The Child Mind Institute to Honor First Lady of New York City Chirlane McCray and Rep. Tim Murphy at Change Maker Awards for Work In Mental Health

Children’s Mental Health Report Finds 17.1 Million Young People in the US Have or Have Had a Diagnosable Psychiatric Disorder

NEW YORK, NY, May 1, 2015 — The Child Mind Institute will host the first annual Change Maker Awards at the Highline Ballroom on May 4, the organization announced today. The awards honor individuals and organizations who are making positive change in children’s mental health and raising awareness of the need for early intervention to help kids lead healthy lives. The first annual Children’s Mental Health Report, which will be released at the event, brings together the most credible data available and assesses the current state of children’s mental health, including the prevalence of psychiatric disorders, the gap between need and care, and the benefits of intervention.

Hosted by Ali Wentworth with presenter George Stephanopoulos, the awards will honor the following individuals and organizations:

* Rep. Tim Murphy, PhD, Champion

• A respected child psychologist, Congressman Murphy is currently
  serving his seventh term representing the 18th District of
  Pennsylvania. His chief cause: creating meaningful reforms in the US
  health care system, particularly around mental health. He is co-chair
  of the Congressional Mental Health Caucus, co-chair and co-founder of
  GOP Doctors Caucus, and this past December he unveiled his landmark
  mental health reform legislation, the Helping Families in Mental Health
  Crisis Act.

* First Lady Chirlane McCray, Activist

• As chairwoman of the Mayor’s Fund for the Advancement of New York
  City, First Lady Chirlane McCray has dedicated her efforts to a very
  personal cause: mental health advocacy. Inspired by her daughter’s past
  struggles, she is working with the Department of Mental Health and
  Public Hygiene and the Fund for Public Health to create a road map
  connecting community groups, city agencies, and individuals to
  revolutionize NYC’s health care-and set an example for the world.

* Bloomingdale’s, Corporate Advocate

• Bloomingdale’s, a founding partner of the Child Mind Institute, took
  a stance on mental health at a time when few organizations were
  speaking up about it. Over the past five holiday seasons, this company
  has sold numerous limited-edition special products that have raised
  funds to benefit patients and research at the Child Mind Institute, as
  well as promote awareness about this important public health issue.
  Accepting the award on behalf of the brand is Tony Spring,
  Bloomingdale’s new CEO and Chairman.

* Angela Renz, Local Hero

• For decades, NYC school social worker Angela Renz has helped
  thousands of at-risk children, educating their parents and teachers
  about the dangers of stress and the benefits of teaching resilience. At
  PS 59 and MS 167, where she currently splits her time, Renz
  establishes teacher workshops, leads group and individual therapy for
  students, and has a reputation for keeping up with the lives and family
  situations of hundreds of kids.

* Active Minds, Community Builder

• Founded and led by Executive Director Alison Malmon, who lost her
  brother to suicide, Active Minds raises awareness about mental health
  issues at 400 colleges all over the United States. Working peer to peer
  to de-stigmatize mental illness, Active Minds advises school
  administrations, affects national policy, and-most importantly-prevents
  youth suicides.

“These individuals and organizations are all remarkable and have made game-changing efforts to improve the way we deal with and think about children’s mental health,” said Child Mind Institute founder and president Dr. Harold Koplewicz. “And my hope is that our Children’s Mental Health Report will inspire others to take action and make major change when it comes to how we as a nation deal with children’s mental health.”

The Children’s Mental Health Report synthesizes the most important, credible and available data on the prevalence of mental illness in children and the gap between need and care. Among other findings, it found that 17.1 million young people in the US have or have had a diagnosable psychiatric disorder. The report also highlights the effective treatments we have, the importance of early intervention, and the costs of not recognizing and addressing childhood mental illness. The complete report can be found here (https://childmind.org/speakup).

The Change Maker Awards and Child Mind Institute’s Children’s Mental Health Report are a part of the Child Mind Institute’s annual public education campaign, Speak Up for Kids, held each May to promote children’s mental health. In its fifth year, the campaign celebrates people making change in children’s mental health and provides accurate information to the media, families, educators and leaders that empowers them to speak up for kids with mental illnesses and learning disorders.

About the Child Mind Institute:

The Child Mind Institute (childmind.org) is dedicated to transforming mental health care for children everywhere. Founded by Dr. Harold S. Koplewicz and Brooke Garber Neidich, the organization is committed to finding more effective treatments for childhood psychiatric and learning disorders, building the science of healthy brain development, and empowering children and their families with help, hope, and answers. The Child Mind Institute does not accept funding from the pharmaceutical industry.

About Our National Partner

Hunter

Founded in 1856, Hunter is a British heritage brand, holding two Royal Warrants of Appointment to HM The Queen and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh. The brand has a history of innovative design and is renowned for its iconic Original Tall, a vulcanized rubber boot, handcrafted from 28 parts and first introduced in 1956.

Under the creative direction of Alasdhair Willis, the brand recently unveiled Hunter Original, which stages runway shows each season at London Fashion Week, presenting footwear, outerwear and knitwear, alongside the Original boot. Hunter Field, a new brand category, offers a specialist performance collection, delivering technical products, born from the development of pioneering techniques in manufacturing and materials.

Speak Up for Kids partners include:

AASA Superintendent’s Association
Active Minds
American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
Anxiety and Depression Association of America
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
Autism Science Foundation
Avielle Foundation
Common Sense Media
Eye To Eye
Learning Disabilities Association
Mommy Bites
National Council for Behavioral Health
Parents Magazine
Playworks
Ryan Licht Sang
Amy Poehler’s Smart Girls
The Society for Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics
The National Council for Behavioral Health
Tuesday’s Children
Yale Child Study Center
Web MD