Ian Coppock
CWC: Ideas
Organization One: NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness)
1: What is the name of a potential organization contact?
NAMI is a nationwide group that advocates for those who live with mental illnesses, such as depression, severe anxiety, and bi-polar disorder. They are a nonprofit, grassroots group seeking to improve awareness of and outreach for this community, and educate a broad audience on these topics. Amber Watkins is the foremost representative of the organization’s operations in Utah, and would likely be my first contact for the CWC.
2: Who are the potential audiences of documents you may create for the project? (this is likely one or two of the target audiences of the organization)
The largest group of people that NAMI reaches out to is those in need of treatment, who, for various reasons, are unable or unwilling to attain it. This is a surprisingly large audience; a few months ago I learned that they reach out to dozens, sometimes hundreds of people in the greater Salt Lake area on a monthly basis. NAMI also reaches out to relatives of those in need of treatment; both groups actually comprise a larger, linked audience, as these problems affect more than just one person. Their ultimate goal, one that I share, is reaching out to people who need help.
3: What kind of responses do you want from the audiences after they have read your documents?
I struggle with mental illness myself, so I have an innate interest in spreading awareness of these issues to those who might need treatment. I know that reaching out for help can seem foreign and scary, but I want to inspire my audience to take action. I want people who may have these problems to become inspired to action after reading my documents, and I want their friends and relatives to become impassioned about helping. My chief goal is to inspire those in need to seek help, but when you reach out to everyday people, those free of mental illness, their outreach and support to people in need can become as invaluable a factor in their recovery as medicine and therapy.
4: What research have you done so far?
NAMI advocates for many mental health issues but focus especially on depression and anxiety. I discovered this group when I was a patient in a psychiatric ward a few months ago, and have been interested in their activities ever since. NAMI is spread across Utah and they put together a variety of events meant to advocate for this sort of thing. They have surprising resources, considering that they are a nonprofit, and they are very committed to spreading their views and advocacy everywhere they can.
5: Why did you choose this idea/organization?
As I’ve said, I struggle with mental illness too. NAMI appealed to me because a worker of theirs helped me in my time of need, reaching out on a personal level by asking me how I was feeling. NAMI is rare because they are a grassroots organization dedicated to help on a personal level, and not just a medical one. This appeals to me because both kinds of help are equally effective. These diseases cause enough pain and trouble on their own, but to live in a society where these things go largely unexamined can produce an excruciating feeling of isolation. I want to bridge that gap of understanding, bringing the people who can help to those who feel that no help is coming. I’ve accomplished this myself in the past, reaching out to other people, and they’ve been happy to break the feeling of isolation that stems from these afflictions. I chose to write for these organizations because the gap can be bridged; I know it can be done.
6: What questions would you ask your potential contact in an interview? (you need to list at least 10 questions for each contact—they may repeat as appropriate but should be customized for the
individuals).
Questions for Amber Watkins:
Tell me about yourself and this organization?
Does NAMI still advocate primarily for treatment of anxiety and depression, or do they seek to spread their resources evenly across multiple fields?
What resources does NAMI have? Where do you find you hit the most roadblocks in advocating for mental health patients and illness victims?
How active is NAMI here in Salt Lake? What activities do they put on to advocate for mental health?
How much outreach does NAMI conduct? How do you spread your agenda to people who need help or these individuals’ relatives?
Are there other resources and organizations that you ally yourself with to have better outreach? What are these other resources?
How effective would you say your outreach to people with mental illness has been in the past?
How effective would you say your outreach to the relatives of mental illness victims has been in the past?
What sorts of media and writing do you want? What have you found to be most effective?
How can I help you? What kind of writing can I produce to help your organization reach its goals?
Organization Two: Utah Mental Health Counselors Association
1: What is the name of a potential organization contact?
The UMHCA is an association of professional mental health counselors who partner with grassroots workers and families to provide support and advocacy for mental illness awareness, especially treatment of anxiety and depression. These individuals command impressive resources but have stated that help is always accepted. Paul Carver, the organization’s president, is the gatekeeper of UMHCA, and has stated his willingness to accept help for his organization’s cause.
2: Who are the potential audiences of documents you may create for the project? (this is likely one or two of the target audiences of the organization)
UMHCA’s primary audience is people who have just accepted or are thinking of accepting treatment. The organization typically assumes that those who approach it, be they potential patients or newly-minted patients, have at least admitted their problems, but will gladly compensate for individuals who may not know exactly where to begin. These detached people, either just on the road to recovery or close to it, are the target audience of this organization. I feel an attachment to this group, having been there before. It is a target audience I would enjoy writing for.
3: What kind of responses do you want from the audiences after they have read your documents?
I struggle with mental illness myself, so I have an innate interest in spreading awareness of treatment initiatives to the public. The beginning of treatment can be a directionless and confusing time, and I want to generate a response of hope and determination from those who read my documents. I think that if I can give people a sense of hope in that treatment is a good thing, and not as scary as it may first appear, that’s the most I can ask and strive towards in my documents.
4: What research have you done so far?
This association has a lot of credentials, but they seemed to be strapped for media; even I, who have spent plenty of time in psychology and mental health circles, hadn’t heard of them until my therapist mentioned them a few weeks ago (he’s a member). What I know is that they are a two-part organization, comprising professionals and volunteers, but the former vastly outweighs the latter. They want to spread advocacy of their cause, which is to ensure mental health in any capacity for any person, but lack publicity. This is one of the reasons I became attracted to this organization; I want to help them.
5: Why did you choose this idea/organization?
People who decide to enter treatment are making the right decision, but starting on this brave new road can be confusing and disorienting. I chose this organization because I see value in providing direction for these people. I didn’t receive any direction when I was first treated for depression; I had to discover these things for myself. I want to let people know that setting a path to a brighter future, while certainly labor-intensive, is by far the best way to assure a better tomorrow. I chose this organization because they accept those who have just begun on this high road, and I want to contribute to their cause in any way I can.
6: Questions for Paul Carver:
Tell me about yourself and this organization?
Are there specific causes and illnesses that UMHCA advocates for, or do they seek to spread their resources evenly across multiple fields?
What resources does UMHCA have? Where do you find you hit the most roadblocks in advocating for mental health patients and people who have just entered treatment?
How active is UMHCA here in Salt Lake? What activities do they put on to advocate for mental health and provide direction for new patients?
How much outreach does UMHCA conduct? How do you spread your agenda to new patients and their families?
Are there other resources and organizations that you ally yourself with to have better outreach? What are these other resources?
How effective would you say your outreach to people who have just entered treatment been in the past?
How effective would you say your outreach to the friends and relatives of new patients has been in the past?
What sorts of media and writing do you want? What have you found to be most effective?
How can I help you? What kind of writing can I produce to help your organization reach its goals?
Organization Three: University Neuropsychiatric Institute
1: What is the name of a potential organization contact?
UNI is a neuropsychiatric hospital responsible for much of the mental medical care throughout Salt Lake City. Based in the University of Utah, it is a publically-chartered institution with a full medical facility, numerous academic opportunities, and, of course, a growing need for advocacy for mental health patients. The best place to start for my purposes would be their volunteering office. No specific name was given.
2: Who are the potential audiences of documents you may create for the project? (this is likely one or two of the target audiences of the organization)
UNI’s largest audience is people who have severe mental health problems that should seek immediate treatment to prevent severe injury or even death. While admittedly small, I learned during my time in this audience that the number of people with dangerous mental illnesses is growing across the United States, including here in Salt Lake City. Many of these people have faced trauma in their daily lives, and may be mistrustful of or unable to reach out for themselves. UNI seeks to help them along the road to recovery.
3: What kind of responses do you want from the audiences after they have read your documents?
I’ve been in UNI’s target audience. I know that approaching a large hospital for aid can be extremely intimidating, but, for my own sake, it was absolutely necessary. Unfortunately, the people who need the most help are usually the ones who will not or cannot reach out to this organization for aid. I want people to want to get the help they need by reading my documents. I have credibility, in that I’ve occupied their position in the not-so-distant past, and I know every step of every emotion coursing through them when they’re weighing these decisions. That’s why I want to write documents for UNI. I want to tell people it’s okay to get treatment, but most of all, I want them to respond with acknowledgement and the courage to make the decision on their own.
4: What research have you done so far?
I stayed at UNI for an extensive period of time not so long ago, and the visit was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. This organization is extremely committed to treating patients who are severely mentally ill, and provides them with extensive comfort and counseling along the way. UNI has a healthy supply of volunteers, but they’re largely unknown outside medical students or the families of admitted patients. There’s a lot of good that could be done by writing for UNI and spreading their information to those who need their services. I think that, by spreading their goals and advocacy (as well as their services) to other people, there could be a mutual gain of publicity on their side and life-changing care on the patient’s side.
5: Why did you choose this idea/organization?
I chose this organization because I received the information I used to realize that treatment was necessary. The person who provided the information to me was a doctor of mine, and the man I credit for helping me turn my life around. I chose this organization because, through them, I was able to get my own life back on track, and befriend a few other people who had displayed the courage and strength of character to accept help from another person. I chose this organization because I want to contribute to this mission in any way I can, by encouraging people who occupy the position I was once in to accept the tools necessary to rebuild their lives.
6: Questions for UNI Volunteering Coordinator
Tell me about yourself and this organization’s outreach?
How is it that UNI advocates for victims of severe mental illness? How strongly do you focus on anxiety and depression?
What resources does UNI have? Where do you find you hit the most roadblocks in reaching out to those in need of help from you?
How active is UNI here in Salt Lake? What activities do they put on to advocate for mental health?
How much outreach does NAMI conduct? How do you reach out to victims of severe mental illness?
Are there other resources and organizations that you ally yourself with to have better outreaches? What are these other resources?
How effective would you say your outreach to people with mental illness has been in the past?
How effective would you say your outreach to everyday people and relatives of the mentally ill has been in the past?
What sorts of media and writing do you want? What have you found to be most effective?
How can I help you? What kind of writing can I produce to help your organization reach its goals?
Well done. Very complete answers.
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