Pastor George Nicholas from Lincoln Memorial United Methodist Church.

Local Mental Health Resources:

Crisis Services Hotline: 716-834-3131

NAMI in Buffalo and Erie County: 716-226-6264; namibuffalony.org

Mental Health Advocates of WNY: 716-886-1242; mhawny.org

Community Health Center of Buffalo: 716-986-9199; chcb.net

Support for the WBFO Mental Health Initiative is provided by the Patrick P. Lee Foundation.

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