The Program

Content Warning: This section of the guide describes and discusses the source text’s treatment of death by suicide, depression, sexual assault, sexual exploitation, and psychological abuse and manipulation. The source material also depicts problematic views surrounding mental illness.

Sloane Barstow sits in class filling out the daily wellness survey. A classmate named Kendra turns around in her seat and tells Sloane that she saw Lacey, Sloane’s childhood friend, at the Wellness Center the night before. Sloane feels shocked that Lacey has returned from The Program. Suddenly, two handlers walk into the room. As Kendra aggressively struggles to get away, the handlers drag her out of the classroom. Afterward, the teacher continues as if nothing happened, asking Sloane to finish the daily assessment. The questionnaire lists questions about Sloane’s mental health and about the strength of her desire to die by suicide. Sloane lies about her answers because everyone feels overwhelmed, but they cannot let anyone know that.

A few years before, the government declared teen suicide an epidemic because of the massive influx of teenagers dying by suicide. The theory behind the increased teenage suicide is that depression has become “contagious.” Sloane’s school was one of the first major school districts to implement The Program, which promised to prevent the spread of suicide.