Boca Raton, FL December 8, 2007 – HBO’s Addiction Project will receive the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ACNP) 2007 Media Award for its accurate and revealing depiction of the science of addiction. The 14-part documentary television series, aired in March, 2007, was a collaborative effort between HBO and its partners, the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA), the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
“HBO’s portrayal of addiction effectively and evocatively depicts the nature of this complex mental health disorder,” said William T. Carpenter, Jr., M.D., president of ACNP. “The coupling of compelling personal stories with commentary from addiction experts provides an accurate, compelling, and comprehensive look at addiction disorders.”
Each documentary features the work of a different famous documentary filmmaker. The all-star roster includes Jon Alpert (Baghdad ER), Susan Froemke (A Mother's Desperation) and Barbara Kopple (Steamfitters Local Union 638). Each documentary is also unique in its representation of addiction, showing everything from alcohol to adolescent cases. In addition to highlighting the affects of this disease, the films also present treatment options and new advances that are available to successfully manage it.
HBO launched a corresponding Web site to add to the social value of this project. On the site, viewers can find resources on addiction related to treatment options, basic information, adolescent addiction and tools to dealing with stigma and discrimination surrounding addiction and mental health. The site also has the full-length documentaries, with more information about the films’ addiction experts.
The ACNP Media Award was established in 2002 to recognize media professionals that contribute to the public education of neuroscience, brain research, and mental illness. Past recipients of the award include Bill Lichtenstein, president of Lichtenstein Creative Media, Marianne Szegedy-Maszak, senior editor of the US News & World Report, Tim McCann, director of the film Revolution 9 and Michelle Trudeau, science correspondent at National Public Radio.
ACNP is holding its Annual Meeting December 8-13, 2007, in Boca Raton, FL.
ACNP, founded in 1961, is a professional organization of more than 700 leading scientists, including three Nobel Laureates. The mission of ACNP is to further research and education in neuropsychopharmacology and related fields in the following ways: promoting the interaction of a broad range of scientific disciplines of brain and behavior in order to advance the understanding of prevention and treatment of disease of the nervous system including psychiatric, neurological, behavioral, and addictive disorders; encouraging scientists to enter research careers in fields related to these disorders and their treatment; and ensuring the dissemination of relevant scientific advances. A non-profit organization, ACNP receives revenues from a variety of sources including membership dues, publication sales, registration fees, and pharmaceutical industry grants.