Cry for Help

Aired Wednesday, April 29th, 2009 @ 8:00 pm on KUED HD Ch. 7.1 »

This primetime special features first-person stories from adolescents who are confronting depression, anxiety and mental illness. From depressed, suicidal teens to parents unaware of what may be troubling their own children to those on the front lines of prevention and care, CRY FOR HELP provides a rare and important look at mental illness among young adults. Through their own words, the program documents their stories, their emotional struggles, their lives in crisis. CRY FOR HELP affords a new understanding of the teens' world. In doing so, it explores treatments, mental health testing and community healing programs to give parents and educators a basis for recognizing the warning signs of teens in trouble.

Join KUED 7, the SLC Film Center, the Salt Lake City Main Public Library, the National Alliance on Mental Illness-Utah Chapter, and the University Neuropsychiatric Institute for a preview screening and panel discussion of the program Cry For Help.

Funding for KUED's Diverse Voices programs and events are provided by American Express, the B.W. Bastian Foundation, and The Salt Lake Tribune.

Read the local press release »

This Health Matters program was screened on Tuesday April 21st, 2009 at 7:00 p.m. at Salt Lake City Main Library.

Screening panelists:

• Dr. Douglas Gray, M.D., Associate Professor of Psychiatry University of Utah Department of Psychiatry
  Dr. Douglas Gray is currently the Training Director for Child Psychiatry at The University of Utah. He's a clinician treating adolescent outpatients with mental illness. Dr. Gray has expertise in youth suicide, is a principal investigator, and is a Utah Youth Suicide Study Consultant for the Utah Statewide Suicide Prevention Plan. more »
• Dr. James Kahn, Ph.D., Director of Psychology University of Utah Neuropsychiatric Institute
  Dr. James Kahn currently serves as the University of Utah Neuropsychiatric Institutes' Director of Psychology. He has been a psychology staff member at the University Neuropsychiatric Institute since its opening in 1986. Clinical work has primarily been with adolescents and young adults and their families dealing with mood and anxiety disorders, trauma as well as behavioral concerns and addictions. more »
• Kristen Reisig, Clinical Director, Children, Youth and Families
  Kristen Reisig is the Clinical Director for Children, Youth and Families at the State Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health.   In 1984, she received a BA in English, with a minor in German and subsequently a Master's Degree in Social Work from the University of Utah.  Her pre-social work career began at an inner-city women's homeless shelter in Washington, D.C.   Since that time she has worked either directly or administratively with children, youth and their families in school-settings, community mental health settings and currently at the State level.   more »
• Sherri Wittwer, M.P.A., Executive Director NAMI Utah - National Alliance on Mental Illness
  Sherri became involved with NAMI because her son was diagnosed with bipolar disorder at the age of thirteen. The impact of the illness on her son and the entire family was tremendous. While doing some work for Salt Lake County conducting a mental health needs assessment, Sherri discovered NAMI. more »

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