Renton, Washington – August 7, 2024 – Work2BeWell is launching a free, one-of-its-kind Youth Mental Health Curriculum for schools across the country in partnership with the producers and directors of the critically acclaimed PBS film, “Hiding in Plain Sight: Youth Mental Illness,” executive produced by Ken Burns.
In close collaboration with Ewers Brothers Productions, the curriculum developers translated the 4-hour film into 26 interactive lessons for students in grades 7-12 with hands-on activities and discussion prompts, covering topics ranging from anxiety and depression to social media and mental health stigma.
“The primary goal of this new curriculum is to raise awareness about mental health and mental illness,” said Robin Henderson, PsyD, chief executive of behavioral health for Providence Oregon and Work2BeWell chief clinical officer.
“Quite often, we see an intergenerational pattern of silence around mental health. What we really need to do is to educate and empower young people. Using the mental health stories as told by the film’s youth and supported by mental health experts, this new curriculum provides students with the tools and the language to help themselves, help each other, and to bring the conversations home to their parents.”
Erik Ewers, co-director of the film, added, “When embarking on this film, our aim was to create peer-to-peer conversations between the film subjects and their viewers and elevate the healing impact of those conversations by collaborating with organizations dedicated to youth mental health. By joining forces with Work2BeWell and Providence, we have integrated the film’s core message into educational programs. This new resource serves as a crucial tool in supporting the mental well-being of young people nationwide by reaching youth where they spend most of their time amongst each other—in school—where both education and social worlds come together.”
Much like the film, the curriculum is grounded in the voices, stories, and perspectives of young people themselves. Students with a diverse range of backgrounds and lived experiences were involved in the curriculum’s development, collaborating closely with educators and behavioral health clinicians to ensure the content is clinically vetted and feasible in educational settings.
Mohammad Shedeed, a W2BW student alum who contributed to the development of the curriculum commented, “Incorporating input from students like myself, who were personally involved in the development of this new resource, ensures the curriculum is genuinely reflective and responsive to our needs, making it a more effective tool in fostering understanding and support within schools.”
Jawanza Hadley, Work2BeWell program director, added, “One of the purposes of creating this curriculum is to normalize the conversation around mental health in the classrooms where students are already having these conversations with their peers. It’s really important that students can see themselves in this curriculum and realize they’re not alone.”
Youth mental health resource is free and available to schools nationwide
This curriculum is unique in how it is customizable. Any school can tailor it their specific student population and educational needs allowing educators to adapt each lesson to meet the needs of students.
Learn more and download W2BW’s new youth mental curriculum: https://work2bewell.org/hips/
About Work2BeWell
Work2BeWell is a mental health and wellness program focused on providing mental health resources and education for teens, parents, and educators. Our goal is to promote teen wellness across the country, and work to normalize the conversation about mental health and reduce the stigma that surrounds it.
Work2BeWell is committed to fostering an inclusive environment for all and welcomes participation of groups traditionally underrepresented in mental health conversations like minorities, persons with disabilities, and the LGBTQIA+ community.
About Hiding in Plain Sight
“Ken Burns Presents, Hiding in Plain Sight: Youth Mental Illness” film is a 4-hour television series produced and directed by Ewers Brothers Productions. The film aired nationally on PBS in June 2022. Two years later—by viewer demand—it has been rebroadcast over 5,100 times, and released in more than eight foreign countries. It chronicles the stories of more than 20 young people, ages 11 to 27, from diverse backgrounds around the U.S., who experienced various mental health challenges.
The film gave them a voice to share their struggles—while also interviewing parents, friends, mental health care providers and advocates—to bring light to both the impact of mental health illness in society and to the various factors that contribute to these challenges including childhood trauma, stigma and social media. Throughout the documentary, the stories showcase the importance of awareness and empathy — and allows people of all ages to feel less alone.
