Adressing Mental Health using Film

Film Movement, a film distribution company that offers filmmakers an innovative delivery mechanism to reach under-served film consumers nationwide, has teamed up with Making the Difference International, Inc. to create new, effective, quality mental health treatment for jail and prison populations. Film Movement distributes challenging, socially conscious, independent films that deal with and reflect an array of difficult social problems with the highest artistic integrity. Gail Grabczynski has traveled around the country and internationally through Making the Difference International, Inc and the National Commission on Correctional Health Care observing, training, speaking to and treating jail and prison populations. Ms. Grabczynski has collaborated with Film Movement to create an innovative therapeutic model to address the need for quality mental health treatment in this population.

This pioneering technique addresses many of the challenges jail and prison facilities face in providing mental health treatment. Jails and prisons are frequently overcrowded, which makes providing quality therapeutic services daunting at best. Additional challenges include, but are not limited to, lack of access to skilled creative therapists, limited time, a low number of faculties seeking effective quality mental health treatment, and little exploration of innovative techniques and ideas.

With such large numbers of inmates, group therapy can be an efficient and effective method of providing mental health. One challenge during group therapy is having significantly different intellectual levels within a group, making it difficult to be appropriate and effective for all. Another challenge is gaining inmates attention and interest to encourage them to be self-reflective and consider altering negative behaviors or adopting new, positive ones. Recently, some jails and prisons have looked at new, creative ways to provide mental health treatment and creative methods to "get through" to inmates. These techniques include art therapy, writing clinics, and the use of drama.

Recognizing the difficulty of providing mental health treatment to this population, Gail Grabczynski has created a therapeutic model (curriculum) using selected films through a collaborative effort with Film Movement. As of now we have created curriculum for two films, Manito and OT: Our Town. Using these films help to overcome several group therapeutic challenges previously identified. As the films’ original purposes are entertainment, they keep the attention of the viewer as well as stimulate people at many different intellectual levels. These films also addresses key social problems including alcoholism, consequences of bad decisions, anger, transition from jail life to civilian life, and peer pressure to name a few.

This collaboration will be ongoing, with regular releases of first-run films that will be used as constant reinforcement to positive behavioral changes, follow up and therapeutic innovation for jail and prison populations. The facility or organization pays a fee which gives them performance rights to screen the film for an audience. Ms. Grabczynski will supply the curriculum and is available for consultation at your facility or organization under terms and conditions to be discussed.

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