Yin & Yang & Gang Treatment
Premise: On the cusp of seventeen, Rebecca's life is upended when a miscommunication about her mental health leads her to an unexpected stay at Sunnybrook Care Facility. Surrounded by a group of eccentric and troubled teens, Rebecca quickly realizes that her idea of "normal" is about to be challenged.
Rebecca is with her friends on their way back from a sweet sixteen when she realizes that she is out past her curfew. She rushes home but it is too late, her parents have already locked the doors and banished her for the night. Rebecca walks around the neighborhood all night before finally returning to her front yard around dawn where she lies until her step-dad leaves for work and he allows her in the front door.
Rebecca’s mom and sister are in the kitchen. Her sister begins to nose around on their online school portal and discovers that Rebecca is failing one of her classes. Chloe gets Rebecca in trouble with their parents. Rebecca’s step-father begins escalating the situation. He picks up a rock and throws it at her head causing Rebecca to black out.
Rebecca drifts in and out of consciousness in various hospital rooms with various people. When she finally wakes up a nurse takes her blood and a social worker asks her a few questions but she isn’t answering them honestly. Paramedics take her to Sunnybrook Care Facility.
Her first day in the unit is rough. Rebecca has a violent outburst but Nurse Nancy doesn’t put her in the padded room. Several of the kids in the unit attempt to make nice with her but she refuses. She gets accused of bullying. In art therapy the therapist takes a great interest in her. Rebecca grows closer to Kim but makes no progress in convincing the psychiatrist that she does not need to be here. Jacob has a heartfelt goodbye. Aiden is dramatically removed because he is not eating enough. Rebecca punches a wall until she falls asleep.
Rebecca wakes up to a bandaged hand and a poorly worded meal survey. Cue montage of the days passing by while chaos ensues and people come and go. A staff meeting provides some insight to the days to come. To Rebecca’s dismay Kim will not be working for the next week. On visitation day, Rebecca’s family is left downstairs waiting and her mom has an almost encounter with Lianne.
Three new kids enter the unit. Juliette immediately cozies up to the teenaged boy. Rebecca begins to go delirious. Her mom leaves a birthday basket that brings a lot of curiosity from the others. She begs the nurses to go outside. Jeramey, the new 8-year old, feels less like a person and more an insane figment of her imagination. After dinner on Saturday night a girl, Mac, is rolled into the unit. She is hugging a stuffed animal and waves at everyone like she’s on a red carpet. Rebecca waits out all night for the clock to strike midnight. The nurse behind the stand changes her age on the board to say 17 and one of the techs brings her a piece of cake.
The news about her birthday is out and everyone seems to make it their mission to drive her crazy. One of the nurses takes pity on Rebecca and allows her to complete a crossword puzzle in her room. The breakfast room is used as a pseudo classroom and Rebecca learns more about Bryce. Lianne comes up to the unit to formally meet with Rebecca, who comes out of that meeting shell shocked. Aiden returns to the unit and Juliette dumps the new guy in favor of him. Relenting to the constant pestering about the basket Rebecca agrees to let it be opened and shares it with a select group of the residents that night.
3 months later and Rebecca has finally fallen into routine with the care facility. Chloe gets admitted to the unit, to Rebecca’s absolute shock. They have a passive aggressive sibling spat during group therapy. Their mom comes to visit, but only Chloe goes down to see her. Everyone not in a visit is brought outside and Rebecca basks in the sunlight. She finds a perfectly unused cigarette on the ground and brings it over to Kim. Nurse Nancy grabs Rebecca because she is going home.
Rebecca leaves Sunnybrook Care Facility and she is saddened by that. Her mom is quite displeased with a lot of things and complains loudly. Rebecca tunes her out and receives a text message from Lianne.