Kansas City PBS has announced a new documentary from acclaimed local filmmaker Michael Price (Our Divided City, Evicted), which uncovers cracks in the mental healthcare system that have only intensified during a global pandemic. The Hidden Pandemic will premiere on Thursday, April 8 at 7 p.m. on Channel 19.1.
In The Hidden Pandemic, acclaimed documentary filmmaker Michael Price heads into homes and through doctor’s office doors to capture local stories of mental illness. Audiences will meet a farmer, a fire chief, a psychiatric nurse, a college student, an IT expert, and many others.
“We are proud to bring this powerful program to our viewers,” said Kliff Kuehl, President and CEO of Kansas City PBS. “Conversations surrounding mental health issues within our community are often underreported, leaving many feeling isolated. We are pleased to partner with Michael again and hope this insightful film provides an important platform for the unheard.”
“Once again, it's been a privilege to work with Kansas City PBS to capture these stories of quiet and quite extraordinary heroism in our community,” said Michael Price, director of The Hidden Pandemic. “For too long mental illness has been swept under the carpet. In some small way, I hope this film shifts that paradigm.”
Immediately following the documentary, news host Nick Haines searches for answers to the provocative questions raised in the film and offers tips and workarounds for navigating a mental health system that's experiencing its own pandemic-related crisis. He's joined by filmmaker Michael Price and some of the metro's leading mental health experts.
Flatland, KCPBS’ digital news source, will explore the issue through a multimedia reporting series, publishing weekly on Wednesdays beginning March 24, featuring articles and videos focused on telling stories from the perspective of the rural community, through the experiences of frontline healthcare providers and from the perspective of area youth.
Visit The Hidden Pandemic program page for more information and a list of local resources.
Support for this series is provided by:
The William T. Kemper Foundation - Commerce Bank, Trustee; the Hall Family Foundation; Husch Blackwell; CommunityAmerica Credit Union; and Robert and Marlese Gourley.