The Kids Are Not All Right: Teen Mental Health, Resilience Myths, and Food Insecurity

Note: this episode deals with discussions of suicide and depression. Please listen with care. 

If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, call 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, or visit 988lifeline.org to get help and guidance.

This week, Jeff and Carol talk with Jonnel Doris, CEO of START Treatment & Recovery Centers, about the state of teen mental health: The American Academy of Pediatrics declared a state of emergency for these young people, and Jonnel discusses how his organization helps – and how you can, too. Then Soraya Chemaly, author of The Resilience Myth, asks us to abandon the idea of individual resilience and sheds light on romanticized moments from the past, showing us resilience relies on community. Mark Bittman wraps up the show by telling us his “radical notion” (not really) that high-quality food should be accessible to all people, and he shares his plan for restaurants centered on that idea.

For more detailed show notes and a full transcript, see the Podcast page on the Invisible Americans website.

The Invisible Americans Podcast is a non-profit communications organization. Its mission is to end child poverty. The podcast is hosted by Co-Presidents Jeff Madrick and Carol Jenkins.

Music for this and all episodes is provided by Bridget St. John. Audio editing by Sylvester P. Lukasiewicz. Show notes and transcript by Amy Yoder.