Musicians and Advocates Ready to Rock the Hill: National Take Action Tour Kick-off for Mental Health Parity and Suicide Prevention

WASHINGTON (Top40 Charts/ Kristin Brooks Hope Center/ www.hopeline.com) - To help prevent the incidence of suicide, The Kristin Brooks Hope Center, the founders of 1-800- SUICIDE, the Mental Health Liaison Group and SubCity Records are co-sponsoring a press event on Jan. 31. They will be kicking off the 45-city, multi-band, Take Action Tour, which is expected to pass the $1 million mark the tour has raised for charity, and which has helped tens of thousands of individuals, provided information on mental health services and suicide prevention. The tour will be calling for passage of The Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act, and for full funding of the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act.

Suicide is the third leading cause of death for young people aged 15-24. The majority still have undiagnosed and untreated behavioral health disorders.

Ronnie Winter, lead singer for music group The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, headliners for the 2007 Take Action Tour, will be speaking at the press event about his efforts to become trained and certified as crisis interventionists for suicide prevention.

Congressman Patrick Kennedy (D-R.I.) and Congressman Howard Berman (D- Calif.) will speak as well on the importance of mental health parity and the impact the tour has on America's youth.

What: Kick-off of national music tour that will push for expansion of Mental Health Parity Act

When: Jan. 31 at 11 a.m.

Who: Congressman Patrick Kennedy; Congressman Howard Berman; Reese Butler, founder of KBHC/1-800SUICIDE; Ronnie Winters of the music group The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus; as well as other national musicians from The Take Action Tour.

Where: Room 1334, Longworth House Office Building, Washington, D.C.