Porter Starke Services Slides into Social Networking

Porter-Starke Services is wading into the sea of social networking. Over the last six months the not-for-profit organization has maintained a Facebook page that has steadily grown a fan base, and will soon start “Twittering.” You can become a fan of Porter-Starke Services at Facebook.com/PorterStarke.

“This is really vital to our goals of promoting health, balance and hope,” Porter-Starke Services Vice President Bob Franko said. “Everything that we do is predicated on awareness,” he said. “Awareness of the services available, awareness of our own circumstances and awareness of how we can be an instrument of change in others,” Franko said.

However, don’t expect to click to Porter-Starke’s Facebook page and expect to see the traditional mental health offerings. “Our Facebook page is designed to be fresh, fun and inspiring,” Franko said. “We’ll post things several times a week that promote health, balance and hope, things like healthy recipes, fun local activities, funny and inspiring quotes and online games, polls, screenings and articles that you can learn from.”

For example, posts over recent weeks linked to articles about the power of friendship, a study on the impact of anger on heart health, as well as link to an online game that was a way to support a quote about life’s journey. “One thing we try to do is find a document, study, article or media clip to link to that supports our message that day, it’s just a small quick way that someone can take a few minutes and learn about something.”

Franko said that Porter-Starke’s social networking efforts aren’t necessarily designed to directly influence people to seek help for behavioral health or addictions issues. “It’s all about awareness and advocacy,” he said. “We’re working on demystifying behavioral health, and giving people information that they can use that day to make their life just a little bit better.

“Stigma about mental health and addictions smothers much of the good we do and prevents people even considering how they can enhance their lives,” Franko said. “Social networking gives them the power to explore and learn on their own without having all that touchy-feely stuff they think they would otherwise encounter.”