SAMHSA to Honor Actor Wayne Brady at 2015 Voice Awards in Los Angeles

SAMHSA to Honor Actor Wayne Brady at 2015 Voice Awards in Los Angeles

WASHINGTON, Aug. 6, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) will recognize Emmy Award-winning actor Wayne Brady with a SAMHSA Special Recognition Award at the 2015 Voice Awards. Mr. Brady is being recognized for sharing his personal journey of recovery from depression and helping to improve public attitudes about mental health and addiction issues.

The 10(th) annual Voice Awards event--to be hosted by actress Chandra Wilson of ABC's "Grey's Anatomy"--will bring together the entertainment industry and the behavioral health community to recognize community champions and television and film productions that increase public awareness and understanding of mental and substance use disorders and the reality of recovery. This year, the event will spotlight the impact that suicide has on individuals, families, and communities.

The Voice Awards recognizes consumer/peer leaders who share their personal stories of resilience to educate the public about behavioral health and demonstrate that people with mental and substance use disorders can recover, lead meaningful lives, and contribute to their communities. Consumer/Peer Leadership Awards will be presented to Veronica Alston (Lusby, MD), Neil Campbell (Atlanta, GA), Bob Carolla, J.D. (Arlington, VA), Dese'Rae L. Stage (Brooklyn, NY), and Cheryl Sharp (Annapolis, MD). The Young Adult Leadership Award will be presented to Hayley Winterberg (Glendale, AZ). DeQuincy Lezine of Fresno, CA, will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award for his exemplary leadership in suicide prevention research and advocacy at the community, state, and national levels.

The Voice Awards also honor writers and producers who incorporate dignified, respectful, and accurate portrayals of behavioral health issues into their film and television productions. This year's finalists include A Long Way Down; Cake; Infinitely Polar Bear; To Write Love On Her Arms; Welcome to Me; "Elementary" (CBS); "Empire" (FOX); and "Madame Secretary" (CBS).

WHAT: 2015 Voice Awards--www.regonline.com/2015VoiceAwards

WHEN: Wednesday, August 12, 2015
Arrivals and Pre-Show--6 p.m. PDT
Awards Program--7:30 p.m. PDT

WHERE: Royce Hall at UCLA, 340 Royce Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90095

VISUAL: Award Winner, Host, and Presenter Photo Opportunities

To attend the event or request an interview, contact Matt Forke at 202-248-5484 (office) or 202-341-8973 (cell). For more information about the Voice Awards and to view the list of collaborating organizations, visit www.samhsa.gov/voice-awards. To join the Voice Awards conversation, like SAMHSA on Facebook at www.facebook.com/samhsa and follow @samhsagov and #VoiceAwards on Twitter.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is the agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that leads public health efforts to advance the behavioral health of the nation. SAMHSA's mission is to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on America's communities.



SOURCE SAMHSA

SAMHSA

CONTACT: SAMHSA Press Office, 240-276-2130

Web Site: http://www.samhsa.gov/voice-awards


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