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STAR Program Tackles Mental Health Stigma

By Office of the President | Jan 14, 2025

photo of Jack DeHovitz

Downstate’s STAR Program is taking bold steps to combat mental health stigma, focusing on underserved communities facing the intersecting challenges of mental health and HIV. Through its “Stop Mental Health Stigma” campaign, supported by funding from the New York State Office of Mental Health, the program challenges stereotypes, builds understanding, and encourages open dialogue about mental health.

As part of New York State’s Strategic Plan for Mental Health Stigma Reduction, the STAR Program delivered a powerful presentation for the “NY State Community Mental Health Anti-Stigma Projects,” showcasing the campaign’s innovative approach, emphasizing the importance of breaking down barriers and creating compassionate, inclusive conversations around mental health. Introduced by Jack A. DeHovitz, M.D., MPH, MHCDS, FACP, STAR Program Director and Distinguished Service Professor of Medicine, the session highlighted the program’s “Stop Mental Health Stigma” campaign.

This initiative leverages the power of personal storytelling, featuring narratives from individuals who have faced mental health challenges alongside perspectives from care providers. These stories aim to foster empathy, challenge stereotypes, and encourage open conversations about mental health, furthering the campaign’s mission to dismantle stigma and create understanding.

Social media is pivotal in the “Stop Mental Health Stigma” campaign, effectively reaching younger audiences aged 18 to 34. Jose Iorio, STAR Program media and marketing consultant, highlights how using multilingual posts, testimonials, roundtable discussions, and interactive quizzes fosters meaningful engagement and sparks essential conversations about mental health.

The campaign’s reach extends beyond social media, incorporating initiatives such as suicide prevention training, Mental Health Awareness Month events, and workplace mental health programs. Michelle Melendez, MS, LCSW, CHC, STAR Behavioral Health Director, underscores the importance of tailoring culturally relevant resources for African American and Caribbean youth, ensuring that support reaches those who need it most. Collaborations with organizations like Teens Helping Each Other (THEO), the STAR Program’s adolescent education component, further amplify the campaign’s impact, reinforcing its mission to create a healthier, stigma-free community.

group photo
The STAR Program staff uses a number of social content formats to fight stigma.

The “Stop Mental Health Stigma” campaign reflects just one aspect of the STAR Program’s broader commitment to comprehensive, patient-centered care. The STAR Health Center, recognized as a Level 3 Patient-Centered Medical Home by the National Committee for Quality Assurance, delivers high-quality, coordinated healthcare to meet Brooklyn’s diverse communities’ unique needs. Contact jose.iorio@downstate.edu or michelle.melendez@downstate.edu for more information. Watch the full video here.