May is Mental Health Awareness Month
Take action to break the stigma, have your voice heard, and be part of the conversation.
Take Action.
Thursday, May 15
While more people than ever before may be comfortable discussing mental health, there are still many that fall through the cracks in the space between awareness and action.
Mental Health Action Day on Thursday, May 15 will drive our culture from awareness to action by providing the tangible tools that will help us all take an action for ourselves, for our loved ones, and for our community.
Take me to Mental Health Action Day »
Listen to stories on WPSU-FM
Beyond the Mirror: The Challenge of Eating Disorders
Wednesday, May 14, 2:00 p.m.
An estimated 29 million Americans will suffer from an eating disorder in their lifetime. These mental illnesses can be profoundly disruptive to a person’s life and psychological well-being. And eating disorders can be deadly. Anorexia nervosa has one of the highest mortality rates of any psychiatric condition. Eating disorders strike a wide range of people, but deep-rooted assumptions about who suffers from these diseases often complicate the road to recovery.
This special looks at eating disorders and the challenges of treatment. We hear firsthand from people who have experienced these illnesses and experts who treat them.
The Aging Mind
Wednesday, May 21, 2:00 p.m.
Studies show that one in four older adults lives with a mental illness, such as depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders. But many older people don’t get the help they need. And America’s aging population is expected to double by 2050.
This program explores the unique mental health challenges of older adults, the models in place to care for them, therapeutic solutions, and improved treatment systems. We hear from mental health providers, direct care workers, and older Americans living with mental health issues.
Promise & Peril: Technology and Mental Health
Wednesday, May 28, 2:00 p.m.
Technology is ever-present in modern life, from remote work to communities on social media, from dating apps to telemedicine. We live with a constantly expanding array of online options and an ever-growing list of new questions about the health implications of spending so much time online with our devices.
This broadcast special explores the influence of technology on our mental health.
Treating the Young Mind
Wednesday, June 4, 2:00 p.m.
The phrase “if only” is often used concerning a person’s mental health. If only we’d known they were hurting. If only they’d been diagnosed sooner. Roughly one in seven children ages of 3 through 17 has a diagnosed mental or behavioral health condition.
This special looks at how critical early intervention can be in caring for children’s mental health — and ways they are treated. We hear from experts about the safety of medicating kids and new advances in therapy.
Silent Battles: Mental Health & Military Service
Wednesday, June 11, 2:00 p.m.
Mental illness is the leading cause of hospitalization for America’s military service members. Anxiety conditions and post-traumatic stress disorders lead the list of diagnoses.
This special explores the mental health needs of people serving in the military, and of veterans. We hear about how combat and noncombat military duty can affect mental health. And we explore the unique resources and support available to service members and veterans.
Host: Kimberly Adams
Kimberly Adams is the host of Call to Mind’s national broadcast programs, and a host and senior correspondent for APM’s Marketplace. She covers mental health, politics, business and the economy from Washington, D.C. Before moving to D.C., Kimberly was a Cairo-based journalist reporting on the political, social and economic upheaval in Egypt following the Arab Spring.
Watch on WPSU-TV
An intimate portrayal of three families confronting the unique challenges of Alzheimer’s and how this progressive neurodegenerative disease transforms roles and relationships. Whether it’s a partner becoming a caregiver or an adult child shifting into being their parent’s caretaker, these stories show how families evolve when a loved one is diagnosed.
Monday, May 5, at 10:00 p.m.
In the U.S., where more women die in childbirth than in any other wealthy nation, the joys of pregnancy and motherhood are often overshadowed by fear. The film interweaves the stories of women and their families across the U.S. as they navigate the challenges of pregnancy, mental health, childbirth, and the postpartum period. It paints a joyous portrait of the moment babies come into the world and the heroic efforts of families and communities to catch new mothers before they fall through the broken health safety net.
Wednesday, May 7, at 3:00 p.m.
Grammy nominee Caissie Levy stars in the story of a suburban family struggling with the effects of mental illness. This Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning Broadway musical directed by Michael Longhurst from London’s Donmar Warehouse features Levy (Broadway’s “Frozen”) as a troubled suburban wife and mother living with bipolar disorder and haunted by her past.
Friday, May 9, at 9:00 p.m.
The World’s Toughest Row, where unassisted rowing boats cross the Atlantic Ocean from the Canary Islands to Antigua. For a team of four veterans, it was the ultimate test of body and mind, and an opportunity to raise funds and awareness for other vets suffering with mental illness. Then tragedy struck and they were stranded in a life raft waiting to be rescued. This their story.
Sunday, May 18, at 3:00 p.m.
Riddled with survivor’s guilt after his unit lost 17 men during “Operation Enduring Freedom” in Afghanistan, Marine veteran Anthony Marquez makes it his mission to reconnect with the Gold Star families of the fallen. By carving and hand-delivering a battlefield cross for each of the families affected by loss, Anthony finds the path to heal himself.
Monday, May 26, at 10:00 p.m.
Support children and adolescents.
Connection: Supporting Kids Mental Health During Difficult Times – On-demand recording
In this video, Marisa Vicere and Ali Turley from the Jana Marie Foundation will help parents and families explore the prevalence of mental health concerns, how to recognize warning signs, and ways to engage in meaningful and supportive conversations.
PBS Parents resources
PBS KIDS is a welcome and safe place for every child. Our engaging characters serve as positive role models by expressing kindness, respect, honesty and good hearts. Alongside their favorite characters toddlers and grade school children can learn ways of coping with feelings, reinforce how they can truly be themselves, and see that differences are celebrated. The PBS Parents website offers social and emotional learning games, activities and videos.
