Filming a documentary was never on the radar of behavioral health leaders at New York City-based Northwell Health. But when approached with the idea, Laura Braider, PhD, clinical psychologist and associate vice president of behavioral health at the health system, said leaders saw it as an opportunity to break down the stigma that still surrounds inpatient mental healthcare.
About 1 in 10 young adults in the U.S. struggle with serious mental illness — a crisis that society doesn't often get an inside look at.
But in June, a two-part series offering a raw look at the daily lives of patients and staff at Northwell Zucker Hillside Hospital, a psychiatric facility in Queens, N.Y., aired on Max, HBO's streaming service. The documentary, One South: Portrait of a Psych Unit, is a rare glimpse at how college-aged patients in crisis navigate treatment and of the triumphs and challenges experienced by clinical staff. Days into its premiere, it was among the 10 most watched on the streaming platform.
"We were able to show a view of inpatient hospitalization that has never been seen" on television, Dr. Braider told Becker's. "I think when people hear about psychiatric hospitals, they have ideas of what those patients and treatment may look like … then you see the film and you can see pieces of someone and their journey that you can relate to."
Over the past few years, health system leaders have poured more resources and energy into expanding mental health services, particularly as the nations' behavioral health crisis increasingly strains emergency departments. The documentary lays bare the need for continued investments in this space, showing patients' — many of whom arrive following a suicide attempt or experiencing thoughts of suicide — journey from admission and treatment through discharge.
Zucker Hillside Hospital is home to one of the only inpatient psychiatric units specializing in care for college-aged students in the country. In addition to documenting patients' treatment journey, the film takes viewers inside the hardships faced by clinical staff, such as moments of self doubt when their patients haven't yet opened up to treatment plans, and the sense of community they form with one another in sharing their own struggles and working through them together.
"I think that one of the most helpful parts of being a cohesive team and not burning out is a sense of community and having a team that trusts each other," Dr. Braider said. This sentiment is on full display during team huddles where staff candidly share how they're doing on a scale of 1 to 10, and share advice with each other.
Aside from the challenges, a core reason for this project was to capture success stories and "journeys to hope" to both inspire patients who are struggling with serious mental health conditions, as well as cultivate interest in behavioral healthcare careers.
"We get to see people get better all the time," Dr. Braider said. "Seeing how people in their darkest hour can go on to live a great life, I think that's really meaningful and can do a lot of good."