December 2023 Coffee & Communications - Highlighting Our 2023 Best of Show Winner

At our recent Coffee & Communications event, CHPRMS had the privilege of spotlighting our 2023 Best of Show winner from the Annual Wallie Awards – the “Understanding Addiction and Developmental Disabilities” video education project. Developed by Monarch in collaboration with Kelso Communications, this innovative initiative addresses a profound yet overlooked need in healthcare.

As background, Monarch provides services for people with intellectual disabilities, mental illness, and substance abuse disorders. They recognized that individuals dealing with both developmental disabilities and addiction represented an underserved population lacking tailored resources to address those complex, co-occurring conditions.

Armed with a state grant, Monarch collaborated with creative marketing agency Kelso Communications. Together they produced 14 educational animated videos using simple, direct language and concepts that resonated with the target audience. Video topics ranged from explaining addiction’s impacts on the body and mind to practical techniques for recovery like meditation.

Kelso carefully crafted the hero characters to be relatable figures that come across as friendly, sympathetic and engaging. The video curriculum also provides supplementary materials to assist clinicians and caregivers. All these resources are packaged in a freely accessible public website. Remarkably, 30% of site visitors identify themselves as having a developmental disability – proof this program is reaching and empowering its intended community.

After learning of work like this, we feel even prouder of the incredible projects our CHPRMS members are producing.  What a great way to finish off 2023! WE look forward to highlighting more of your work in the year ahead!

Read more about this project on the KCOMM Blog or view the replay of this event on our YouTube channel.