Winning Project on For-Profit Psychiatric Hospitals

Rosalind Adams of BuzzFeed News is the winner of the 2016 Carolyn C. Mattingly Award for Mental Health Reporting.

Rosalind_AdamsJudges for the award, which is sponsored by the National Press Foundation, selected Adams for a painstakingly-reported investigation of private psychiatric hospitals titled “Intake.”

The judges said: “Adams’ dogged reporting showed that a major for-profit company, which runs 200 psychiatric hospitals, was keeping patients locked up for their insurance money. Her investigation is compelling, chilling and even scary. It is accountability journalism at its best, and government officials are now demanding answers from the company.”

Honorable mentions went to The Boston Globe’s Spotlight team for “The Desperate and the Dead”  and the Sun Sentinel of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, for  “Dying for Help.”

The National Press Foundation, in partnership with The Luv u Project , established the award in 2015 to recognize exemplary journalism that illuminates and advances the understanding of mental health issues and treatments for the illness. The family of Carolyn C. Mattingly, a Potomabuzzfeednewsc, Maryland, philanthropist and activist, set up the journalism award in the aftermath of her tragic death in 2014.

“Mental health touches us all and desperately needs more attention—on many levels. Extraordinary journalism addressing the subject educates and can play an integral role leading to responsible actions. It is our hope that this award elevates the conversation and serves as a catalyst for advancing mental health,” said C. Richard Mattingly, president of The Luv u Project.

This year’s judges were: Amalie Nash, executive regional editor west for the USA Today Network and a Pulitzer Prize juror; Leonora LaPeter Anton, investigative reporter for the Tampa Bay Times and a winner of last year’s Mattingly award; Carole Feldman, director of news operations for The Associated Press Washington bureau and news editor for health; and Robert Meyers, president emeritus of NPF and member of the Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism advisory board.

The primary mission of the National Press Foundation is to increase journalists’ knowledge of complex issues in order to improve public understanding. The nonprofit foundation recognizes and encourages excellence in journalism through its awards and programs.

A complete list NPF’s journalism awards is here. To support NPF’s work, contact President Sandy K. Johnson at sjohnson@nationalpress.org.

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