Eligibility
NOMINATIONS AND JUDGING FOR THE 2008 VOICE AWARDS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED!
However, entertainment professionals who have created original film and television productions with an initial public release after October 1, 2007, can be nominated for the 2009 Voice Awards. Eligible productions include:
- Television: Series, episode, feature, or documentary on broadcast or cable; and
- Film: Feature or documentary.
The highest ratings are reserved for those productions that portray people with mental health problems in a dignified, respectful, and accurate light and that emphasize an individual’s positive journey of recovery from mental health problems.
The 2009 Voice Awards program will continue to give special recognition to programming that is targeted to young adults, defined here as those between the ages of 18 and 25.
In addition, the Voice Awards will acknowledge the contributions of mental health consumer leaders who have played a vital role in raising awareness and understanding of mental health problems, and reducing the stigma and discrimination associated with mental illnesses.
Judging and Criteria
Entertainment nominees will be evaluated based on the criteria listed below:
- Respectful or sensitive approaches to depictions of people with mental health problems
- Relative importance of the character to the plot, subject matter, or storyline
- Emphasis on contributions made by people with mental health problems
- Portrayal of the concept of recovery from mental health problems
- Accurate representation of mental health information (conditions, symptoms)
- Representations that reduce the misconceptions and stigma associated with people with mental health problems
A nominated production does not need to reflect every element to receive an award.
Entertainment nominees will be reviewed by a panel of judges that includes entertainment industry writers and producers, mental health consumers and advocacy organizations, as well as representatives from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and other Voice Awards program partners.
Consumer nominees will be evaluated based on their outstanding contributions to:
- lead efforts to reduce the discrimination and stigma associated with mental health problems;
- personally demonstrate that recovery is real and possible; and
- make a positive impact on their community, workplace, and/or school.
Nominees will be evaluated based on their contributions in all of these areas. Additional consideration will be given to consumer nominees who have made a positive impact on special populations, such as young adults ages 18-25, and racially and ethnically diverse groups.
Consumer nominees will be reviewed by a panel of judges that will include mental health consumer leaders and advocates, as well as representatives from HHS and communication professionals.
