NET’s Virtual ‘WELL BEINGS’ Event Supports Young Nebraskans’ Mental Health

For Immediate Release

NET’s Virtual ‘WELL BEINGS’ Event Supports Young Nebraskans’ Mental Health

LINCOLN, Neb. (Dec. 10, 2020) – Young people suffering from diagnosed and undiagnosed mental illness are all around us. They are family, friends, teammates, neighbors and co-workers. Mental health issues can cause changes in thinking, feelings, behavior and physical activity.

NET, Nebraska’s PBS & NPR Stations, is hosting its second virtual “WELL BEINGS” online event, “You Are Not Alone: Youth Mental Health in Nebraska,” at 4 p.m. CT, Thursday, Dec. 17, at netNebraska.org/wellbeings. This is a free event and registration is not required.

“You Are Not Alone: Youth Mental Health in Nebraska” includes a panel of experts who are on the frontlines of providing care and understanding for youth who struggle with mental health issues that may lead to suicide. In Nebraska, the youth suicide rate is higher than the national average, and a leading cause of death for 10-24-year-olds, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The virtual event will feature personal stories from young adults, as well as practical skills and information that students, parents, teachers and others who care for young people can use to recognize the signs and symptoms of depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts.

Dr. David Miers, PhD, director of Behavioral Health Services at Bryan Medical Center in Lincoln, Neb. will moderate the event. He is a licensed independent professional counselor and co-founder of the Nebraska State Suicide Prevention Coalition.

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Panelists include:

Nicole Tamayo-Benegas - Nebraska Urban Indian Health Coalition, Omaha. Tamayo-Benegas is the youth and family program director for Soaring Over Meth & Suicide, a prevention and community outreach program developed in response to the high rate of suicide and methamphetamine use among Native Americans.

Miguel Estevez, PLMHP, PLADC - Friendship House, Grand Island, Neb. Estevez is an English, Spanish and Portuguese trilingual mental health professional serving young Nebraskans and others through programs and therapy to cope with traumatic events, mental health conditions including substance use, self-harm and suicidal thoughts.

Participants can submit questions about youth mental health prior to the event or access information about Nebraska mental health resources at netNebraska.org/wellbeings.

Nebraskans are encouraged to join the conversation about mental health by using #WellBeings or tagging us @NETNebraska on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or YouTube.

“WELL BEINGS” events in Nebraska and across the country are leading up to a new Ken Burns’ documentary “Hiding in Plain Sight: Our Mental Health Crisis” scheduled for broadcast on PBS stations in Spring 2022.

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CONTACT: Kim Rogers, 402-660-5521, krogers@netNebraska.org

NET, Nebraska’s PBS & NPR Stations, is the statewide public media service dedicated to creating opportunities for Nebraskans to engage with critical issues, compelling stories and quality entertainment. NET serves each of Nebraska’s 93 counties with 52,560 hours of programming each year on four television and two radio channels, plus online and mobile content. In addition to providing free, high-quality educational programming for children, NET provides programming in the arts, award-winning news and current affairs information and emergency alert services. For more information about NET, visit netNebraska.org.

WELL BEINGS addresses the critical health needs of Americans through broadcast content, original digital content, and impactful local events. The multi-year campaign, created by WETA Washington, D.C., brings together partners from across the country, including patients, families, caregivers, teachers, medical and mental health professionals, social service agencies, private foundations, filmmakers, corporations and media sponsors, to create awareness and resources for better health for all. To learn more, visit WellBeings.org or follow @WellBeingsOrg on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter, and join the conversation with #WellBeings.