Hiding in Plain Sight Poster

Youth and Mental Health: Hiding in Plain Sight

“Hiding in Plain Sight” is a documentary by Executive Producer, Ken Burns, about the mental health crisis among youth in America.

The film, which premiered in June 2022, gives voice to the experiences of young people who struggle with mental health challenges and focuses on the importance of awareness and empathy.

Escape Velocity thinks this is a great resource for youth to watch by themselves or with their family and friends. The two part documentary is below.

This video is available on PBS until 7/25/22.

The Storm, the first two-hour episode of Hiding in Plain Sight, focuses on more than twenty young people who provide an intimate look at what it’s like to experience the symptoms of mental illness, from depression to addiction to suicide ideation. The film includes insights from families, providers, and advocates and explores the impact of childhood trauma, stigma, and social media.

This video is available on PBS until 7/26/22.

In Resilience, the second episode of Hiding in Plain Sight, our “heroes” speak about finding help and inpatient and/or outpatient treatment. It also explores the criminalization of mental illness, tragedy of youth suicide, and “double stigma” that occurs when mental illness is combined with racial or gender discrimination. Throughout, the interviewees demonstrate the power of resiliency and hope.