Once again, the National Bipolar Foundation and the MedicAlert Foundation receive a proclamation endorsing their "Safe 'til Stable" program, which is now being widely accepted as a preventive health care measure for bipolar disorder.
Today, the National Bipolar Foundation received a proclamation of endorsement via Federal Express Priority Mail from the Lt. Governor of Louisiana Mitch Landrieu. The National Bipolar Foundation states that lawmakers and statesmen are jumping on board with this social movement. Last week, there was a proclamation and press conference held at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, with documented experts standing united in support of the new "Safe 'til Stable" program. The keynote speaker at that press conference was Memphis Mayor A.C. Wharton. The day before, the National Bipolar Foundation received by express delivery a proclamation co-signed by the Speaker of the Senate, Ron Ramsey, and Senator Mark Norris of the Tennessee State Senate.
People living with bipolar disorder are being brought to the forefront of conversations across the country. The National Bipolar Foundation has board members in California, New York, Minnesota, Louisiana, Oregon, and Tennessee. It also has volunteers in 38 states. All these centers of influence are now focusing on the idea of reducing the stigma associated with bipolar disorder. The founder of the National Bipolar Foundation, Marc Kullman, states that the more the stigma is reduced, then the more people will come forward to seek help for the disorder. Kullman was quoted three weeks ago in the Boston Globe in defense of those living with bipolar disorder and dismissing the perceived correlation between bipolar disorder and criminal activity. His point was collaborated by several medical doctors. That same week on CBS News Radio, Marc Kullman was given another opportunity to explain that people living with bipolar disorder are no more a problem than any other group found in society as a whole. Kullman concluded by encouraging people to search for lists of people with bipolar disorder on the Internet. One will find an amazing array of people, and find out why, without question, bipolar disorder is called the disease of geniuses.
The National Bipolar Foundation has released this week a Public Service Announcement for television and issued it to over 3000 network affiliate stations across the country. The message of the commercial is, "we can talk about diabetes, cancer, and other illnesses, so why should bipolar disorder be spoken about in a whisper?" As the holidays bring families together across the nation, the commercial is expected to receive tremendous air-time. As stated by Mayor A C Wharton in the press conference last week, "The holidays are a chance to reach out to that family member who doesn't quite fit in, or is having a rough time while all the rest of the family bonds and enjoys the day."