Huntsman Mental Health partners with The Ad Council in multi-million dollar initiative

SALT LAKE CITY — Mental health is a critical issue facing millions of people in America, and Utah is no exception.

The Huntsman Mental Health Institute is a key player in making change for good. The organization is teaming up with The Ad Council in an effort to reshape the conversations around mental health and help millions of Americans when they need it most.

“People are suffering in silence. They’re suffering without knowing where to go to get help, how to access resources,” said David Huntsman of the Huntsman Mental Health Foundation. 

That, Huntsman said, is not OK, which is why they are partnering with the Ad Council, who is launching a multi-million dollar mental health initiative by providing the lead $15 million contribution.

For the Huntsmans, David said this is perhaps the most important of initiatives they’ve ever launched as a family.

“When we went through it as a family, we didn’t know how to talk about it. We didn’t know how to get help for my sister who struggled for so many years. We’re hoping that we can do better, that the next generation of people have the skills that they can think about it differently,” he said. 

According to a new study released by The Ad Council, 49% of American residents ages 16 to 65 say they have a mental health condition. Of those who report a condition, only 48% say they are getting help or treatment.

Heidi Arthur, chief campaign development officer with The Ad Council, said through this initiative, they are going to have conversations and work with media companies, marketers, nonprofits, and health institutions to push common messaging.

Through pushing common messaging through ads, content, resources, and tools for the workplace and much more, Arthur said she hopes it will help people with their battles.

“When we look at where the country is now, it is a major public health crisis,” she said.

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