Dr. Guislain Museum and Janssen Seek Global Nominations for Annual "Breaking the Chains of Stigma" Award

- Recognizing Groundbreaking Efforts to Destigmatize Mental Illness -

GHENT, Belgium, Feb. 28, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Dr. Guislain Museum and Janssen Research & Development, LLC ("Janssen"), today announced the global nominations for the Dr. Guislain "Breaking the Chains of Stigma" Award can now be submitted at www.drguislainaward.org until 14 April, 2019. The Award honors an individual, project or organization that has made an extraordinary contribution to reduce the stigma associated with mental illness in their community. The Award recipient will receive a $50,000 prize to further their work in this area. 

"Stigma associated with mental health continues to be an issue in our society globally, which is why it's imperative to recognize mental health advocates working to destigmatize negative perceptions of people with mental illness," said Brother Dr. René Stockman, chairman of the Dr. Guislain Museum. "We are proud to honor Dr. Guislain's contributions to the mental health community, including his commitment to inclusiveness, with the annual 'Breaking the Chains of Stigma' Award."

An independent selection committee, comprised of international advocates and renowned authorities in the mental health field, reviews the nominations and selects the Award recipient. The Dr. Guislain "Breaking the Chains of Stigma" Award recipient will be honored at a ceremony on 11 October, 2019 in Ghent, Belgium.

The 2018 Award recipient, the Center for Victims of Torture, was honored for its extraordinary efforts to reduce stigma associated with mental illness and provide psychological care and resources to survivors of torture and war trauma globally. The Center for Victims of Torture is the first rehabilitation center for torture and war trauma survivors in the U.S. and remains one of the largest organizations for its kind in the world. For more than 30 years, the Center for Victims of Torture restored hope to nearly 36,000 survivors, touching the lives of hundreds of thousands more.

"At Janssen, we work collaboratively with other concerned people to help reduce the stigma associated with mental illness in communities around the world," said Husseini K. Manji, M.D., Global Therapeutic Area Head, Neuroscience, Janssen. "The 'Breaking the Chains of Stigma' Award recognizes and honors mental health advocates who are making tremendous strides to help create a stigma-free society where everyone is treated equally."

Janssen has an ongoing commitment to advancing neuroscience research, a legacy which dates back to the work of Dr. Paul Janssen (1926-2003). "Dr. Paul" is known as one of the 20th century's most gifted and passionate physicians and pharmaceutical researchers. To honor his legacy, Janssen supports the mental health community and various advocacy organizations and projects. The Award is an important component of the Champions of Science: Healthy Minds initiative of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, which aims to encourage collaboration among biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and public-sector partners to accelerate the discovery of new therapeutic solutions for diseases and disorders of the brain, as well as support the mental health community, advocacy organizations and projects.

About the Dr. Guislain "Breaking the Chains of Stigma" Award
Individuals, organizations or projects from around the world that have made an exceptional contribution in dealing with, or promoting the awareness of, mental health care are eligible* to receive the Dr. Guislain "Breaking the Chains of Stigma" Award. The Award is given to an individual(s), organization or project that has:

• made an exceptional contribution to mental health care in the broadest sense on a cultural and/or social level;
• provided a genuine contribution to decreasing stigma around mental health conditions;
• promoted attention for mental health care;
• and, done all this with passion, creativity and innovation.

The Dr. Guislain "Breaking the Chains of Stigma" Award honors Dr. Joseph Guislain (1797-1860), a driven activist for patients with mental illness and the first Belgian psychiatrist to provide scientifically based treatment for these individuals. As a passionate advocate for those with mental illness, Dr. Guislain worked tirelessly to stand up for the rights of patients and to help improve their social position. The Dr. Guislain Museum and Janssen jointly sponsor the Award, with funding provided by Janssen. Both organizations have a rich heritage and long-standing involvement in the field of mental illness research, treatment and education.

About The Dr. Guislain Museum
The Dr. Guislain Museum was founded in 1986 in Ghent, Belgium, with both permanent exhibitions addressing the history of psychiatry and outsider art, and a series of changing thematic exhibitions. The Museum features an array of psychiatric photographs, two centuries of comprehensive archives and an extensive library chronicling the history of psychiatry. Comprehensively, the Museum seeks to educate the public and rectify the misunderstandings and prejudice associated with mental illness. The Dr. Guislain Museum attracts 75,000 visitors each year.

*Employees and officers of Johnson & Johnson, Janssen Research & Development, LLC, and their respective affiliates, subsidiaries, The Dr. Guislain Museum, any promotional agencies and members of the immediate family or household of each, are not eligible to participate in the Dr. Guislain Award as nominators, Award candidates or judges. Immediate family member is defined as a parent, sibling or any person residing in the same household as employee.

Contacts:
Patrick Allegaert 
Dr. Guislain Museum
+32 9 398 69 50
allegaert.patrick@gmail.com

Yoon Hee Lamot
Dr. Guislain Museum
+32 9 398 69 54
y.lamot@museumdrguislain.be

RELATED LINKS
http://www.drguislainaward.org

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