FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC, 8/24/2023 — PBS North Carolina and the UNC School of Government announce the broadcast premiere of four ncIMPACT town halls about mental health. Moderated by ncIMPACT host and UNC School of Government Professor Anita Brown-Graham, the town halls explore mental health challenges faced by key populations in North Carolina and innovative approaches that foster resilience. The first town hall—focused on youth and young adults—premieres Friday, September 1, 7:30 PM, on PBS NC as well as online and on the PBS App. Support for the town halls is provided by UNC Health.
Each town hall focuses on a specific group particularly impacted by mental health issues like depression, suicide, trauma and substance use. These groups include youth and young adults, veterans, older adults and people impacted by the justice system. Each episode features recorded panel discussions led by Anita Brown-Graham and field reports exploring mental health initiatives throughout the state.
“North Carolina communities are struggling to respond to worsening mental health challenges. The impacts are felt across demographic groups and geographies,” said ncIMPACT host and UNC Professor Anita Brown-Graham. “Convening local leaders and community members to listen and learn from each other is an important next step to collaborating on the solutions we so badly need.”
ncIMPACT airs Fridays, 7:30 PM, on PBS NC. Stream anytime online or on the PBS App.
Mental Health Town Hall: Youth and Young Adults
Premieres Friday, September 1, 7:30 PM
Academic pressure, social media and societal expectations are taking a toll on the mental well-being of young people. Learn how K–12 schools, higher education institutions and nonprofit organizations are fostering resilience within the next generation.
Panelists include Dr. Anthony Jackson, superintendent of Chatham County Schools; Suzie Baker, Ed.D., the UNC System’s director of student affairs; and Marcus Metcalf, executive director of HIGHTS, a nonprofit that serves youth and families in western North Carolina.
Featured stories: Explore how schools in Cumberland County have developed a trauma-informed counseling program. Also, discover how Nash Community College has integrated data-informed holistic support to improve student wellness, retention and academic outcomes.
Mental Health Town Hall: Veterans
Premieres Friday, September 8, 7:30 PM
Veterans in North Carolina have a suicide rate 2.5 times higher than non-veterans. Explore programs that are helping give veterans the tools they need to improve their mental health.
Panelists include Chris Ford, CEO of the veteran-led organization Stop Soldier Suicide; Andrea Allard, director of transition services at the NC Department of Military and Veterans Affairs; and Scott Doak, UNC Health’s Chief Human Resources Officer.
Featured stories: Learn about a UNC clinical-outreach program that works to promote wellness for veterans by treating traumatic brain injuries and related health conditions. Also, visit the Veterans Life Center of North Carolina, a residential facility in Butner designed to help veterans at risk for crises like chronic homelessness, incarceration or suicide.
Mental Health Town Hall: Older Adults
Premieres Friday, September 15, 7:30 PM
Rates of anxiety, depression and isolation among older adults especially increased during the pandemic. Learn how organizations are bringing resources to older adults to build connection and resilience.
Panelists include Kelly Crosbie, director of the NC Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Use Services; Joyce Massey-Smith, director of the NC Division of Aging and Adult Services; and Amber Smith, director of the New Hanover County Senior Resource Center.
Featured stories: Discover how organizations in western North Carolina are working to keep individuals with mental illness in their homes and improving their access to care. Also, learn about a pilot program in Mecklenburg, Gaston and Cabarrus Counties that works to reduce depression and social isolation in older adults.
Mental Health Town Hall: People Impacted by the Justice System
Premieres Friday, September 22, 7:30 PM
An estimated 40% of people in jails and prisons have been diagnosed with a mental health disorder. Often these conditions go untreated, leading to a cycle of incarceration. Explore the programs and people working to break this cycle by promoting well-being among those who have been impacted by the justice system.
Panelists include Sheriff Darren Campbell, president of the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association; Mario Perez, district court judge of Pitt County; and LaToya Blackmon Powell, deputy general counsel at the NC Department of Public Safety.
Featured stories: See how Brunswick County’s mental health court provides an alternative to incarceration for those with non-violent offenses by addressing the underlying causes of addiction and criminal behavior. Also, discover how New Hanover and Pender Counties have implemented a court system that helps people with trauma and prevents them from becoming entangled in the criminal justice system.
Watch previous episodes of ncIMPACT by visiting video.pbsnc.org/show/ncimpact.
If you or someone you know is in crisis or experiencing thoughts of suicide, text, call or chat 988 to connect to a trained counselor from the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, a national network of local crisis centers that provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in the United States. Learn more at 988lifeline.org.
Anita R. Brown-Graham leads the UNC School of Government’s (SOG) ncIMPACT Initiative, which seeks to expand SOG’s capacity to work with public officials on complex policy issues. Since her arrival, she and her colleagues have devised programs to support communities working on economic mobility, increased educational attainment, extending the labor pool and addressing opioid misuse and abuse. She leads the Carolina Across 100 initiative for UNC-Chapel Hill, including a new program aimed at improving mental health and reducing suicide in North Carolina.
From 1994 to 2006, Brown-Graham specialized in governmental liability and community economic development aimed at revitalizing communities as an SOG faculty member. In 2007 she became Director of the Institute for Emerging Issues (IEI) at NC State University. There, she led IEI’s efforts to build North Carolina’s capacity for economic development and prosperity, working with leaders in business, government and higher education to focus on issues important to the state.
Brown-Graham began her career as a law clerk in the Eastern District of California. She is a William C. Friday Fellow, American Marshall Fellow and Eisenhower Fellow. In 2013 the White House named her a Champion of Change for her work at the Institute for Emerging Issues (IEI) at NC State University. The Triangle Business Journal named her a 2014 Woman in Business for her policy leadership in the state and a 2017 CEO of the Year. Brown-Graham, who earned an undergraduate degree from Louisiana State University and a law degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, serves on the boards of several organizations.
The mission of the UNC School of Government is to improve the lives of North Carolinians by engaging in practical scholarship that helps public officials and citizens understand and improve state and local government. As the largest university-based local government training, advisory and research organization in the United States, the School of Government serves more than 12,000 public officials each year. Established in 1931 as the Institute of Government, the School of Government provides educational, advisory and research services for state and local governments. The School of Government is also home to specialized centers focused on information technology and environmental finance. Learn more at sog.unc.edu.
UNC Health is a not-for-profit integrated health care system owned by the state of North Carolina and based in Chapel Hill. Originally established Nov. 1, 1998, by N.C.G.S. 116-37, UNC Health currently comprises UNC Hospitals and its provider network, the clinical programs of the UNC School of Medicine and fourteen hospitals and eighteen hospital campuses statewide. Learn more at unchealthcare.org.
As North Carolina’s statewide PBS network serving the country’s third largest public media market, PBS North Carolina educates, informs, entertains and inspires its audience on air, online and in person. Through its unique partnership of public investment and private support, the network includes in-person engagement, digital-first social and online content delivery and four over-the-air channels: PBS NC, the North Carolina Channel, Rootle 24/7 PBS KIDS channel and the Explorer Channel. Its transformational events and content spark curiosity and wonder for all North Carolinians. Additionally, PBS North Carolina serves as the backbone for North Carolina’s state emergency services. To learn more about PBS North Carolina, visit pbsnc.org or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.
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