BHN, Gándara Center, NEPM to Present Discussion of ‘Hiding in Plain Sight: Youth Mental Illness’

SPRINGFIELD — Behavioral Health Network (BHN), the Gándara Center, and New England Public Media will present “Hiding in Plain Sight,” a panel discussion on the subject of youth mental health. The event, which will be held on Thursday, Oct. 20 at 5 p.m. at Valley Venture Mentors in Springfield, is a follow-up to Hiding in Plain Sight: Youth Mental Illness, a documentary recently presented by PBS and Ken Burns.

The program will start with the screening of a 30-minute portion of the film, followed by a discussion with the film’s co-directors, Erik Ewers and Christopher Loren Ewers; Enrique Vargas Gonzalez, an outpatient psychotherapist at Springfield’s Gándara Center; and a young person with mental-health challenges featured in the film. The discussion will be moderated by Katherine Cook, BHN’s senior vice president. Click here to register.

Hiding in Plain Sight: Youth Mental Illness premiered on NEPM-TV in June and is available for streaming at video.nepm.org. It features first-person accounts from more than 20 young people, ranging in age from 11 to 27, who live with mental-health conditions, as well as parents, teachers, friends, healthcare providers in their lives, and independent mental-health experts. The film presents an unvarnished window into daily life with mental-health challenges, from seemingly insurmountable obstacles to stories of hope and resilience. Through the experiences of these young people, the film confronts the issues of stigma, discrimination, awareness, and silence, and, in doing so, helps to advance a shift in the public perception of mental-health issues today.

“We’re proud to partner with Gándara Center and NEPM to help share this important documentary with the community,” said Steve Winn, president and CEO of BHN. “Hearing stories firsthand from young people struggling with behavioral-health conditions is a powerful way to break through the stigma that makes it challenging for many to seek help.”

Lois Nesci, CEO of the Gándara Center, added that “youth are faced with a number of challenges and struggles, and many times, their mental health is impacted. The signs and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and other serious behavioral-health issues are not always easily recognized. It’s great to see that Ken Burns and the filmmakers are doing their part to break the stigma and focusing on the mental health of our youth today. The Gándara Center provides a number of bilingual, culturally competent mental-health services to youth, adults, and their families. We understand the lifelong impact mental health can have on the youth we serve and their families.”