Blue Star Families Wins Emmy Award for Powerful Suicide Prevention PSA Campaign for Military Service Members and Veterans

Campaign aims to reduce mental health stigmas and encourage early intervention

Washington, D.C., March 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Blue Star Families (BSF), a national nonprofit dedicated to supporting military families and strengthening communities, announced that the organization won an Emmy Award for “Public Service Announcement - Campaign: Combat the Silence” at the 39th Nashville/Midsouth Emmy Awards hosted by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

Blue Star Families’ Combat the Silence campaign is a multifaceted

initiative designed to raise awareness and foster dialogue surrounding the mental health challenges that often affect members of the military and Veteran community. At the heart of this campaign is a series of impactful public service announcements (PSAs), each crafted to shed light on the unique struggles faced by those who serve or have served, as well as their families. These PSAs aim to break down the stigma that often surrounds mental health issues, encouraging individuals to seek help and support when needed.

“We are incredibly honored to receive this Emmy. I’m so proud of the work Blue Star Families is doing through our Combat the Silence program — a program dedicated to breaking the stigma around mental health, starting conversations, and ensuring that no one struggles alone,” said Kathy Roth-Douquet, CEO of Blue Star Families. “This award is not just a celebration of our groundbreaking work — it’s a call to action because mental health affects all of us. When we combat the silence, we save lives.”  

Through the videos in this campaign, A Mother’s Grief, Couples Therapy, and Battle Buddy, and other programming, the Combat the Silence campaign is working to create a cultural shift within the military and Veteran community — one that prioritizes mental health and encourages early intervention. By sharing stories that resonate with viewers, the campaign aims to foster a sense of empathy and understanding. The campaign also provides resources and information on where to find professional help, ensuring that those in need can access the support they require, and building a community where seeking mental health care is seen not as a sign of weakness, but as a sign of strength and resilience.

Blue Star Families is one of the organizations selected for the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program (SSG Fox SPGP) through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to address the service member and Veteran suicide crisis to empower family members to be part of the solution in a meaningful way. Through this grant, Blue Star Families launched the first-of-its-kind pilot program – Blue Star Support Circles: Upstream Solutions to Crisis, geared toward creating proactive solutions for military and Veteran families.

To view the full campaign of PSA videos, visit Blue Star Families’ YouTube channel here or the Combat the Silence page.