Dr. Jelena Kecmanovic, the director of the Arlington/DC Behavior Therapy Institute, was invited to an event hosted by First Lady Jill Biden at the White House: A screening of the PBS documentary, “Hiding in Plain Sight: Youth Mental Illness.” The documentary, whose executive producer is Ken Burns, follows the mental health journeys of more than 20 young Americans, and features accounts from their parents, teachers, friends, health care providers, and mental health experts. The screening took place on June 22 in the East Room of the White House, and included directors Erik Ewers and Christopher Loren Ewers, and several of the youths featured in the film.
Dr. K said she was was honored to attend the screening, and said the documentary helped spotlight a crucial mental health issue in the United States that predates the Coronavirus pandemic but has become even more acute during the past two years. “Children and teenagers have been hit especially hard by the disruption in schooling and the isolation that has been an unfortunate result of the critical health measures required in combatting the pandemic.”
Dr. K also noted that that economic insecurity and the loss of caregivers to illness, addiction and other issues have greatly affected children and families and added to their mental health burdens. “We must do our part to assist children and teens during this very difficult time, and we encourage parents, teachers and community leaders to be aware of the warning signs that indicate when children are in need and where to find appropriate resources to provide help and hope.”
The full four-hour documentary film premiered in two parts on June 27 and 28 on PBS, and can be streamed on the PBS website at pbs.org.
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