*********************************************
The Labour and Welfare Bureau launched a Television Announcement in the Public Interest (API) titled "Rehab needs neighbourhood support" today (October 28). The API promotes the importance of neighbourhood support in helping ex-mentally ill persons reintegrate into the community, echoing the theme of this year's Mental Health Month.
The API will be broadcast on major TV channels of ATV, Cable TV, now TV, TVB and TVB Pay Vision. It can also be viewed on the Information Services Department's channel on youtubeˇ]www.youtube.com/isdgovhkˇ^.
The API features two neighbours who met each other during neighbourhood activities and became good friends. One of them is an ex-mentally ill person. With the care and support of her family, neighbours and friends, she lives like most people in the community.
The API encourages members of the public to discard prejudice and show respect, acceptance and care for ex-mentally ill persons, and to build family-based and neighbourhood support networks to assist their integration into the community.
Mental Health Month is an annual public education campaign jointly organised by the Labour and Welfare Bureau, government departments, public organisations and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in October. Mental Health Month also serves to support World Mental Health Day, initiated by the World Federation for Mental Health.
This year, the campaign was launched on October 10, with about
40,000 members of the public pledging their support for the Caring Neighbour Charter which calls for respect, acceptance and care for ex-mentally ill persons.
In addition, more than 1,000 people took part in the Mental Health Walk the same day, signifying that the community is coming together to make Hong Kong a more caring place.
To enable members of the public to better understand mental illness and the needs of ex-mentally ill persons, about 1,000 volunteer Caring Ambassadors will be trained. They will work with rehabilitation NGOs, self-help groups, and ex-mentally ill persons to organise social-inclusion activities to promote respect, acceptance and care for ex-mentally ill persons in their respective districts.
Details of activities during Mental Health Month can be found on the Labour and Welfare Bureau's website (www.lwb.gov.hk).
Ends/Thursday, October 28, 2010
Issued at HKT 12:03
NNNN
