Thank you to our Partners and Supporters
In California
California Counties and the Mental Health Services Act: Directing Change has been funded by counties through the voter-approved Mental Health Services Act (Prop 63) and administered by the California Mental Health Services Authority (CalMHSA). CalMHSA is an organization of county governments working to improve mental health outcomes for individuals, families and communities, and administers programs on a statewide, regional, and local basis. For more information on CalMHSA visit: www.calmhsa.org
Directing Change is part of Each Mind Matters: California’s Mental Health Movement and statewide efforts to prevent suicide, reduce stigma and discrimination related to mental illness, and to promote the mental health and wellness of students. Each Mind Matters serves as the megaphone to amplify the voices of all people who want to put an end to stigma related to mental health and create a community where everyone feels comfortable reaching out for the support they deserve. For more information visit: eachmindmatters.org.
Your Social Marketer: Your Social Marketer dreamed up the Directing Change Program and Contest in 2011 and has had the privilege of implementing the program since then. Your Social Marketer supports Directing Change with (mostly) passion for social justice, but also in-kind hours and financial support.
Dallas Pugh Foundation: Directing Change is grateful to the Dallas Pugh Foundation for their generous and continued support. Not only has the Dallas Pugh Foundation supported the award ceremony that was hosted in San Diego in 2017, but their board members have taken the time to participate as judges since the first year of the contest, promote the program, and generously support the program financially. The Dallas Pugh Foundation was established to prepare today’s youth and young adults for complicated decisions and life experiences. They are committed to educating all youth by embracing standards of positive thinking, helping others and not being afraid to ask for help. Directing Change is excited to continue working with the Dallas Pugh Foundation for many years to come to raise awareness about mental health and suicide prevention for our youth. For more information visit: http://dallaspughfoundation.org/
Survivors of Suicide Loss: Survivors of Suicide Loss (SOSL) reaches out to and supports people who have lost a loved one to suicide. Directing Change and SOSL are partnering to put on the 11th Annual Walk in Rememberance with Hope in Balboa Park (6th and Laurel) on November 12th. Please join us as we walk in memory of a loved one and raise awareness about suicide prevention. Hope is just a step away. Register Today!
Culture to Culture Foundation: The Culture to Culture Foundation is a nonprofit, community-based organization dedicated to promoting mental health and emotional wellness within the San Francisco Bay Area’s growing Asian-American community. Since 2001, Culture to Culture has worked to reduce the pending mental-health crisis among the area’s Asian-American population of over 300,000. Through their various programs, projects, and events, they reach out and bring the community closer together. One project in particular has been their annual mental health essay contest. Culture to Culture Foundation is partnering with Directing Change as a sponsor of the Through the Lens of Culture category and will be promoting the program and contest in the Bay Area. They are paying for the cash prizes in this category and will participate as judges as well! For more information visit: http://www.culturetoculture.org/
Kognito: Kognito is a health simulation company that believes in the power of conversation to change lives. The role-play simulations for professional development and student curriculum prepare educators, school health staff and students to lead real-life conversations that improve social, emotional and physical health. Kognito is the only company with health simulations listed in the National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices (NREPP). View a free demo. For the 2018 implementation year Kognito is sponsoring a portion of the cash prizes for the new Animated Short -Suicide Prevention category.
Directing Change partners with other suicide prevention and mental health programs and many of them donate programs to participating schools-thank you!
Meredith O’Connor: Meredith is a singer and rising teen pop star who recently toured the world speaking to youth about her own experience overcoming bullying and other obstacles. Meredith and Directing Change have joined together to offer musical and educational performances to counties throughout California. Meredith rose to fame when her first song “Celebrity” went viral on YouTube seeing over two million views within the first two months of its release. It became a radio favorite, and increased her fan base first established by her anti bullying platform. Her music encourages teens to be inclusive and tolerant of one another’s differences and her anti bullying songs and music videos such as “The Game” and “Just The Thing” have changed the lives of victims of bullying. Meredith now dedicates her time to touring schools throughout the nation advocating for mental health and is excited to partner with the Directing Change program. For more information visit: http://meredithoconnormusic.com/
Online Film School Boot Camp: Since the first year of the contest, Online Film School Boot Campand its’ founder, Director Trent Duncan, have provided overwhelming support to Directing Change. Directing Change would like to thank Online Film School Boot Camp for providing free memberships to student filmmakers in Directing Change, and a special thank you to Mr. Duncan for his continued support as a judge in the contest. Visit: http://onlinefilmschoolbootcamp.com/
LETSBringChange2Mind: LETSBringChange2Mind is a high school program dedicated to erasing the stigma of mental illness by developing educational programs, fostering student empowerment, building mentoring opportunities, and providing a research baseline designed to empower youth to change the perception of mental health in their schools and communities. LETSBringChange2Mind is enthusiastic about partnering with the Directing Change program as they roll out LETSBC2M Clubs in high schools. In partnership with Directing Change, one of the encouraged club activities will be participation in the program by submitting a film and using the films to raise awareness about mental health on campus. To learn more visit: http://bringchange2mind.org/
The JED Foundation: The JED Foundation is a national non profit organization working to promote emotional health and prevent suicide among young adults, teens and college students. The JED Foundation is promoting Directing Change through their network of young adults in California and is featuring winning films on Halfofus.com and on social media. For more information visit: www.jedfoundation.org
Thank you to the University of California Systems. In 2014 and 2015 the University of California Systems funded Directing Change and supported the award event for University of California Students. Moving forward they will continue to promote the program among UC students and use the films to support their awareness efforts. The University of California has long recognized student mental health as an ongoing and urgent issue for higher education, and in 2011 was awarded funding from the voter-approved Mental Health Services Act (Prop. 63)
In Oklahoma
Directing Change is part of Oklahoma’s statewide efforts to prevent suicide, reduce stigma and discrimination related to mental illness and to promote the mental health and wellness of students. This initiative is hosted by the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, in cooperation with local community wellness coalitions and behavioral health providers. There is no fee for participation.
Directing Change is funded by the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services with support from federal grant number 1U79SM061736-01, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. To learn more about suicide prevention efforts in Oklahoma, please visit the Suicide Prevention and Early Intervention page at www.odmhsas.org, or click here.
The Directing Change Program and Film Contest was launched as a demonstration initiative as part of Each Mind Matters: California’s Mental Health Movement funded by the Mental Health Services Act (Proposition 63) and administered by the California Mental Health Services Authority (CalMHSA), an organization of county governments working to improve mental health outcomes for individuals, families, and communities. The program was created by and has been implemented since 2013 by Your Social Marketer, Inc. As of December 20, 2017 the Directing Change Program and Film Contest is a nonprofit organization. For more information visit: www.directingchange.org.
