Mental Health / Public News Service

Climate scientists in Maine said the state has already experienced 8 inches of sea level rise over the past century and could see an additional 1.5 more feet by 2050, with significant implications for coastal industries, tourism and home insurance rates. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, May 20, 2024

Warmer, wetter climate in Maine impacts human health, infrastructure

Scientists said Maine's climate is getting warmer and wetter, with significant implications for human health and infrastructure. Data show the 10 …

Parents of young people harmed by social media platforms are urging Congress to pass the

Monday, May 20, 2024

Parents press for online child safety reforms amid Congressional reform

Massachusetts parents of children harmed by social media platforms are calling on Congress to advance the bipartisan "Kids Online Safety Act." The bi…

An estimated 500 South Dakotans between ages 13 and 17, and 2,900 adults, identify as transgender, according to UCLA's Williams Institute. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, May 20, 2024

SD sends mixed messages on youth rights

A staggering 93% of transgender teens live in states that have either enacted or proposed laws that would restrict their rights - according to a new r…

The Nurse Licensure Compact now includes 41 states and territories. Legislation to join is pending in seven other states and the District of Columbia. (Adobe Stock)

CT to join national nurses' compact; other workforce solutions sought

Connecticut is slated to join a national nursing compact. House Bill 5058 got the General Assembly's approval and awaits Gov. Ned Lamont's signature…

While Virginia's ranking by Mental Health America for adult mental health improved from 2022 to 2023, its youth mental health ranking plummeted to one of the lowest in the nation during the same period. (Adobe Stock)

VA works to improve, better fund mental health services

Virginia is bolstering mental health care during and beyond Mental Health Month. Since the pandemic, the need for behavioral health services has …

Recent statewide figures look promising, but homelessness in South Dakota has risen more than 120% since 2007, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. (Adobe Stock)

Sioux Falls programs address rising homeless population

Homelessness in South Dakota may be down overall, but the state's urban areas are an exception. New programs in Sioux Falls aim to address it…

Multiple lawsuits have been filed against the Texas Department of Criminal Justice because its prisons are not air conditioned. (Felix Pergande/Adobe Stock)

People in TX prisons claim heat-related health effects, demand air conditioning

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice is facing a class action lawsuit calling for the agency to add central air conditioning to all its prisons…

The Pikes Peak Challenge helps provide support to brain injury survivors, including stroke victims, in Colorado, one of just two states in the nation with a brain injury organization. (Adobe Stock)

Brain injury survivors aim to defy the odds climbing Pikes Peak

Several hundred hikers are expected to climb to a summit of over 14,000 feet for this year's Pikes Peak Challenge in Colorado Springs, an annual …

A total of 38,600 transgender youth now live in states where a policy has been enacted that either explicitly or implicitly restricts their access to bathrooms and other facilities, according to the report. (Adobe Stock)

Report: NV fares well with transgender rights

Ninety-three percent of transgender teens live in a state that has enacted or proposed legislation that would restrict their rights - according to a n…

New Hampshire lacks many of the fundamental gun safety laws enforced in other New England states, including extreme risk protection orders or requirements for concealed-carry permits or background checks on gun buyers. (Adobe Stock)

After NH Hospital shooting, bipartisan bill aims to prevent repeat tragedy

The New Hampshire Senate will vote this week on a bipartisan gun violence prevention bill prompted by last year's deadly shooting at New Hampshire Hos…

The Denver Post reports the total number of Coloradans with Medicaid health insurance has dropped by 30% since 2023, just below Texas and Utah. (Adobe Stock)

Report: 86,101 Colorado children removed from Medicaid insurance rolls

More than 4 million children in the U.S. lost their health insurance after automatic Medicaid coverage renewals enacted during the COVID public …

Arkansas is among eight states disenrolling so many children in 2023 that fewer were enrolled at year's end than before the pandemic in early 2020. (Nina Lawrenson/Adobe Stock)

Report: AR among top states for children losing health coverage post-COVID

A new report showed the number of children covered by Medicaid varies widely between states as pandemic-era protections were lifted, with Arkansas …

Children need regular well-child and dental visits to track their development and find health problems early, when they're usually easier to treat, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Ohio among top states for number of kids kicked off Medicaid, CHIP

More than 120,000 Ohio kids have been disenrolled from Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program or CHIP, and most were removed for …

By December 2023, 4.16 million fewer children were enrolled in Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program nationwide, than the month before each state began the process of renewing eligibility after the COVID-related Medicaid continuous coverage protections were lifted. (Adobe Stock)

UT among largest percentage declines in Medicaid, CHIP enrollment

A new report from Georgetown University's Center for Children and Families showed Utah is one of the states to see the largest percentage declines in …

As of last December, 4.16 million fewer children were enrolled in Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program nationwide than the month before each state began the process of renewing post-COVID eligibility. (Adobe Stock)

SC scrambles to re-enroll kids dropped off post-COVID Medicaid rolls

More than 65,000 children in South Carolina have lost their health insurance through Medicaid, despite being eligible for coverage, according to a …

Medicaid 'unwinding' leaves thousands of LA children without coverage

More than 56,000 children in Louisiana have lost their health insurance through Medicaid last year, despite being eligible for coverage, according to …

United Way of Connecticut's latest ALICE report found 39% of residents live below the ALICE income threshold necessary to live and work in the state. (Adobe Stock)

CT group helps residents with pandemic’s lingering impacts

Connecticut groups are still addressing the pandemic's aftermath. Along with connecting residents to vital services, United Way of Connecticut is …

In Montana, 6.9% of children do not have health insurance, ranking the state 44th out of 51, according to Georgetown University's study. (Adobe Stock)

MT sees nation's highest percentage of kids losing Medicaid

More than 4 million children nationwide were removed from Medicaid and CHIP health coverage by the end of 2023 as the government reset the programs af…

A special session of the Missouri Legislature to complete the budget may be needed if it is not finalized by Friday at 6 p.m.(luzitanija/Adobe Stock)

Critical child care funding hangs in balance as Missouri budget nears deadline

Child care advocates are pushing for increased funding as the budget deadline approaches this Friday. Robyn Schelp, director of policy and advocacy …

Federal researchers found nearly three in four children who were disenrolled during the

Report: NC works to keep kids on Medicaid health coverage

A new report showed North Carolina is one of only a few states taking a cautious approach to removing families with children from Medicaid since the p…

KY keeps most kids enrolled in Medicaid coverage, post-pandemic

Nationwide, children are losing their Medicaid and CHIP coverage but Kentucky has kept the majority of its youngest residents enrolled, according to …

Medicaid coverage includes checkups, sick visits, immunizations as well as dental and vision care. (Adobe Stock/AI)

Report: ID covering fewer kids with public insurance vs. 2019

As pandemic era protections were lifted, a new report showed the number of children on Medicaid has varied widely between states, with Idaho seeing a …

Through the SMART apprenticeship program in Michigan, a school psychology graduate student earns $25 per hour for 20 hours a week, for 30 weeks. (Monkey Business)

MI schools seek solutions as pandemic mental health funding ends

Special state funding for mental health staff at Michigan public schools during the pandemic is ending this year, leaving schools scrambling to find …

About 151 Georgia counties are in need of more mental-health care professionals. (Adobe Stock)

Georgia takes aim at mental health care shortages with new legislation

Georgia is taking on its mental-health care challenges head-on through new legislation. One bill is aimed at increasing the number of providers in …

Children need regular well-child and dental visits to track their development and find health problems early, when they are usually easier to treat, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Procedural reasons driving WV kids' loss in health coverage

More than 62,000 West Virginia kids have been dis-enrolled in Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program or CHIP and most were removed for p…

Nearly seven in ten suicides in Wyoming were carried out with firearms between 2018 and 2022. (Adobe Stock)

Suicide rate prompts WY lawmakers to invest in mental-health services

Wyoming's suicide rate ranks first in the nation, according to the most recent data, and state lawmakers are taking steps to improve access to mental …

Wildfire smoke contains tiny particles that can be harmful to the lungs. (Jacob/Adobe Stock)

Air quality awareness week arrives as wildfire season nears

Agencies are raising awareness about air quality around the country this week. Led by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Air Quality …

Smoke from across the region can affect air quality in cities like Seattle. (Tabor Chichakly/Adobe Stock)

NW wildfire season highlights importance of Air Quality Awareness Week

Agencies are raising awareness about air quality across the country this week. Led by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Air Quality …

Delaware House Bill 140, the Ron Silverio/Heather Block End-of-Life Options Act, was introduced by Rep. Paul Baumbach, D-Newark. The bill has a record-high 16 co-sponsors, including all members of the Democratic legislative leadership. (motortion/Adobe Stock)

Delaware advances medical aid-in-dying bill

Advocates supporting the legalization of medical aid in dying in Delaware are optimistic following the recent passage of House Bill 140. It is now …

Despite certain barriers to care, New York ranks high on Mental Health America's 2023 Access to Care Report. (Adobe Stock)

NY budget requires insurers to pay rates as high as Medicaid

New York's 2025 budget improves access to mental-health services. Budget legislation stipulates commercial insurers have to pay rates similar to …

Gov. Josh Shapiro ensured $100 million for mental-health services for students and $20 million for mental health support at the county level, in Pennsylvania's 2023-24 budget. (JenkoAtaman/Adobe Stock)

Expert: Practical tools, neuroscience help parents build mentally strong kids

As Children's Mental Health Awareness Week kicks off in Pennsylvania, an expert said parents can help their children have a healthy brain to thrive…

Some states disenrolled so many children that they had fewer enrolled than prior to the pandemic. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Millions disenrolled from CHIP nationwide

As pandemic-era protections were lifted a new report showed the number of children on Medicaid has varied widely between states, with Maryland doing …

Among adults in Arkansas, 32.6% report symptoms of anxiety and/or depressive disorder, almost identical to the national average. (Halfpoint/AdobeStock)

Expert reveals how neuroscience, practical tools helps build mentally strong kids

As Children's Mental Health Awareness Week kicks off in Arkansas, an expert said parents can help their children have a healthy brain to thrive…

Nearly 27% of U.S. hospitals do not practice recommended suicide prevention practices, including safety planning, warm handoffs to outpatient care, patient follow-up and lethal-means counseling. (Adobe Stock)

Zero Suicide Institute aims to expand access to SC suicide care, prevention

Studies show suicide is a serious public health problem, claiming more than 48,000 lives each year in the nation. A new initiative from the Zero …

Research shows those hospitalized for suicide risk face an elevated risk of dying by suicide post-discharge, making it a critical time for patients to have access to resources, support and care to help keep them safe in the event of a crisis. (Chinnapong/Adobe Stock)

Michigan hospitals embrace suicide prevention, support

Recent research shows approximately half of people who die by suicide had contact with a health care professional within the month prior to their deat…

Medicaid expansion in Alabama could help an estimated 283,636 people gain access to health care. (Adobe Stock)

Calls grow for AL Medicaid expansion as legislative session winds down

Alabama is running out of time to tackle Medicaid expansion this legislative session. More than 230 people gathered earlier this month with the …

An engraved plaque on the National Fallen Firefighter's Monument bears a message from President Ronald Reagan. At the base of the monument, an eternal flame symbolizes the spirit of all firefighters, past, present and future. (National Fallen Firefighters Foundation)

Fallen TX firefighters to be remembered at national ceremony

More than 1,000 family members of firefighters who died in the line of duty, including some from Texas, will gather in Emmitsburg, Maryland, starting …

Connecticut's 2011 paid sick leave law was the first in the nation to require private-sector employers to provide their employees with paid sick leave. (Adobe Stock)

CT paid sick days bill passes House, heads to Senate

A Connecticut bill would expand the state's paid sick leave law. The initial 2011 law requires 40 hours of paid sick leave for workers at employers …

An estimated 17.4 million adults with disabilities nationwide report frequent mental distress. (Adobe Stock)

Classes help NY psychologists understand disabled people’s mental health

New continuing education classes can help New York psychologists better work with disabled patients. The courses center on understanding …

Maine has already experienced eight inches of sea-level rise over the last century with another 1.5 feet expected by 2050 and four more feet by 2100, according to the Maine Climate Council. (Adobe Stock)

ME prepares young people for climate change-related jobs, activism

State officials in Maine are preparing the next generation for climate change-related activism and careers. A new state-run website helps young …

Experts believe increasing access to healthy food is not just about nutrition, it is about addressing disparities and improving overall health outcomes. (ARTFULLY-79/Adobe Stock)

Breaking barriers for health equity with nutritional strategies

Missouri residents are gaining new insights into the powerful role of food in health care as experts and organizations advocate for a shift toward foo…

Some groups see disproportionately high rates of suicide, including veterans, racial and ethnic minority groups, people with disabilities and LGBTQIA+ people. (Adobe Stock)

Experts spotlight youth mental health, suicide prevention

Rates of suicide among young people have increased by about 36% in roughly the last two decades and the surge has caught the attention of federal poli…

As of March, 5.6 million students had been reached by the JED Campus Program, according to a new report. (Adobe Stock)

College students' mental health improves with adequate support

Mental Health Awareness Month starts next week, and a new report finds a significant decrease in suicidal ideation, planning and attempts on college …

David Coon designs and evaluates interventions for families and caregivers of adults with chronic illnesses, including dementia, cancer and depression. (Arizona State University)

AZ Alzheimer’s Consortium shares advances in diagnosis, treatment

The 2024 Arizona Alzheimer's Consortium Public Conference kicks off Saturday, where industry experts and researchers will share the latest scientific …

Rep. Crystal Quade, D-Springfield, the House Democratic floor leader, called Missouri politicians

Missouri's Medicaid block: denying patients choice in trusted providers

The Missouri Legislature has approved a law to stop its Medicaid program, known as MO HealthNet, from paying Planned Parenthood for medical services …

As of March 2024, 243 schools have completed JED Campus and 201 are active JED campuses, according to a new report. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Suicidal ideation, planning, attempts decrease on college campuses

A new report showed a significant decrease in suicidal ideation, planning and attempts on college campuses around the nation, as well as improved …

Though Connecticut's benefits cliff persists, there are other programs helping people maintain benefits of some kind when their income pushes them over the limit. (Adobe Stock)

CT Day of Action raises awareness on 'benefits cliff'

Today, groups working with lower-income families in Connecticut are raising awareness about the state's "benefits cliff" with a day of action…

The number of Americans with health coverage under the American Care Act has doubled since its 2014 launch, according to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. (NLawrenson/peopleimages.com/AdobeStock)

NM aims to reduce out-of-pocket health-care costs for consumers

New Mexico saw record enrollment numbers for the Affordable Care Act this year and is now setting its sights on lowering out-of-pocket costs - those n…

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Mental Health

Warmer, wetter climate in Maine impacts human health, infrastructure

Parents press for online child safety reforms amid Congressional reform

SD sends mixed messages on youth rights

CT to join national nurses' compact; other workforce solutions sought

VA works to improve, better fund mental health services

Sioux Falls programs address rising homeless population

People in TX prisons claim heat-related health effects, demand air conditioning

Brain injury survivors aim to defy the odds climbing Pikes Peak

Report: NV fares well with transgender rights

After NH Hospital shooting, bipartisan bill aims to prevent repeat tragedy

Report: 86,101 Colorado children removed from Medicaid insurance rolls

Report: AR among top states for children losing health coverage post-COVID

Ohio among top states for number of kids kicked off Medicaid, CHIP

UT among largest percentage declines in Medicaid, CHIP enrollment

SC scrambles to re-enroll kids dropped off post-COVID Medicaid rolls

Medicaid 'unwinding' leaves thousands of LA children without coverage

CT group helps residents with pandemic’s lingering impacts

MT sees nation's highest percentage of kids losing Medicaid

Critical child care funding hangs in balance as Missouri budget nears deadline

Report: NC works to keep kids on Medicaid health coverage

KY keeps most kids enrolled in Medicaid coverage, post-pandemic

Report: ID covering fewer kids with public insurance vs. 2019

MI schools seek solutions as pandemic mental health funding ends

Georgia takes aim at mental health care shortages with new legislation

Report: Procedural reasons driving WV kids' loss in health coverage

Suicide rate prompts WY lawmakers to invest in mental-health services

Air quality awareness week arrives as wildfire season nears

NW wildfire season highlights importance of Air Quality Awareness Week

Delaware advances medical aid-in-dying bill

NY budget requires insurers to pay rates as high as Medicaid

Expert: Practical tools, neuroscience help parents build mentally strong kids

Report: Millions disenrolled from CHIP nationwide

Expert reveals how neuroscience, practical tools helps build mentally strong kids

Zero Suicide Institute aims to expand access to SC suicide care, prevention

Michigan hospitals embrace suicide prevention, support

Calls grow for AL Medicaid expansion as legislative session winds down

Fallen TX firefighters to be remembered at national ceremony

CT paid sick days bill passes House, heads to Senate

Classes help NY psychologists understand disabled people’s mental health

ME prepares young people for climate change-related jobs, activism

Breaking barriers for health equity with nutritional strategies

Experts spotlight youth mental health, suicide prevention

College students' mental health improves with adequate support

AZ Alzheimer’s Consortium shares advances in diagnosis, treatment

Missouri's Medicaid block: denying patients choice in trusted providers

Report: Suicidal ideation, planning, attempts decrease on college campuses

CT Day of Action raises awareness on 'benefits cliff'

NM aims to reduce out-of-pocket health-care costs for consumers