The Mental Health Reporting Project

Amplify voices living with mental health conditions

Approach with dignity. Support with empathy. Report with accuracy.

A lot is at stake with this story: A teenager who attempted suicide. An unhoused person living with schizophrenia. A survivor in the immediate aftermath of a traumatic event.

How do you approach them? How do you ensure their stories are portrayed accurately? How do you avoid causing additional harm?

Thoughtful coverage that safeguards both sources and reporters demands insight, practice, and critical techniques, and it’s not something most journalists learn in school or on the job. 

Poynter is proud to partner with The Carter Center to bring you an inclusive hub for mental health journalism, generously supported by the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation (BBRF).

Our goal for this pioneering program is to empower journalists with up-to-date tools and ethical practices to minimize harm and advance understanding, awareness and acceptance of mental illness.

The inaugural 2025 initiative equips you with essential, free-of-charge resources: a comprehensive curriculum, expert-authored content, and webinars featuring journalists doing the work.

Scroll below to enjoy these offerings, explore our FAQ and get to know our instructors. Stay tuned for more, coming throughout this year and beyond.

Questions?

If you need assistance, email us at info@poynter.org

In the news

FAQ

  • What does Poynter offer as part of The Mental Health Reporting Project?

    We have a comprehensive, ready-made course — The Mental Health Reporting Project — that provides round-the-clock guidance on best practices for covering stories that involve mental health.

    What’s more, three webinars exploring specific topics in mental health journalism will air live throughout 2025. The first webinar, Covering Vulnerable Sources, will air on May 20, 2025, 1 – 2 p.m. EST. A replay will be available after the webinar airs. Three more webinars will air throughout 2026.

    Additionally, you can expect articles from our subject matter experts and resources posted to this hub and our social networks.

  • How much do these offerings cost?

    Everything under the umbrella of The Mental Health Reporting Project is free of charge due to the generous support of our sponsor, the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation (BBRF).

  • I do not cover the mental health beat. Is this topic still relevant to me?

    The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) estimates that more than one in five U.S. adults live with a mental illness. Even if you are not covering the mental health beat, mental health lies at the intersection of every beat in journalism.

Mental Health Reporting Faculty

  • Kerwin Speight
    Faculty, Poynter
    Kerwin Speight is an award-winning television journalist, with more than 20 years of journalism and leadership experience, and a strong track record of producing local...
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  • Taylor Blatchford
    Taylor Blatchford is an engagement reporter covering mental health at The Seattle Times. She focuses on bringing mental health reporting to community members through resource...
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  • Anissa Durham
    Health Data Reporter, Word in Black
    Anissa Durham is the health data reporter at Word In Black, where she reports on health care inequities and mental health in the Black community....
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  • Mary Hall
    Senior Producer, Change Agents
    Mary Hall is an award-winning reporter, producer and editor, who tells solution- and human-centered stories focusing on healthcare, affordability, community development, and sustainability. Mary is...
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  • Ashley Hopkinson
    SJN Media Coach
    Ashley Hopkinson is an award-winning journalist, newsroom entrepreneur and leader dedicated to excellent storytelling and mission-driven media. Ashley joined The Solutions Journalism Network after 15...
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  • Esmy Jimenez
    Senior Reporter for The Boston Globe
    Esmy Jimenez is a senior reporter for The Boston Globe currently investigating the racial wealth gap in the region. Throughout her career she has reported...
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  • Aneri Pattani
    Senior Correspondent, KFF Health News
    Aneri Pattani is a Senior Correspondent with KFF Health News. Aneri reports on a broad range of public health topics, focusing on mental health and...
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