Fairfax County’s youth suicide prevention campaign continues to earn national recognition. It was recently given a Berreth Award for Excellence in Public Health Communication by the National Public Health Information Coalition (NPHIC). 

The “Reach Out. Find Hope” campaign, a collaboration between the Fairfax County Health Department and its partners at Neighborhood and Community Services and the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board, received a bronze award in the government/non-profit health marketing category of the Berreth Awards. The awards are named for the late Donald Berreth, former director of the Office of Public Affairs for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and NPHIC's founder.

The announcement was made as communication professionals from around the world gathered in Atlanta, Ga., last week for the NPHIC Advance Knowledge Track and the NPHIC/CDC National Conference on Health Communication, Marketing and Media.

“We are extremely proud that the leading national organization for public health communication professionals has recognized our work,” said Health Director Dr. Gloria Addo-Ayensu. “We value effective health communications, and this campaign raises an awareness about a significant public health issue in our community.”

The Berreth award program awards gold, silver and bronze awards for public health campaigns in three categories: Government/Non-profit Health Marketing Campaign, Corporate Health Marketing Campaign and Real Time Risk Communication. A panel of judges from the ranks of those professionals who have achieved Certified Communicator in Public Health status evaluate the submissions for the Berreth Awards.

“As a recipient of a Berreth Award for Excellence in Public Health Communication, you have been recognized by your peers as among the year’s best in public health communication,” said NPHIC President Shelley Walker. “Congratulations on helping NPHIC pursue our common mission to ‘make public health public.’”

To view the winning entries in this year’s awards program, go to https://www.nphic.org/2017ba-entry.

If you or someone you care about may be at risk of suicide, don't hesitate to reach out for help. These resources are available 24/7:

• Call Community Services Board Emergency Services at 703-573-5679.
• Text "CONNECT" to 855-11 to contact PRS CrisisLink.
• Call PRS CrisisLink at 703-527-4077.
• In an immediate, life-threatening situation, call 911.