Milwaukee PBS Documentary Produced in Partnership with Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK–Wisconsin
Investigates the Crisis of Kids and Mental Health
The collaboration between Milwaukee PBS and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK–Wisconsin continues to provoke discussion, increase awareness, and garner recognition for its journalistic excellence, both locally and nationally. The documentary, Kids in Crisis: You’re Not Alone was just awarded First Place in the 2019 Katherine Schneider Journalism Award for Excellence in Reporting on Disability by the National Center on Disability and Journalism at Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication.
“We are honored that the National Center on Disability and Journalism has recognized our documentary,” said Bohdan Zachary, General Manager of Milwaukee PBS. “In Wisconsin, the teen suicide rate has nearly doubled in the last decade, so we felt absolutely compelled to tell the stories of these four children and their struggles with mental health. We hope that by bringing their stories to light, we will pull the conversation and the issue out of the shadows.”
“In 'You're Not Alone,' four brave Wisconsin teens offer encouragement and inspiration to other young people who suffer from bullying and depression,” said George Stanley, Editor of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “They pay forward what they've learned about how to appreciate their special gifts and talents -- and how to see them in others. It's wonderful to see uplifting journalism aimed at improving lives be honored, and we're proud of the outstanding work by reporter Rory Linnane, of the Journal Sentinel and USA TODAY Network - Wisconsin, along with Maryann Lazarski and Scottie Lee Meyers of Milwaukee PBS."
The Katherine Schneider Journalism Award for Excellence in Reporting on Disability is the only journalism contest devoted exclusively to the coverage of people with disabilities and disability issues. Winners were announced in October 2019. First place in the large media market category was awarded to “Right to Fail, Living Apart, Coming Undone,” an in-depth investigation by ProPublica and PBS Frontline in collaboration with The New York Times. Kids in Crisis: You’re Not Alone was awarded first place in the small media market category.
Kids in Crisis: You’re Not Alone tells the gripping stories of four local young people and their experiences with mental illness and suicidal thoughts. The documentary has generated a considerable amount of public conversation, both locally and nationally. In September, the producers were invited to the State Capitol by the Wisconsin state legislature to screen the film, and to discuss the issue of mental health among Wisconsin’s youth. Also, PBS stations across the country have opted to air Kids in Crisis: You’re Not Alone throughout the fall of 2019.
For more information on Kids in Crisis: You're Not Alone, and for mental health resources, visit www.MilwaukeePBS.org/KidsInCrisis.
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