On The Marc Media

Last Second Mother’s Day Gifts

Marc — Fri, 10 May 2013 17:50:09 +0000

Mother’s Day is this weekend. Are you ready? If not, Marc Silverstein has some great gift ideas that show Mom just how special she is to you and your entire family.

Watch this video for innovative ideas that will make mom proud to call you her son or daughter.

The Great Gatsby’s F. Scott Fitzgerald is Buried Where?

Marc — Thu, 09 May 2013 16:55:42 +0000

There’s incredible hype and an expensive media blitz as The Great Gatsby hits theaters this weekend. But there’s little-known local trivia tied to the movie–and the classic book it’s based on–that involves the final resting for its celebrated author, F. Scott Fitzgerald.

The Great Gatsby details a spectacular summer in Long Island during the roaring 20′s. Nick Carraway, a recent college grad looking to make it big in the city, meets a mysterious cast of characters in the fictional city of West Egg. Jay Gatsby, Carraway’s larger-than-life neighbor, is at the center of West Egg’s well-to-do crowd. The summer takes a darker turn as Carraway discovers what is behind the facade of wealth in Long Island.

In this video, On The Marc Media’s Marc Silverstein takes us on a tour of F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald’s “permanent home” in Maryland. (And check out the fascinating article from NPR, too)

Do You Know these Five Hidden Company Killers?

Marc — Thu, 09 May 2013 15:27:32 +0000

You obviously wouldn’t deliberately put your own company out of business. But you could accidentally sink your firm, warns best-selling author Jack Garson in his latest Huffington Post article. Garson, an attorney, business writer for SmartCEO and author of How to Build a Business and Sell it for Millions, says that while some “company killers” are obvious — competition, obsolescence, too much debt — you need to keep your eye on five high-priority but hidden threats that could blindside you. Here are two obstacles facing your business:

1. Bad Customers
Some customers just aren’t worth the trouble, observes Garson. If you want to make money, especially when times are tough, focus on solid paying customers, not time-sucking clients who don’t pay.

2. Employee Turnover
A lot of businesses call employees their most valuable assets, but some don’t really mean it. Actions speak louder than words, and employees know full well whether their employer’s love is real or fake. When employees quit, the company incurs a host of nasty costs. Garson’s Huffington Post column offers tips for boosting retention.

Company killers can sneak up on you and strike like lightning on a sunny day. Jack Garson offers you the foresight to address problems that aren’t obvious, so that you can protect your company and prosper. To discover the last 3 company-killers, check out Garson’s latest Huffington Post column and follow @BizByGarson for further insight.

Cyndy Nayer Discusses the Link Between Physical and Mental Health

Marc — Wed, 08 May 2013 15:53:19 +0000

In recognition of Mental Health Month, Cyndy Nayer discusses the link between mental and physical health in her most recent video blog. In the United States, mental health is often treated differently and separately than clinical or physical health, but as Cyndy points out, mental and physical health are ultimately part of the same human system. Physical problems affect anxiety levels, which can lead to other mental health issues.

The facts speak for themselves:

An undiagnosed and untreated mental health illness doubles the cost of the top five major diseases. [The World Health Report, Rice et al., 1990]
According to World Health Organization, mental health conditions are the leading cause of disability in the world, more than cardiovascular disease, cancer, alcohol drug abuse, arthritis, diabetes and infectious disease. [World Health Organization, Depression, 2012]
In 2002, serious mental health conditions were associated with $193 billion in lost earnings. [National Institutes of Health, Mental Disorders Cost Society Billions in Unearned Income, 2008]
Mental health conditions cost more than $600 per person in the country. [World Health Organization, What is the Impact of Non-Communicable Diseases on National Health Expenditures: A Synthesis of Available Data, 2009 ]
Mental health conditions cost more than annual revenue for every Fortune 500 company with the exception of Exxon Mobile and Wal-Mart. [Mental Health America, State of Mental Health America on Preventing Mental, Emotional and Behavioral Disorders Among Young People, 2009]
Military personnel are increasingly developing issues in mental health, such as cases of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PSTD), which affects their ability to become and stay employed. [CBS 60 Minutes, The Invisible Wounds of War, May 5, 2013]

Employers must examine the total costs of their workforce, identifying opportunities to create value-based benefits that screen for risk of depression and link to proficient mental health programs. Contracting with screening companies that include a depression screener is key, as is paying an incentive to primary care providers who include depression and mental health questions in their total collaborative care. The Lovelace Health Plan, as an example, has tackled mental health “head on” by using a short screen in their new value-based benefit program, and the leaders of Lovelace are encouraging other health plans and plan sponsors to make this bold move.

Ending mental health stigma is also paramount. Patients should talk to their physicians about which medications they should be taking to manage their mental health, which medications they are taking that could interfere or cause poorer mental health, and whether they should seek a specialist beyond their primary care physician.

Watch Cyndy’s video blog below and visit CyndyNayer.com for more information. For more on Cyndy’s take on mental health issues and quality-based health care, click Cyndy Nayer: mental health improves health care quality.

#WhatsYourNumber lands on NPR

Marc — Tue, 07 May 2013 16:21:45 +0000

# WhatsYourNumber

1 message
3 minutes
27 questions

During their evening MarketPlace program, NPR urged listeners to take M3′s mental health screen. Mental illness that is untreated can cost the US up to $105 billion in lost productivity each year according to Mental Health America. Getting screened is simpler than ever. M3 in partnership with Mental Health America is offering a free screen on their site to detect signs of depression, bipolar, anxiety and PTSD. You can do it right from your computer in just three minutes. After you fill out the 27-question checklist, you can easily email the results of the screen to your physician as a first step toward a real diagnosis. The green image below that reminds people to take the screen has become viral on social media sites.

The screen is available here and as an app on mobile devices for Android and iPhone can be downloaded for free download during the month of May, which is Mental Health Month. A clinician version is also available that doctors can use to monitor patients progress during treatment.

You read the full article visit NPR and join the #WhatsYourNumber campaign to support Mental Health Month.

Just the Bar Mitzvah Video to Make A Man (or Woman) Out of You

Marc — Mon, 06 May 2013 15:14:18 +0000

A Bar Mitzvah Video to Rock the Ages!

Tradition holds several constants about Bar Mitzvahs and Bat Mitzvahs: a sacred service, a rockin’ party–and unfortunately: a dull, sometimes sappy, and definitely overlong photo montage of the guest of honor. It may have taken several thousand years, but at least one custom is changing. On the Marc Media is proud to introduce a Bar Mitzvah video worthy of the occasion. The video highlights Spencer Silverstein’s scene-stealing early years, his fun-filled Modern Family, and his passion for the Baltimore Ravens. Everything comes together in a must-see, very kosher video that relives 13 memorable years in a thoroughly entertaining style. It left the family kvelling and the crowd talking. We call it #montagemazel. Interested in one for yourself or your family? First, call your mom. Then get in touch with On The Marc Media at info@onthemarcmedia or at 202-716-9123.

Free Mental Health Screening App For May-Mental Health Month

Marc — Wed, 01 May 2013 18:01:29 +0000

May is Mental Health Month and WhatsMyM3 is commemorating it by offering their mobile mental health screening app at no charge for the entire month! The app allows you to take the only screen that looks for the four most prevalent mental health issues: anxiety, depression, post traumatic stress disorder and bipolar disorder. It also lets you save your results so you can monitor your progress over time. WhatsMyM3 is the the leading international app for mental health and it is available in 12 languages.

“You know your other important health numbers – your cholesterol levels, your heart rate and blood pressure. Now for the first time, we finally have a number that gauges mental health. By knowing your M3 score and then getting the right treatment, you should have more success managing all your numbers, because mental health affects everything,” said Larry Culpepper, M.D., Family Medicine, Boston University.

For a limited time only, WhatsMyM3’s free mental health screening application is available through iTunes (http://bit.ly/Yebwb3) and GooglePlay (http://bit.ly/ZW4Grc).

You can also take the screen for free online at WhatsMyM3.com.

To end stigma about mental health and to raise awareness about the need for everyone to be screened please share the image below on your social media platforms. Everyone has a number. #WhatsYourNumber. It only takes three minutes to find out.

Cyndy Nayer says Providing Employees with Health Benefits Pays Off

Marc — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 20:46:19 +0000

Treating your employees as an asset is integral to the success of your business, no matter the size. In her latest video blog, Cyndy Nayer discusses the importance of providing health benefits in a small business setting. She explains that tailoring your health strategy to the goals of your business can produce healthier, customer-focused employees.

Worried about the investment? According to Nayer, business owners should think about the dividends instead with an “It’s about making sure our people can service our company and make our customers satisfied approach. Consider cost, yes, but open the vision wider to see the dividends that are not measured in: reduced absenteeism, improved teamwork, and employees who wear the business brand proudly. Nayer reports ROI anywhere from 18 months to 3 years, whether measuring reduction in inappropriate health care use or improving communication and sales cycles.

When considering healthcare plans, businesses should determine how their employees use their health benefits, the potential health risks that could be better managed with appropriate care, and the health risks that could be better managed with appropriate care, and the communications styles that are sent to their beneficiaries. These all influence how soon a company can expect a ROI. Watch Cyndy Nayer’s video blog below for more advice on small business health care plans. Visit CyndyNayer.com for more information.

SmolenPlevy Principal Dan Ruttenberg Presents Case Before the Supreme Court of the United States

Marc — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 18:30:54 +0000

On Monday, April 22, SmolenPlevy Principal Dan Ruttenberg presented an oral argument before the Supreme Court of the United States. In the case of Hillman v. Maretta, a husband had life insurance through the Federal Employees’ Group Life Insurance Plan and named his then-wife as his beneficiary. When he divorced and later remarried, he failed to change who was designated the beneficiary of his policy. Upon his death, his ex-wife received the insurance proceeds. His widow sought to recover the insurance benefits from his ex-wife.

Ruttenberg answered numerous questions posed to him by the panel of nine Supreme Court Justices. Though the court won’t issue their decision for a few months, Ruttenberg is thrilled for the opportunity to appear before them. “I never thought I’d have this opportunity,” he said. “Being in front of the nine Justices was an amazing experience.”

And the lesson to be learned from this case? According to Ruttenberg, “Make sure your estate plan is up to date, so you don’t have to go before the United States Supreme Court to get your final wishes fulfilled.”

Ruttenberg’s case is prominently featured on the front page of WTOP.com, and has received notable coverage from The Washington Post, The Huffington Post, and The Associated Press. To learn more about the case, click here, or click this link to listen to Dan Ruttenberg on WTOP. Click here to view the PR Web release.

#WhatsYourNumber? One Number for Mental Health

Marc — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 15:58:30 +0000

#WhatsYourNumber

Everyone has a number. #WhatsYourNumber? If you don’t know, you could be at risk for serious chronic illnesses and not even know it. In fact, you could lose 10-25 years off your life. (Do we have your attention now?)

We’re talking about your Mental Health Number.

An undiagnosed or untreated mental health problem (even a minor one) can greatly affect your physical health. That’s why we’re encouraging you to screen your mental health annually – and even more frequently if needed.

May is Mental Health Month, and Mental Health America has partnered with M3 Information, LLC, to encourage everyone to take this screen to improve their wellbeing. M3’s world-renowned psychiatrists developed the only tool that screens for depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and PTSD. There’s no cost to take the screen and it only takes a few minutes. Those few minutes could add years to your life.

This lime green image tagged with the Twitter hashtag, #WhatsYourNumber, reminds us that every single person has a Mental Health Number. It’s as important to know as your blood pressure and cholesterol numbers. So what are you waiting for? It only takes 3 minutes to get screened.

Please share this image through your social media networks during the month of May for Mental Health month to help raise awareness and to end the stigma. Mental health is not a weakness it is a health issue.