MIAA announces McLean Hospital as the “Official Mental Health Partner” of MIAA
The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) today announced a long-term relationship with McLean Hospital, the #1 freestanding psychiatric hospital in the United States, to become the “Official Mental Healthcare Partner of the MIAA”. The new mental health initiative will center around education efforts with students and student athletes statewide.
McLean Hospital will serve as the official mental health partner of the MIAA. The MIAA serves 375 member schools and their students by providing leadership and support for the conduct of interscholastic athletics that enrich the educational experiences of all participants.
“We are excited to announce this partnership with McLean Hospital as an example of their commitment to our schools and students across the state and our communities,” said MIAA Executive Director Bill Gaine. The collaboration will develop education efforts year-round and includes exposure at the MIAA high school state championship sports series.
“Mental health is a critical component of every child’s overall health and through this partnership, McLean Hospital will have an opportunity to be a trusted resource for students and their families across the Commonwealth,” said Dr. Scott L. Rauch, MD, President and Psychiatrist in Chief for McLean. “We are deeply honored to be the mental health partner of the MIAA.”
“Companies are looking for creative ways to develop a deeper relationship with the communities that they serve. These types of trusted partnerships go far beyond traditional advertising or sponsorships to differentiate their brand from the competition,” said Larry Jaeger, President of Sponsor Burst, Inc, a sports and entertainment marketing company who helped facilitate the agreement. Sponsor Burst is the largest sponsorship agency for high school sports in the country and is the official sponsorship agency of the MIAA (Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association) and the NFHS Networks (National Federation of High Schools). Sponsor Burst is also the sponsorship and marketing agency for Cedar Fair Entertainment, L.P, one of the largest amusement park companies in the world (parent company of Cedar Point, Knotts Berry Farm, and Kings Island). Sponsor Burst eSports Solutions works with schools and colleges on their eSports initiatives.
McLean, which has six campuses throughout Eastern and Central Massachusetts, is the largest psychiatric teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School and is known for its outstanding mental health clinical care, research, training, and advocacy.
As the official mental health partner of the MIAA, McLean Hospital will work to increase awareness and reduce stigma around issues that often arise during adolescence, including bullying, anxiety, depression, substance use, and trauma. Through the hospital’s award-winning Deconstructing Stigma campaign, McLean will also have a presence at all MIAA state high school championship series and tournament events.
The MIAA serves 377 member schools and their mission is to provide lifelong learning experiences to student athletes while enhancing their achievement of educational goals.
CONTACT:
Larry Jaeger, President, Sponsor Burst, +1-440-994-4499, larry@sponsorburst.com
Sherry Bryant, Director of Marketing, MIAA, (508) 541-7997, Fax (508) 541-9838 miaa@ miaa.
Jim Holsomback, Director of Marketing & Clinical Outreach, McLean Hospital, 617.855.3417 FAX: 617.855.2550, jholsomback@partners.org
