SEATTLE, WA (KPLU) - Do you ever read a news story about something you care passionately about and cringe at how the topic is covered? One University of Washington researcher says for her that subject is mental illness. Now, she's trying to change how the media reports on it. KPLU's Paula Wissel has the story.

A new program designed to improve public understanding and news reporting of mental health and mental illness is being launched by the UW's School of Social Work and the Washington State Mental Health Transformation Project.

Olympia -- Washington’s Mental Health Transformation Project and the University of Washington School of Social Work announced today the launch of two new information resources to help Washington State media report on mental health and mental illness. The resources include a new Web site (www.mentalhealthreporting.org) and a newly published Media Guide to Reporting on Mental Illness.

Thirteen of 39 counties in Washington have now adopted a local sales tax to fund mental health and chemical dependency services, indicating increased interest for local support of mental health programs state-wide. A report released this month by the Mental Health Transformation Project (MHTP) and the Washington Institute for Mental Health Research and Training (WIMHRT) outlines the progress of counties in using the tax....