Breaking Bad, Law and Order, Law and Order: Special Victims Unit and Dr. Phil also receive PRISM Nods

Newswise — How I Met Your Mother, Grey's Anatomy, Breaking Bad, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and the films Crazy Heart and The Soloist are among the productions that were recognized at the 14th Annual PRISM Awards at the Beverly Hills Hotel Thursday, April 22, 2010. The PRISM Awards, produced by the Entertainment Industries Council, Inc. (EIC) in collaboration with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and FX, honor actors, movies, music, media and television's top shows that accurately depict and bring attention to substance abuse and mental health issues. "The PRISM Awards recognizes and applauds the remarkable efforts that have been contributed by our creative community. We salute those in the entertainment industry that promote informational truths in their work to improve the lives of the audiences they entertain,” EIC’s President and CEO, Brian Dyak said. “Through accurate character portrayals and inspired storytelling, our industry reinforces the importance of those individuals within the care giving and health fields.” Trophies were handed out for feature films, television series, as well as Best Performance by actors in these categories. Jeff Bridges and Maggie Gyllenhaal were recognized in the Performance in a Feature Film category for Fox Searchlight Pictures’ Crazy Heart. The film also received an award for Feature Film Substance Use. Rosie O’Donnell received an award in the Performance in a TV Movie or Miniseries category for Lifetime Television’s America, Hector Elizondo and Tony Shalhoub for Performance in a Comedy Series for USA Network’s Monk; Timothy Hutton for Performance in a Drama Episode for TNT’s Leverage; and Kevin McKidd, for Performance in a Drama Multi-Episode Storyline in ABC Entertainment’s Grey’s Anatomy. Crazy Heart and The Soloist were selected for movie honors, while How I Met Your Mother, Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, Law and Order, Breaking Bad, Dr. Phil, The Celebrity Apprentice and others were recognized in television categories. “As we, at SAMHSA work to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on America’s communities, one of our highest priorities involves raising public awareness and support for the power of prevention, treatment, and recovery. Congratulations to all the PRISM award winners and nominees whose outstanding productions and performances depict the realities of addiction and mental illness and the power of treatment and recovery with accuracy and sensitivity,” said Pamela S. Hyde, J.D., Administrator of SAMHSA. Award presenters included Danny Arroyo (General Hospital: Night Shift), Robert Buckley (One Tree Hill), Tobin Bell (Saw movies), Michaela Conlin (Bones), Patrick Duffy (The Bold & The Beautiful), Barbara Eden, Vanessa Williams, Candy Finnigan (Intervention), Larry Hagman, Carolyn Hennesy (Cougar Town), Michele Lee, Melora Hardin (The Office), Jennifer Gimenez (Sober House), Sharon Lawrence, Vanessa Lengies (HawthoRNe), Kate Linder (The Young & The Restless), LeToya Luckett (Destiny’s Child), Garry Marshall (Director), Dr. Lisa M. Masterson (The Doctors), Ryan McPartlin (Chuck), Curt Menefee (Fox NFL Sunday), Dean Norris (Breaking Bad) , Nancy O’Dell, Dr. Andrew P. Ordon (The Doctors), Pauley Perrette (NCIS), Mackenzie Phillips (Celebrity Rehab), Dr. Drew Pinsky (Celebrity Rehab/Sober House), Catt Sadler (E! Daily 10), John Salley (The Best Damn Sports Show Ever), Dr. James M. Sears (The Doctors), Paul Schulze (Nurse Jackie), Henry Simmons (Shark/The Cleaner), Dr. Travis Stork (The Doctors), Jennifer Taylor (Two and a Half Men), Shadoe Stevens (The Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson), Shantel VanSanten (One Tree Hill), and Steve Wilkos (The Steve Wilkos Show). Honorees for the PRISM Awards are selected by an 80-person committee of entertainment industry professionals and technical experts from the fields of medicine, mental health, and addiction. (For a complete list of award recipients, please click on the following link: http://www.eiconline.org/ or http://www.prismawards.com/) .

About the PRISM AwardsThe Entertainment Industries Council, Inc. (EIC) annually presents, in collaboration with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), FX Network, and News Corporation, the PRISM Awards™, a nationally-televised awards show recognizing the accurate depiction of drug, alcohol and tobacco use and addiction in film, television, interactive, music, DVD, and comic book entertainment. Established in 1997, the PRISM Awards honor productions that are not only powerfully entertaining, but realistically show substance use and addiction, as well as mental health issues. About Entertainment Industries CouncilEIC, a non-profit organization, was founded in 1983 by leaders of the entertainment industry to bring the power of the industry to bear on health and social issues. The organization is considered to be the chief pioneer of entertainment advocacy outreach and one of the premiere success stories in the field of entertainment education and information resources for entertainment creators, through innovative and time-proven services and methods of “encouraging the art of making a difference” from within the entertainment industry. EIC also produces the simulcast national television special PRISM Awards Showcase which addresses issues such as drug, alcohol, and tobacco use and addiction; mental health and mental illness, including bipolar disorder, depression and suicide. EIC also addresses issues such as; firearm safety and injury prevention; sun safety and skin cancer prevention; human trafficking; terrorism and homeland security; eating disorders, obesity and diabetes; seat belt use and traffic safety; foster care; women’s health; and HIV/AIDS prevention. It has also launched an initiative to increase the public profile and interest in science, engineering and technology. About SAMHSASAMHSA is a public health agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The agency is responsible for improving the accountability, capacity and effectiveness of the nation’s substance abuse prevention, addiction treatment, and mental health services delivery systems. About FX NetworkThe flagship general entertainment basic cable network from Fox. Launched in June of 1994, FX is carried in more than 94 million homes. The diverse schedule includes an award-winning roster of distinctive original series, an established film library with box-office hits from 20th Century Fox and other major studios and an impressive roster of acquired hit series.

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