Newsy To Devote Hundreds Of Hours Of Programming To Mental Health

Newsy, the 24/7 TV news network owned by Scripps, will devote hundreds of hours of airtime to special programming on mental health, beginning in September, in a series called “America’s Breakdown: Confronting Our Mental Health Crisis.” According to a release, through hyper-personal and thoughtful storytelling, Newsy will focus on how differently people may experience issues based on demographics and geography.

Watch the video teaser here.

Special programming produced by Newsy, the Scripps national news team and Scripps Local Media will air across day- and night-time hours and include dozens of produced reports devoted to mental health, four weekly deep-dive specials, an original documentary and a 30-second PSA directing viewers to additional resources, all culminating in a town hall event with notable guests.

Newsy will compile all of its special programming, including mental health resources on Newsy.com. The reports will be available to view online after they air.

“A new study found rates of anxiety, depression and other mental health disorders have increased since the beginning of the pandemic. That results in the need to deeply examine how the country is dealing with the mental health crisis,” said Kate O’Brian, Head of the News Group, Scripps Networks. “Newsy has committed hundreds of hours to this issue, which impacts the lives of every American, through relentless reporting. The result is a whole lot of stellar journalism.”

Newsy packages include:

• Mental health barbershops
  Newsy spotlights an organization that equips barbers in shops across the country with mental health-related skills and resources to help clients, many of whom fear the stigma of going to therapy and asking for help.
• Mental health and TikTok
  TikTok has become a major platform for both mental health professionals and people seeking mental health guidance. Newsy speaks to Dr. Courtney Tracy, a psychotherapist and licensed social worker with 1.8 million followers on TikTok, about why she started making videos to talk about mental health from a professional and personal standpoint.
• Classified workers
  Intelligence community insiders are unable to discuss personal mental health issues to outside family or therapists due to classified nature and fear of stunting career growth. Newsy speaks to one former CIA officer about his alcoholism and sobriety.
• Indigenous mental health care
  Thousands of Native American children were forced to attend boarding schools created to strip them of their culture. Newsy speaks to a mother with PTSD who opens up about her abuse experience. Her daughter who cares for her feels generational trauma as a result. Newsy also talks to a psychiatrist about an indigenous approach to mental health care in this community.
• Young shooters
  Newsy speaks to a 16-year-old male, who tells Newsy he was almost a school shooter and takes viewers through the emotions and circumstances that drove him to buy a gun and nearly go on a rampage.
• COVID and mental health
  Newsy shares new research on how to treat neurological impacts of long haul COVID, including symptoms like fatigue, brain fog and cognitive impairment.
• Opioid pellet treatment
  Newsy speaks to “Growing Pains” actor Jeremy Miller, who shares his journey to overcome alcohol addiction and victory, after implanting an experimental pellet into his body to reduce alcohol cravings. Newsy will also give viewers a look at the race to make a long-lasting version of the pellet, designed to attack opioid addiction.