Awareness about mental health is rising, but so are the challenges. In 2021, the U.S. Surgeon General issued an advisory about a youth mental health crisis (US Department of Health & Human Services). Recent reporting showed an increase in US suicide rates (American Psychological Association).
As your statewide public media network, we are committed to exploring these topics and encouraging meaningful conversation. Mental health is health. Let’s come together to educate, inform and inspire hope about this important topic.
Explore community resources and watch related films and series from PBS below.
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From Ken Burns, follow the journeys of more than 20 young Americans from all over the country and all walks of life, who have struggled with thoughts and feelings that have troubled—and, at times—overwhelmed them. The film presents an unstinting look at both the seemingly insurmountable obstacles faced by those who live with mental disorders and the hope that many have found after that storm.
Episode 1: The Storm is a first-person look at America’s youth mental health crisis.
Explore the story of mental illness in science and society. The four-part series traces the evolution of this complex topic from its earliest days to present times. It examines dramatic attempts across generations to unravel the mysteries of mental illness and gives voice to contemporary Americans across a spectrum of experiences.
Treatment of mental illness over history has been trial and error.
One in five US adolescents has a diagnosable mental health disorder. Learn how you can encourage teens in your care to find balance in their lives and when to seek help from a professional.
Facing Suicide combines the poignant personal stories of people impacted by suicide with profiles of scientists at the forefront of research to reveal new insights into one of America’s most pressing mental health crises. The documentary shines a light on this difficult topic can destigmatize suicide while revealing that there is help as well as hope for those at risk and their loved ones.
Correctional facilities are the nation’s largest mental health care providers. In fact, jails in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago are the three largest institutions providing psychiatric care in the US (NPR).
The Miami-Dade Criminal Mental Health Project comes to life in this documentary, following a team of dedicated public servants working through the courts to steer people with mental illness on a path from incarceration to recovery.