The Tampa Bay Times and Sarasota Herald-Tribune won for a collaborative investigation that exposes harrowing conditions at Florida’s institutions for the mentally ill after $100 million in budget cuts. The five-part project, titled “Insane. Invisible. In Danger,” reveals the dangers to mentally ill patients and workers in the hospitals, where treatment takes a back seat to controlling rampant violence. The winning team includes Leonora LaPeter Anton and Anthony Cormier of the Tampa Bay Times and Michael Braga of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
The NPF judges said: “This investigation represents the best in journalism. It was revealing, thorough, comprehensive and deep. Every element was compelling, from surveillance videos, graphics, data, strong multimedia and top-drawing writing. The project was extraordinarily strong from start to finish.” The judges also noted the unusual collaboration between competitors in Florida.
Honorable mention: Gisela Telis of Arizona Public Media for a video on the lack of mental health services in rural areas.