Television as a Tool in Primary Prevention Ohio Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation Columbus

In 1969 the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation began an experiment in using commercial television as a medium for primary prevention in the field of mental health. Three series of films based on crisis theory and techniques ultimately were produced; they dealt with crises in marriage, adolescence, and childhood. Each series contained segments of a minute or less that could be shown as public service announcements during prime viewing hours. Only the childhood series received enough exposure to be considered successful. However, project officials believe it proved the efficacy of using commercial TV in a program of prevention for a wide range of crisis situations.