Youth mental health is up for discussion at the University of Victoria with a film screening and expert panel.
The Faculty of Education at UVic hosts the free showing of award-winning documentary Who Cares About Kelsey on Tuesday. The film focuses on student mental health, and filmmaker Dan Habib will participate in the panel discussion following the screening.
Provincially, 15 per cent of students reported deliberately injuring themselves without trying to kill themselves in the previous year, according to the 2013 B.C. Adolescent Health Survey. At UVic, mental health issues have surpassed learning disabilities as the number one challenge by students registered with the Resource Centre for Students with a Disability.
The film focuses on Kelsey Carroll, an American teenager who lived with homelessness, self-mutilation, abuse and ADHD, and her transformation into a motivated and self-confident young woman.
Panelists include Dr. Sarah Macoun, a child clinical psychologist working in psychiatric, medical and school settings. An assistant professor of educational psychology at UVic, her research is focused on developing affordable and accessible interventions to support children with neurodevelopmental disorders.
The screening and panel discussion of Who Cares About Kelsey is Tuesday, May 26 at 6:30 p.m. in the David Lam Theatre at UVic. Admission is free and everyone is welcome.
Evening parking at UVIc is $2.50.