7 March 2003

Mental Health Media has appointed David Crepaz-Keay as its new Chief Executive. It is the first time Mental Health Media has appointed a Chief Executive who openly identifies himself as a survivor of the mental health system. The organisation - which celebrates its 40th birthday in June - challenges the discrimination faced by people with psychiatric histories by promoting their voices in the media.

David Crepaz-Keay will take up his post at the beginning of March. He has been at Mental Health Media for almost five years, for the past 3½ years as Deputy Director. He has been active in speaking out against discrimination on the grounds of mental health history for over twenty years - first as a user of mental health services and later as a campaigner and training consultant promoting service user involvement in mental health services. For six years he was involved in ‘Survivors Speak Out’, a group which promoted a range of Survivor voices and the concept of Self-Advocacy. His roles there included Chair and Secretary.

Of his new appointment he says, “I am delighted to be given the opportunity to lead such a dynamic and progressive organisation. Mental Health Media has always believed that there is no limit to what survivors can achieve if they are given the opportunity and support and I have always tried to lead by example. I believe that my appointment will send a strong message that it is no longer good enough for others to speak on our behalf.”

Crepaz-Keay is an authority on madness, social exclusion and discrimination. His published work includes ‘Dancing with Angels, a guide to involving survivors in social work training’ (1997) and ‘A Survivors Guide to training ASWs’ (CCETSW 1995). He has written chapters in several books, and was a columnist for Mind's publication Open Mind from 1995-1999.

He was recently appointed as a Commissioner for Patient and Public Involvement in Health and is currently writing a unit on Stigma for the Open University course Mental Health: Challenging Ideas. In his spare time David is a qualified cricket umpire and enjoys walking and conservation issues.

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For further information or to arrange an interview, please contact Kate Summerside, Mental Health Media on 0207 700 8171 kate.summerside@mhmedia.com

NOTES TO EDITORS

1. Mental Health Media is a unique communications organisation which challenges discrimination around mental health by promoting the voice of mental health service users in all media.

2. Mental Health Media offers a range of video and new media training materials, provides media skills training courses, runs the annual Mental Health Media Awards and works with journalists and broadcasters to inform their coverage of mental health issues.