WATERTOWN, NY (September 18, 2023) – According to a health warning recently issued by the U.S. Surgeon General, youth mental health is an emerging crisis of enormous proportions, exacerbated by pandemic hardships. We take a closer look at the topic with a powerful lineup of documentaries in September, including:
Sunday, September 24
Now Return Us to Normal (11:30 am)
In this healing personal essay documentary, a filmmaker and her fellow classmates confront the trauma brought on by their years at a behavior modification boarding school.
Hiding in Plain Sight: The Storm (1:00 pm)
The first two-hour episode of this riveting documentary, produced by Ken Burns focuses on the lived experience of more than twenty young people with mental health challenges, along with the observations and insights of families, providers, and advocates.
Hiding in Plain Sight: Resilience (3:00 pm)
In this episode, our “heroes” speak about finding help, inpatient and outpatient therapy, the added stigma of racial or gender discrimination, the criminalization of mental illness, and youth suicide.
Tuesday, September 26
My Ascension (8:00 pm)
At just 16 years old, varsity cheerleader Emma Benoit decided life wasn’t worth living anymore. MY ASCENSION is the story of the day that changed Emma’s life, and everything that’s happened since.
For years, she quietly struggled with anxiety and depression, too ashamed to share her pain with family or friends. Through navigating the challenges of recovery, she discovers purpose and passion in helping other struggling teens.
An inspiring look at Emma’s story, including firsthand experiences of families, friends, school officials, and suicide prevention experts. The film does not shy away from the difficult realities of the ongoing youth suicide crisis but shares valuable resources to help keep teens safe.
About WPBS
WPBS is a PBS station serving approximately 650,000 households throughout Northern New York and Eastern Ontario via cable, satellite, Internet and over-the-air distribution. WPBS is a non-profit organization whose mission is to educate, inform, and engage its two-nation region with exceptional and trusted content across multiple platforms. Its vision is to be the premier provider of extraordinary public media that instills wonder and curiosity across generations and borders. More information about WPBS, including a full channel listing, is available at wpbstv.org, or by following WPBS on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
