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Encarnacion Pyle
Reporter, The Columbus Dispatch
Columbus, Ohio, USA

TOPIC: Write about two people in Central Ohio - one with Parkinson's disease and another with schizophrenia - and the differences in discrimination and stigma that each faces.

In Ohio, Insurance Pays Much More for Physical Ailments than Mental Ones
A babysitter sexually assaulted Matt Mikolic at gunpoint when he was in kindergarten. At age 7, he ran into traffic, jabbed pencils into his skin and threw himself into bed every night, yelling.

In Shadow of Tragedy, Normal Life Takes Root; Man who Killed Parents Optimistic Despite Illness
Matt Morgan invites friends over after work for chicken casserole and spaghetti dinners. He and his girlfriend curl up on the couch to watch Days of Our Lives. He goes to dollar-movie theaters, plays Scrabble and sings karaoke. This is his life, one so ordinary it's indistinguishable in his working-class neighborhood on the Far West Side, where everyone knows everyone else by name.

ADAMH; New Levy for Mental Health Wins Handily
The Franklin County ADAMH Board could have waited as late as next November to seek voter support of a replacement levy and not lose any funding. But even with six ballot successes behind them, agency officials knew that anything can happen at the polls, especially during tight financial times.

Connecting with Others; Mentally Ill Discover Whole World Awaits; Program Helps Many Battle Fears, Experience Life 
Jeff Simpson didn't let the black lights, folksy furniture or the funky murals of Victorian's Midnight Cafe distract him. He leaned back into a monster sofa, pushed glasses up the rim of his nose and cleared his voice before reading his poem.

 
College students might be tempted to buy or bum Adderall or other prescription stimulants to "get in the zone" as finals come to a close this week.