Viktor
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- Mar 19, 2019
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Pro Football Hall of Fame launches behavioral health program
As part of our "Getting Open" series that focuses on mental health, we talked last month to Vikings Legend and Hall of Famer John Randle about his work with NFL Legends and emphasis on mental health support.
The topic isn't important only to Randle but to the Pro Football Hall of Fame overall. According to NFL.com, the Hall of Fame "announced Thursday the formation of Hall of Fame Behavioral Health, a program created to find comprehensive solutions through a network of mental and behavioral health services designed specifically for current and former athletes and their families."
Hall of Fame Behavioral Health's stated mission is "to make mental health and the treatment of issues surrounding athletes and those who care for them destigmatized, accessible and widespread."
Among the ambassadors supporting the program are Hall of Fame President/CEO David Baker, Hall of Famers Ronnie Lott, Brian Dawkins, Steve Atwater, Andre Reed and Tim Brown, and active players Adrian Peterson and Calais Campbell.
Hall of Fame Behavioral Health will offer an easy-to-use concierge call center and crisis line to match treatment and counseling services with a vetted and accredited premier network of 12 service providers across the country, from Baltimore to Tucson. The providers are trained to deal with such issues as post-career transition, identity, addiction, performance anxiety, mindfulness and the culture of sports.
Baker said the following in a statement:
"The Pro Football Hall of Fame has always been about protecting the most important part of the game of football: the players. With Hall of Fame Behavioral Health, our mission is to make mental and behavioral health services that meet the Hall of Fame's standards of excellence easily accessible and available not only to Hall of Famers but to every player of this game, the people who support them and the kids dreaming about one day playing in the League. The Pro Football Hall of Fame is committed to ending the stigma that surrounds asking for help and protecting our family of athletes for generations to come."