Sunday, August 15, 2010

Advocacy for Artists with Mental Illness

Nathaniel Anthony Ayers, Jr.

If you saw the 2009 movie The Soloist with Jamie Foxx and Robert Downey, Jr., then you watched a movie inspired by the true story  of National Anthony Ayers, Jr., a gifted musician who wound up homeless and suffering from schizophrenia. The film story showed the power of the arts on the human spirit. From the success of the movie, Nathaniel Anthony Ayers started a foundation to bring awareness and build aid for artists suffering from mental illness.

The Nathaniel Anthony Ayers Foundation serves as a voice for people affected by mental illness. The foundation collects, documents and shares the experiences and journeys of individuals and families impacted by mental illness. The foundation also advocates on behalf of public policy initiatives that ensure parity in health care coverage for the mental ill; increase funding for national issues; improve services in local communities through county funding from the state; and ensure due process for social service. Be sure to visit the website for more information. Click here.

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