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APA/MTV Team Up for National Youth Anti-Violence Campaign
Public Relations and Communications
Practice Directorate
For more information: Contact Us
APA's Practice Directorate has forged a partnership with Music Television (MTV) to get important information to the nation's youth about warning signs of violent behavior.
The APA-MTV collaboration will reach out to teen audiences nationwide in several ways:
- a 30-minute MTV documentary on youth and violence;
- nationwide presentations by psychologists to youth on the topic of violence;
- and a "Warning Signs" guide on violence prevention available to youth and the
general public free of charge.
Youth violence is a critical national issue that ties into the family relations and
troubled-teen theme of "Talk to Someone Who Can Help," APA's national campaign
to promote the value of psychological services.
"This project builds on the public education campaign network that we have created
across the nation over the past few years," said Russ Newman, Ph.D., JD, executive
director for practice. "Without that foundation, a partnership of this kind and a
project of this size would be impossible."
APA Brings Expertise to Project
MTV officials, including vice president of public affairs Stephen Friedman, expressed
eagerness to work with APA because of the expertise psychologists bring on violent
behavior and how to address it. "If we can help one young person in trouble, this
campaign will be a success," said MTV President Judith McGrath.
APA began talking with MTV about an anti-violence campaign last year in the wake of
school shootings in Jonesboro, Ark., Springfield, Ore., and West Paducah, Ky. MTV's
initiative includes the White House, the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S.
Department of Education as co-sponsors.
"This project builds on the public education campaign network that we have created
across the nation over the past few years,"
explained Russ Newman, Ph.D., JD, Executive Director for Practice.
APA and MTV are collaborating on the "Warning Signs" guide, which is aimed at
teenagers and young adults and includes information about the warning signs of potentially
violent behavior and what to do when recognizing these signs in peers.
Psychologists Eva Fiendler, Ph.D., Arnold Goldstein, Ph.D., Nancy Guerra, Ph.D., Rodney
Hammond Ph.D., Peter Sheras, Ph.D., and Fernando Soriano, Ph.D. - all of whom have been
involved in violence initiatives through APA's Public Interest Directorate - are providing
input for the guide.
APA is also working with MTV to produce a 30-minute documentary scheduled to air at the
end of April. The show will explore the thoughts, opinions and fears of teenagers and
young adults about the issue of violence. Expert psychologists will also appear on the
show.
During commercial breaks and at the end of the documentary, MTV viewers will be given
APA's 800 number to call and receive a free copy of the "Warning Signs" guide.
APA's toll-free number will also be publicized in a Youth Action Guide produced by the
U.S. Department of Justice and distributed throughout the year, beginning in mid-February.
This guide outlines five actions designed to engage youth in developing solutions to
violence.
To foster more discussion about violence among teens, APA is working with its national
Public Education Campaign network of psychologists to conduct community-outreach events
concurrent with the "True Life" show's airing, said Jan Peterson, the Practice
Directorate's director of public relations and special projects.
Implementation kits are now available. These kits will help psychologists prepare for
activities that can be implemented in their community. These kits contain information and
sample materials for carrying out presentations to youth, alerting media and conducting
other grassroots activities. To order a kit, call 1.877.274.8787, ext. 135. Some of the campaign kit components are available on-line for you to
download and personalize.
Community Outreach Encouraged
Three approaches to community outreach have been developed that will lend themselves to
co-promotion with local MTV cable affiliates. Individual psychologists or psychological
associations can participate by:
- Partnering with a school in their community and identifying a class - such as a health
class - to watch the "True Life" show and facilitate a discussion about violence
warning signs, as well as effective ways of coping with anger and frustration.
- Teaming up with a school to provide a series of forums around the "True Life"
show. Psychologists can conduct youth sessions, for example, during all of the physical
education classes for an entire school day.
- Convening a community youth forum with groups, such as church youth groups, boys' and
girls' clubs and scouts, to co-host the event and thereby provide a built-in audience for
the youth forum.
"By teaming psychologists with MTV's cable affiliates across the country, we hope
to connect with this important teenage audience and help them learn what they can do about
an issue that has become far too prevalent in our society," Peterson said. "At
the same time, we will help educate the next generation of young adults on the value of
psychology."
Take A Stand Against Violence
To find out more about getting involved by hosting activities in your area and to
receive your Warning Signs campaign kit, call APA's Campaign Services Bureau at
1.877.274.8787, ext. 135. After you receive your kit, download sample
letters, press releases and other campaign kit materials you can personlize to promote
your own campaign activities.
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