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Fountain House
Symposium and Luncheon |
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Rosalynn Carter, Fountain House President Kenn Dudek and Honoree Glenn Close.
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Glenn Close was the recipient of the Fountain House Humanitarian Award, at the seventh annual Fountain House Symposium and Luncheon, on May 3, 2010, at the Grand Ballroom of The Pierre in New York City. The Emmy, Golden Globe and Tony Award winner was honored for her dedicated and passionate advocacy on behalf of people with mental illness. Funds raised by the event, entitled “Voices & Visions: Understanding and Treating Psychosis – New Research, New Hope”, support the programs of Fountain House, an internationally recognized non-profit organization which, since 1948, has worked to better the lives of people living with major mental illness.
Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter and US Congressman Patrick J. Kennedy, both longtime champions of mental health issues, were among the nearly 600 guests in attendance. This yearly event was founded to advance community knowledge about mental illness and to reduce the associated stigma.
The Symposium featured a panel discussion geared to a lay audience by distinguished experts in the fields of mental health research, treatment, and public policy: Jeffrey Lieberman, MD, Donald C. Goff, MD, and Beth Baxter, MD. Consuelo Mack, managing editor and anchor of Consuelo Mack WealthTrack, served as Master of Ceremonies.
The Honorable Robert A. Antonioni, US Congressman Patrick J. Kennedy, and US Congressman John A. Sullivan were Honorary Chairs. Event Chairs: Patricia Begley, Kitty de Chazal, Lorna Hyde Graev, Alexandra A. Herzan, Anne Mai. Program Chair: Lynn Nicholas, PsyD. Corporate Chair: Kim S. Fennebresque, Dahlman Rose & Co.
Among those in attendance were: Frances Beatty Adler and Allen Adler, Courtney Allinson Arnot, Debbie Bancroft, Ann Barish, Deeda and Bill Blair, Katherine Bryan, Dana Buchman, Rebecca de Kertanguay, Jackie Drake, Jackie Drexel, Marina Galesi, Gail Gilbert, Mark Gilbertson, Lorna and Larry Graev, Sharon Handler, Amanda H. Haynes-Dale, Alex and Paul Herzan, Marlene Hess, Mariana Kaufman, Fernanda Kellogg, Stephanie Krieger and Brian Stewart, Margo M. Langenberg, Denise LeFrak-Calicchio, Carolyn B. MacKenzie, Helena Martinez, Lynn and Nick Nicholas, Lee Niven, Elizabeth T. Peabody, Ann and John S. Pyne, Ann Rapp, Emilia Saint-Amand, Jean Shafiroff, Silda Wall Spitzer, Felicia Taylor, Topsy Taylor, Kari and Carl Tiedemann, Zibby Tozer, Adrienne Vittadini, Liz and Jim Watson.
The panelists shed light on the mental state known as Psychosis, which has been defined as a loss of contact with reality; as an altered or distorted perception of and relation to reality; and as an extreme state of consciousness that involves radical changes in personality, behavior, thinking, feeling and relating to others. Causes include the relatively uncommon and severe mental illnesses – such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and unipolar depression. However, psychotic reactions may occur in dementia, as well as due to alcohol or drug use, anesthesia, sleep deprivation, traumatic stress, or certain prescription drugs such as steroids. While cures for the most severe psychotic disorders have not yet been found, recovery – the ability to live productively with these illnesses – can be achieved.
In accepting the Fountain House honor, Glenn Close spoke movingly and candidly of her firsthand observation of struggles with mental illness within her family and subsequent volunteer work at Fountain House. Last fall, Ms. Close and Fountain House initiated a new anti-stigma campaign, BringChange2Mind www.bringchange2mind.org), including a Public Service Announcement directed by Oscar winner Ron Howard. An unprecedented coalition of national mental health organizations has come together to support this initiative. Close’s sister Jessie and nephew Calen, who both live with mental illness, were on hand as she was lauded for her extraordinary commitment to work that is of such significance to their family, and to so many others.
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Kitty de Chazal, Anne Mai, Patricia Begley, Kenn Dudek, Alexandra Herzan, Lynn Nicholas, Lorna Hyde Graev.
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Dr. Beth Baxter, Dr. Donald Goff, Lynn Nicholas, Dr. Jeffrey Lieberman, Consuelo Mack.
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Adrienne Vittadini.
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Emilia Saint-Amand.
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Kim Fennebresque and Beth DuPont.
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Frances Beatty Adler and Jackie Weld Drake.
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Kitty de Chazal and Lee Niven.
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Lorna Hyde Graev, Patrick Kennedy and Deeda Blair.
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Kari Tiedemann and Margo Langenberg.
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Lorinda de Roulet and Payne Middleton.
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Silda Wall Spitzer.
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Helena Martinez.
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Jackie Drexel, Larry Graev, Lorna Hyde Graev.
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Anne Mai and Glenn Close.
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Arlene Salomon, Alexandra Herzan.
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Mark Gilbertson and Madeleine Potvin.
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Nicholas Ratut and Sharon Handler.
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Katherine Bryan, Becky de Kertanguy, Susan Warner, Sydney Shuman, Lorna Hyde Graev.
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Mariana Kaufman and Topsy Taylor.
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Nancy Taylor and Barry Osborn.
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Calen Pick, Jessie Close, Rosalynn Carter, Glenn Close.
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Brian Stewart and Stephanie Krieger.
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Marian Davidson and Willem de Vogel.
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Virginia Merriman, Duke Merriman, Hope Hudner.
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Deeda Blair and Elizabeth Peabody.
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Hermine Warren and John C. Whitehead.
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Zibby Tozer and Lynn Nicholas.
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Gail Gilbert.
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Regina Greeven and Rainer Greeven.
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| Photos: Amber DeVos/PatrickMcMullan.com and Leslie Barbaro |
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