An Original Play Educates Communities About Mental Illness

Taking Action in the Community

Assess:
Assessment was derived from multiple sources. The experiences of Breakthrough Club members and staff, which repeatedly included being discounted, misunderstood, and facing discrimination, were at the heart of the need to educate the public about mental illness. Observations of how people with mental illness were depicted by the media, most often in a negative light that portrayed violence and out-of-control behavior, were identified as a primary concern to be addressed. In addition, family members of people with mental illness shared experiences that confirmed the need to help the general public learn more about mental illness in a way that would dispel untruths.

Plan:
Planning for the project began with Breakthrough Club members and staff who met on a weekly basis to share life stories. The intention was to use this material to develop a reader’s theatre play. The group then invited several people prominent in local theatre activities to form an advisory council. The council met regularly and helped form a framework for the project.  At the recommendation of the council, a playwright and a director were selected.

Act:
Selected life stories were recorded, then reviewed by the playwright. As he learned about mental illness and the services at Breakthrough Club, he incorporated the material into a play called "Echoes of Anguished Minds." Members and staff reviewed his play and provided additional ideas that they felt should be added or content that should be revised. The advisory council was extremely helpful in facilitating the process. The Breakthrough Club was also exceptionally fortunate to have an AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer on hand with a degree in theatre and valuable stage experience. She assumed responsibility for coordinating the project and managing the numerous details that made the event possible.

Evaluate:
The Advisory Council evaluated the process of implementing the Echoes project on an ongoing basis. They established objectives and a timeline for accomplishing the action steps of the objectives. This process was effective in producing a well-received production. Another outcome evaluation measure was the number of people who attended the two performances. The goal was to have one performance of the play, but two were held, with more than 400 people in attendance. In addition, the video of the play was distributed to more than 200 people, and excerpts of the play were used at a Breakthrough Club fundraising breakfast.

Sustain:
Videos of the play continue to be distributed to selected people, and Breakthrough Club meets on a weekly basis to share life stories. Members and staff share those personal reflections with visitors to Breakthrough Club as well as during community presentations. Dana Ellison, the VISTA volunteer who coordinated the project, has become a Breakthrough Club employee and works with fund development and public relations. Her theatre background is a strong asset. She coaches members to tell their stories and actively engage in community events where their participation continues to dispel myths about mental illness.