We want to let you know about the third annual Directing Change student film contest. Last year, 112 schools representing 432 submissions and 996 students participated in the contest. Student winners represented their school at a legislative briefing at the Capitol and at the award ceremony in Sacramento.
The California Department of Education is supportive of the contest and encourages schools and students to participate (see attached letter). The contest is part of statewide efforts to prevent suicide, reduce stigma and discrimination related to mental illness, and to promote the mental health and wellness of students. These initiatives are funded by the Mental Health Services Act (Prop 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.
At a glance the contest:
• Is open to high school students in California
• Invites students to develop a 60-second public service announcement about suicide prevention or ending the silence about mental illness during the 2014/15 school year
• Awards both the first place winning team and associated school cash prizes and awards
• Provides every school with educational resources and a free suicide prevention or mental health program
• Recognizes students and schools at an award ceremony in Sacramento at the end of the school year
To assist in promoting the contest on your school campus, this email includes:
• A flyer that can be printed and placed around campus
• A “Directing Change: Getting Started” submission tip sheet
Additional materials can be downloaded online at www.directingchange.org. Please follow the standard approval process applicable to your district.
Students may produce the films in a classroom setting, as an after-school activity or as an out-of-school activity. However, schools are asked to assist students in identifying an adult advisor at their school to submit the entry form, review the film for content appropriate for a general viewing audience and to keep release and copyright forms on file. The advisor does not need to have knowledge of or expertise in filmmaking or the subject matter (suicide prevention and mental health).
The contest website (www.directingchange.org/schools/) features resources to help integrate this contest into your school activities with ease, and also to provide you with further information on suicide prevention in the school setting.
Before proceeding with implementing this contest in your schools, be sure to review the protocol and procedures in place at your school for addressing the needs of students who are in emotional crisis or are suicidal. Chapter 2 in the Suicide Prevention: A Toolkit for Schools provides guidance about how to do this.
• Suicide Prevention: A Toolkit for Schools: Recently, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration released this publication to assist high schools and school districts in designing and implementing strategies to prevent suicide and promote behavioral health. It includes tools to implement a multi-faceted suicide prevention program that responds to the needs and cultures of students. (http://store.samhsa.gov/shin/content//SMA12-4669/SMA12-4669.pdf)
• Educational Resources: A variety of resources including short educational videos about mental health and suicide prevention, a list of, and links to, programs and resources available through NAMI California, a list of, and links to, suicide prevention programs and resources such as a model school district policy for suicide prevention.
• PowerPoint Presentation: This brief presentation is intended to be reviewed by an adult advisor on campus and then shared with students. It is not intended to take the place of a comprehensive suicide prevention or mental health program; instead it offers a brief overview of suicide prevention and mental health as well as details about the contest.
All of the referenced materials, and many more, can be downloaded online at www.directingchange.org/schools/.
We hope you will help students get involved in the Directing Change student film contest on your campus.
Shanti Bond, MPH | Directing Change
Program Manager
619.786.5622
[email protected]
