There's a Mental Health Crisis Among Florida's Kids

This VICE News Tonight special report, delves into the experiences of three families in crisis, each struggling with a child's mental illness, whose lives intersect for 72 hours at Gracepoint Wellness, one of the largest and oldest children's crisis facilities in Florida. WATCH NEXT: The Farmer Fighting Rural America's Mental Health Crisis - bit.ly/2Wcppf7

Hailey's parents gave each other more emotional support than they gave their own child who was literally begging for it...

Kids: I want to die Parents: Don't forget that you're a financial burden

Chris: I need residential care Mom: No you don't. Chris: gets worse Mom: cries all I can do is pray

Chris was BEGGING to be helped. To be kept safe and be looked after by professionals. And that mother blatantly and ignorantly refused to see that he is telling her what is best for him. I truly hope that she opens her heart to actually listening to her son and what he needs for his healing. Going into residential treatment is not "running away from his problems".

I didn’t like how the dad was talking to his daughter “well 72 hours is all you got” you don’t say that. She’s clearly in distress right now

Chris: "I need residential care, I think that would really benefit me" Mom: "I don't think that's the best option for him..he's only 16 he doesn't know what's good for him" Yikes...there's a major issue in this mindset that just because he is a teenager, that he cannot take steps towards knowing what is best for him. Breaks my heart.

If anyone sees this comment Chris is my brother, we celebrated his memorial yesterday and he took his life September 1st. He was hurting really bad and watching this video is now the only way to see him or hear his voice. Please keep him in your prayers. Depression is real and serious.

Chris was failed by the system. He asked for more help and was denied it not only by the system, but his own mother. May you rest in peace baby…

Remember... Florida man was once a Florida Kid

"Most of these suicide attempts happen during the school year" Wow i wonder why

when the teenage blonde girl said “i just don’t wanna feel like this anymore”...i don’t know why that one line hit me so hard. almost made me cry

Yelling at an acutely depressed person going through it about What theyre Gonna Do to solve Their problem is insane & cruel. I get theyre not equipped & stressed about money but My Hod focus on the moment youre in & uh, she obviously has no idea how to feel better. This country is so backwards in who is protected: the rich—versus vulnerable people.

"oh you're 16 you don't know what you need" parents clearly don't know or understand what they're up against

In the 1 minute the father was talking I got the feeling he was a source of some of his daughters issues.

Hailey's parents also highlight the growing problem of parenting in America: having children for the attention or religious reasons, but not willing to get their hands dirty when things don't go the way they thought things would. In the world of two income households, children aren't getting the attention from parents, that their parents received. I believe there's a direct correlation between mental health and the attention children get from their parents growing up. There's a reason that there was no "pandemic baby boom" when people were locked down. I believe people are realizing that if you can't afford to support even yourself during an emergency, there's no way can survive with kids.

“You have a good support system around you and we’re here to make you feel better (as long as your insurance pays)”

The police being called in those situations sends the idea that being mentally ill is a crime.

Kids: this is what I need Parents & doctors: you don’t know what you need

The parents are hugging each other but not their kid? The kid needs support and love!