Alabama Department of Mental Health

Media Center

Videos and printed materials created by the department to help break the stigmas of mental health. Please feel free to contact us for hard copy versions.

Educational Videos | Public Service Announcements | Reference Materials

Educational Videos:

The Legacy of Charley Pell
A 17-minute documentary on the life of Coach Pell, his struggle with depression and his recovery from a mental illness

The Legacy of Wyatt
A 17-minute documentary tracing the history of the mental health system in Alabama, focusing on the Wyatt vs. Stickney case (1972-2003) which established a system of rights for citizens with mental health conditions

Public Service Announcements:

The Doctor
A 30-second television spot featuring Doctor Leon Davis created with NAMI Alabama and the Alabama Coalition for a Healthier Black Belt to promote stigma reduction in the Black Belt's faith based community- transcription provided

The Pastor
A 30-second television spot featuring Pastor Phillip White created with NAMI Alabama and the Alabama Coalition for a Healthier Black Belt to promote stigma reduction in the Black Belt's faith based community- transcription provided

Labels are for Boxes 1
A 30-second television spot created with NAMI Alabama, Astra Zeneca, BMS and Lily to promote stigma reduction- transcription provided

Labels are for Boxes 2
A 30-second television spot created with NAMI Alabama, Astra Zeneca, BMS and Lily to promote stigma reduction- transcription provided

Labels are for Boxes 3
A 30-second television spot created with NAMI Alabama, Astra Zeneca, BMS and Lily to promote stigma reduction- transcription provided

Reference Materials:

Historic Bryce Hospital Fact Sheet
Bryce Hospital has been in continuous operation since 1861. Designed in the Italianate style, the four-story building features an imposing white dome that has been a landmark on the eastern skyline of Tuscaloosa for almost 150 years. Over the decades, the original six wings were extended to accommodate a patient population that grew from the initial 250 to over 5,000 individuals. Due to the federal lawsuit, Wyatt v. Stickney, the hospital became the focal point in the U.S. for the civil rights movement for people experiencing mental illness. The lawsuit, filed in 1971, kept Alabama’s mental health system under federal court control for over 33 years and virtually changed the... [ Read more about the History of Bryce ]

Media Guide Is A Useful Tool
Nobody likes to be called names, and everyone appreciates being treated with respect. The department's media guide is a short pamphlet that serves as a guide to the use of appropriate language when speaking or writing about people in mental health care. To learn about how you can help promote respect, click the more button to view the media guide