The Mind Inside

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Full film available now. The first episode in The Mind Inside, a docuseries exploring mental health in public schools.

2019 // 31:31 // Omaha, NE

Topics:

Mental Health

Playlists:

Westside Community Schools

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Extras:

Left Right

31:31
Episode One
3:04
Trailer: Episode One
1:56
Director's Note
1:25
Understanding Kids
2:01
Understanding Connections
1:04
10 Adverse Childhood Experiences
1:06
Barriers to Education

The Mind Inside, a docuseries, explores the landscape of mental health issues in Nebraska’s public schools.

Background

“Everywhere we went for two years, schools were talking about the importance of mental health – from the need to the access of services, to the growing urgency of the issue,” Sally Nellson, director and executive producer shares. “We listened and started to explore.”

The Mind Inside, an I Love Public Schools docuseries, explores the landscape of mental health issues in Nebraska schools.

The initial episode lays the foundation for the series, establishing what life looks like in public schools today and how mental health impacts the classroom. At Millard North Middle School, the primary setting of the first episode, staff describe the whole host of problems students bring to school with them, from trauma to peer frustrations, anxiety and depression, and more.

Vignettes of students’ daily struggles are a key storytelling element used to establish the nuance of what students face. From the three featured students, viewers see how angry and disruptive outbursts, negligent and abusive households, and diagnosed mental health issues can influence life at school, not only for the students themselves but for classmates and teachers.

School social worker Eric Depue acts as the guide for audiences to understand each student’s story; his intentional and honest interactions with the students weave in vivid, heartbreaking examples that help further explain how environmental influences like abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction take a toll on students’ lives.

One of the main themes in the première episode illustrates that despite the lack of comprehensive services schools are finding ways to address mental health needs and prop students up with support however they can find it.

“It’s a testament to how well schools – school counselors, social workers, psychologists, and teachers – use the limited resources available to them to still address the needs of students,” Nellson shares. “However, it’s only just the start and schools need more support.”

Cast

Bill Jelkin

Director of Student Services

Millard Public Schools

As the Director of Student Services for Millard Public Schools, Bill Jelkin oversees student health for the district, including learning supports, student code of conduct and behavior counselors and social workers. In the film, his perspective highlights the pervasive challenges mental health brings to a school district and the challenges it provides for connecting students with appropriate resources.

Carey Starns

6th Grade English Teacher

Millard North Middle Schools

In the film, sixth-grade teacher Carey Starns demonstrates the impact of trauma-informed classroom practices. Through her activities and teaching style, she showcases a focus on mental wellness and it’s connection to influence academic success. Her role in the film helps demonstrate the changing role educators are required to play in the lives of students.

Deb Anderson Papis MSW, PhD

Senior Director of Early Intervention and Training

Project Harmony

As the Senior Director of Early Intervention and Training at Project Harmony, Deb Anderson Papis, Ph.D. collaborates directly with schools to connect mental health and support services with students and families in need. Project Harmony is a non-profit organization that exists to protect and support children, collaborate with professionals and engage the community to end child abuse and neglect.

Eric Depue

Social Worker

Millard North Middle School

Social worker Eric Depue acts as the guide for audiences to understand each student’s story; his intentional and honest interactions with the students weave in vivid, heartbreaking examples that help further explain how environmental influences like abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction take a toll on students’ lives.

Sally Nellson

Director

Since 2011, Sally has interviewed more than 500 people and directed more than 40 films to raise awareness about the high-quality public education in Nebraska. Most recently she has turned her attention to creating longer-form I Love Public Schools films, documentaries focused on the ways societal issues impact public schools and what schools are doing to protect, understand, and empower students to be successful. Prior to this campaign, Sally ran a successful practice providing creative direction and story development for many of the largest banks and investment managers in the country. Sally is a proud graduate of Ashland-Greenwood High School.

Resources

Project Harmony

This non-profit organization exists to protect and support children, collaborate with professionals and engage the community to end child abuse and neglect.

Visit Website

10 Adverse Childhood Experiences

The Adverse Childhood Experiences Study (ACEs) is a research study conducted by Kaiser Permanente Thrive and the CDC featured in The Mind Inside.

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Understanding Connections

Project Harmony, featured in the first episode of The Mind Inside, represents a team of law enforcement, social services, medical and referral professionals who work together to protect children. Their program, Connections, works with school and medical professionals to identify children in need of preventative and early intervention mental health services and social services.

The Connections program then matches children with community therapists and provides ongoing follow-up to families, referral sources, and providers. This collaborative approach strives to protect children and families, taking the weight off of the school to help put the focus back on academics.

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Boys Town Social Media Safety

From guides and emails, parenting tips and access to experts, the Boys Town Social Media Safety resources help address cyber safety for kids and provide actionable steps for families.

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Nebraska Resources

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More about The Mind Inside Series

In the new multi-episode docuseries, audiences will learn about mental health in public schools, the challenges students face, the social, emotional, and behavioral resources available for students who struggle, and the short- and long-term solutions communities provide.

The goal of the series is to create awareness around mental health and to encourage understanding, empathy, and support for students.

Cast