Wentworth Miller Named Active Minds’ Ambassador for Mental Health

For Immediate Release
October 18, 2016

 

WASHINGTON, DC – Actor and screenwriter Wentworth Miller has joined Active Minds, one of the largest mental health advocacy groups in the nation, as an Active Minds Ambassador to help combat the stigma faced by those struggling with issues surrounding mental health.

Miller – best known for playing the character Michael Scofield on the hit television series “Prison Break,” which returns to Fox in Spring 2017 – disclosed his lifelong battle with depression and suicidal thoughts earlier this year.

“We are honored to welcome Wentworth Miller as our ambassador,” said Alison Malmon, founder and executive director of Active Minds. “He is generously giving his time and energy to support the Active Minds movement to change the way our campuses and communities talk about, care for, and value mental health. He exemplifies that it’s more-than-possible to live successfully with mental health issues, and that mental health is just as important as physical health. We are delighted to welcome him to the Active Minds family.”

Wentworth Miller has become a passionate advocate for suicide prevention and mental health awareness. “As someone who knows what it’s like to struggle with depression, I want to help give voice to the many people living with mental health issues. I want to help assure them that they’re not alone,” said Miller. “These issues can be hard to discuss. It can be hard to start the conversation. So letting people know that it’s okay to ask for help is extremely important. I’m really proud to be part of the Active Minds’ movement for change, especially because college was a difficult time for me. This organization does so much for students, and that kind of work is close to my heart.”

The national nonprofit Active Minds has worked directly with young adults and teens for more than a decade to raise awareness about suicide prevention and mental health. The organization empowers student-led Active Minds chapters at more than 400 colleges, universities, and high schools nationwide and internationally by providing training and tools to make their voice heard on campus and beyond.

More than 12,000 Active Minds students each year become campus advocates who educate, promote awareness among their peers, fight the stigma that surrounds mental health issues, and encourage their fellow students to seek help if they need it. “I’m proud to stand alongside thousands of other students throughout this country that refuse to let one more life be taken without doing something, anything, about it,” said Justine Bouthot, president of the Active Minds chapter at the University of Maine.

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, suicide is the second leading cause of death among college students, claiming the lives of 1,100 students each year. Young adults say stigma is the major reason why they don’t seek the help they need – compared to older adults, the 18-24-year-old age group shows the lowest rate of help seeking – making Active Minds’ campus prevention efforts all the more necessary.

Wentworth Miller will be the keynote speaker at Active Minds’ national conference on November 4, 2016, in Sacramento, CA. His talk will be streamed live on the Active Minds Facebook page starting at approximately 7:45 pm PT.

Top photo by Roger Askew.

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About Active Minds: Active Minds (https://www.activeminds.org) is the nation’s premier nonprofit supporting mental health awareness and education for students. Through award-winning programs and services, Active Minds is empowering a new generation to speak openly, act courageously, and change the conversation about mental health for everyone.

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Media Contact: 
Pam McKeta | Active Minds | Communications Director
pam@activeminds.org | 202.332.9595, ext. 109