Black mental health professional group releases anti-saggy pants video

News Outlet's and bloggers throughout Massachusetts and around the country are covering the video and billboard plans. Our video is causing much needed discussion and debate on the issue. Here is a sample of the conversation from differing points of view: Read more below:

Street Knowledge

The Atlantic

WGGB.com

Ebaums World

ILPVideo

Free Beer an Hotwings

Black History.com

Sagging Pants a national issue

Blackstonian.com

FAQ About the BMHAM and The Saggy Pants Video

1. What is the Black Mental Health Alliance of Massachusetts, Inc.? When was it started?

The Black Mental Health Alliance of Massachusetts (BMHAM) is a trade association of mental health professionals representing minority group mental health professionals from across the state of Massachusetts. We became incorporated as a nonprofit corporation in the State of Massachusetts in 2012. Many of our member organizations and licensed mental health professionals who have been working in African American communities throughout the state for over 30-40 years.

2. Who funds the Black Mental Health Alliance of Massachusetts, Inc.?

The BMHAM is funded through Membership dues and receives no Federal, State or local government funding.

3. Who does the Black Mental Health Alliance of Massachusetts represent?

We are the first and only Black American mental health trade association in the state representing licensed mental health professionals from across the state of Massachusetts.

4. Who makes up your Board of Directors?

The board of Directors is comprised of licensed mental health professionals and member organizations.

5. Why has the Black Mental Health Alliance of Massachusetts, Inc. established the Anti- Pant Sagging Campaign?

Our goal is to educate young African Americans that their dress behaviors are hurting them, their families, and their communities. Our goal is to educate youth that:

a. What they wear affects others’ perceptions of them, and what they wear can affect how they behave and how others behave with them. (including police, school staff, potential employers, etc). A number of studies have shown that people will change their behavior to match their dress.

6. Is pant sagging a mental health issue?

Pant sagging is not necessarily a “mental health” issue, but it is a “community behavioral health and a healthy community standards” issue.

7. What do you plan to accomplish through this campaign?

BMHAM wants to educate our youth that when offensive pants that are sagging are worn, it has such a profound impact on their behavior as well as behaviors of police, school and community behaviors towards them along with their own self-perceptions.

8. Is the campaign supported in the African American community in Boston and across the State of Massachusetts?

The campaign is supported by many Mental Health organizations, opinion makers, and community activist within the African American community.

9. Who developed the video about saggy pants

Through focus groups with young African Americans along with the leadership of the BMHAM and media consultants.

10. Why does the video highlight the possibility of getting arrested for wearing saggy pants?

We have found that African American audiences needed a video designed to unsettle our communities, just like sagging pants has unsettled community standards within our communities for years. Our purpose is to get their attention, to get a discussion started about community standards in the African American community.

Now that we have their attention, our phase II Video will further the dialogue, it is in production and will be released shortly…

11. What makes you think your strategy will work?

We have clearly gotten the attention of our community; we have got the discussion started about community standards in the African American communities in Boston. WE plan to expand our attention getting strategy throughout the state.

12. Do you have young people involved in your planning group or board?

Yes, Young people are involved in focus groups and planning. Over the next few months we will be creating a youth advisory committee.

Contact the Black Mental Health Alliance at: 857-615-8603

The Black Mental Health Alliance of Massachusetts, Inc.

PO Box 190781

Boston, MA 02119

Links to other Saggy Pants articles below:

http://urban-lyfe.com/2012/12/02/sagging-pants-hip-hop-trend-or-prison-trend/

FAQ

About BMHAM and the Saggy Pants Video

1. What is the Black Mental Health Alliance of Massachusetts, Inc.? When was it started?

The Black Mental Health Alliance of Massachusetts (BMHAM) is a trade association of mental health professionals representing minority group mental health professionals from across the state of Massachusetts. We became incorporated as a nonprofit corporation in the State of Massachusetts in 2012. Many of our member organizations and licensed mental health professionals who have been working in African American communities throughout the state for over 30-40 years.

2. Who funds the Black Mental Health Alliance of Massachusetts, Inc.?

The BMHAM is funded through Membership dues and receives no Federal, State or local government funding.

3. Who does the Black Mental Health Alliance of Massachusetts represent?

We are the first and only Black American mental health trade association in the state representing licensed mental health professionals from across the state of Massachusetts.

4. Who makes up your Board of Directors?

The board of Directors is comprised of licensed mental health professionals and member organizations.

5. Why has the Black Mental Health Alliance of Massachusetts, Inc. established the Anti- Pant Sagging Campaign?

Our goal is to educate young African Americans that their dress behaviors are hurting them, their families, and their communities. Our goal is to educate youth that:

a. What they wear affects others’ perceptions of them, and what they wear can affect how they behave and how others behave with them. (including police, school staff, potential employers, etc). A number of studies have shown that people will change their behavior to match their dress.

6. Is pant sagging a mental health issue?

Pant sagging is not necessarily a “mental health” issue, but it is a “community behavioral health and a healthy community standards” issue.

7. What do you plan to accomplish through this campaign?

BMHAM wants to educate our youth that when offensive pants that are sagging are worn, it has such a profound impact on their behavior as well as behaviors of police, school and community behaviors towards them along with their own self-perceptions.

8. Is the campaign supported in the African American community in Boston and across the State of Massachusetts?

The campaign is supported by many Mental Health organizations, opinion makers, and community activist within the African American community.

9. Who developed the video about saggy pants

Through focus groups with young African Americans along with the leadership of the BMHAM and media consultants.

10. Why does the video highlight the possibility of getting arrested for wearing saggy pants?

We have found that African American audiences needed a video designed to unsettle our communities, just like sagging pants has unsettled community standards within our communities for years. Our purpose is to get their attention, to get a discussion started about community standards in the African American community.

Now that we have their attention, our phase II Video will further the dialogue, it is in production and will be released shortly…

11. What makes you think your strategy will work?

We have clearly gotten the attention of our community; we have got the discussion started about community standards in the African American communities in Boston. WE plan to expand our attention getting strategy throughout the state.

12. Do you have young people involved in your planning group or board?

Yes, Young people are involved in focus groups and planning. Over the next few months we will be creating a youth advisory committee.