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Suicide is the second-leading cause of death among children between the ages of 15 and 19, and the leading cause of death for 14- to 15-year-olds, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Adobe Stock)

MA boosts funding for 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline services

Community groups in Massachusetts will see continued funding to support the state's 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Public health officials have …

Economic factors often influence access to health care. In Massachusetts, adults age 65 and older with less than a high school education are more than 11 times as likely to have teeth extracted than those with a college degree, according to United Health Foundation's 2024 Senior Report. (Adobe Stock)

Housing, transportation limit MA seniors' access to quality health care

High housing and transportation costs are preventing some Massachusetts seniors from seeing their health care providers, according to a new report…

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

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…

The American Federation of Teachers in Amesbury is calling on the School Committee to support an 8.04% increase to ensure level services for students and retain staff and reject an initial 3.16% proposal, which they say would be

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Proposed Amesbury school budget cuts rally parents, educators

The Amesbury School Committee will hear from educators and parents tonight as they rally to prevent more than $2 million in proposed cuts to their sch…

40% of public schools nationwide reported it was very difficult or difficult to fill mental health professional roles, during the 2022-23 school year. (Adobe Stock)

School counselors teach time management to counter students’ high rates of stress

Time management is an essential skill for academic success, but school counselors say it can also help counter students' increasing struggles with …

A recent survey by the Anti-Defamation League found nearly three in four Jewish students in the U.S. have experienced or witnessed antisemitism this school year. The Education Department's Office for Civil Rights has also opened investigations into alleged Islamophobic incidents at least a half-dozen colleges and universities. (Adobe Stock)

University presidents testify on rise of antisemitism on college campuses

College presidents testified before a congressional committee Tuesday on the rise of antisemitism on college campuses since the Oct. 7 Hamas-led …

Legislation introduced in Massachusetts would teach students about the Native American history of the region and the contemporary Indigenous peoples who live here, including the Aquinnah Wampanoag, Mashpee Wampanoag, Nipmuc and Massachusett. (Adobe Stock)<br />

MA aims to teach Native American heritage, improve mental health

Advocates for Native American students in Massachusetts are working to improve high school graduation rates by improving students' mental health…

The Massachusetts community action agency Citizens for Citizens prepares to distribute the first shipment of diapers and other necessary supplies to low-income families through the federal government's first diaper distribution pilot program. (MASSCAP)

Diaper Pilot Program Aims to Keep Families Healthy, Working

Massachusetts groups will be part of a new federal pilot program to help low-income families ensure they have the diapers they need to keep both babie…

An analysis of eight U.S. cities found that between 21% and 38% of 911 calls are related to mental health, substance use, homelessness and other quality-of-life concerns, all matters advocates said could be better addressed by people other than police. (Adobe Stock)

MA Considers Unarmed Response Units for Mental Health 911 Calls

Community groups in Massachusetts are calling for an end to armed police response to mental health-related 911 calls. The majority of calls are for …

Nearly 80% of Education Support Professionals have college degrees, and many carry large amounts of student debt, according to the Massachusetts Teachers Association. They are bargaining to ensure they can pay off their debt and climb the education career ladder. (Adobe Stock)

Education Support Professionals Create 'Bill of Rights' for Better Pay

Support staff in public schools across Massachusetts have created a "Bill of Rights" to help them organize for better pay and benefits. Known as …

Physical inactivity in adults age 65 and older in fair or better health increased 6% between 2018 and 2021, according to United Healthcare's 2023 Senior Report. (Adobe Stock)

MA Makes Top Ten List of States for Senior Healthy Living

Massachusetts ranks tenth in the nation when it comes to healthy senior living, according to a new report. United Healthcare's 2023 Senior Report …

For every suicide death, it's estimated there are at least six survivors. The Zero Suicide Institute trains hospital staff to teach family members of people at risk how to detect and prevent suicide once a patient leaves the hospital. (Adobe Stock)

Hospitals Collaborate on Suicide Prevention, Treatment

Cambridge Health Alliance of Massachusetts is joining a new nationwide network of hospitals collaborating on suicide prevention. Research shows …

Researchers are studying how social media use relates to anxiety and depression through feelings of inadequacy relative to

Children's Advocates Applaud Kids Online Safety Act

Federal legislation aimed at protecting children and teens online has gained the support of leading advocates for children's health and privacy…

Elementary students who spend more than two hours a day on screens are more likely to have emotional, social and attention problems, while students who have screens in their bedrooms tend to perform worse on academic tests than do those who do not. (Adobe Stock)

Screen-Free Week Challenges Families to Power Down, Reconnect

Starting today, families throughout Massachusetts will swap their digital entertainment for the annual challenge of "Screen-Free Week." The global …

Members of the group, Marked By Covid lobby for passage of HD.3821, to formally recognize Covid Remembrance Day. Bereaved community members will gather for a Covid Remembrance Day Interfaith event on Saturday, March 11 at 3:00 pm ET at the Bombyx Center for Arts & Equity in Florence. (Ritz Sullivan)

Efforts Underway to Formalize COVID-19 Remembrance Day in MA

Family members of those lost to Covid are urging lawmakers to pass legislation to formally recognize the first Monday in March as Covid Remembrance Da…

The Post Disaster Mental Health Response Act will help those who experience multiple forms of trauma, including natural disasters, which for children are associated with a 16% increase in a mental health or substance use disorder by adulthood. (Adobe Stock)

Boston Marathon Bombing Survivors Celebrate Passage of Mental Health Law

Advocates for mental health are applauding the passage of a new law which will expand mental health support for survivors of natural disasters and ter…

The city-run Engagement Center is a low-barrier day facility, which serves a few hundred people each day from the nearby

Engagement Center Finding Success Near Boston’s Troubled 'Mass and Cass'

Boston's 'Mass and Cass' area, with its large homeless population and open-air drug market, remains a trouble spot for city officials, but staff at …

Massachusetts voters approved the Fair Share Amendment, also known as the

MA Educators Celebrate Passage of Fair Share Amendment

Educators across the Commonwealth say voters showed their commitment to public education in the midterm election by passing the Fair Share Amendment…

The Massachusetts Teachers Association says high-stakes testing in schools is diverting precious time and energy needed for teaching and supporting students mental-health needs. (Adobe Stock)

Not Enough School Counselors to Meet Needs of MA Students

In Massachusetts schools, the counselor-to-student ratio is critically high, with one counselor for every 364 students. Some 70% of public schools …

According to a 2021 report, about 80% of residents in the mostly immigrant-populated city of Chelsea were deemed essential workers, meaning they had to continue working during the less knowledgeable early days of the pandemic. (Adobe Stock)

New Internship Program Focused on Immigrant Health

A new internship program is looking to investigate health disparities among Massachusetts' immigrant population. The Immigrant Scholar Internship …

According to a Blue Cross/Blue Shield Foundation study, fewer than half of Massachusetts adults in need of behavioral healthcare received it and feel they're always able to get an appointment. (Adobe Stock)

New Legislation Expands Mental-Health Provisions in MA

Legislation signed into law this month by Gov. Charlie Baker is expected to bring updates long overdue to mental-health services in Massachusetts…

A new report recommends schools increase the number of mental-health professionals on campus. (Prostock-studio/Adobe Stock)

Massachusetts Ranks #1 in Child Well-Being

Massachusetts ranks first in the nation for children's well-being, according to the 2022 Kids Count Data Book from the Annie E. Casey Foundation…

More than 60% of people surveyed who said they needed behavioral healthcare during COVID also said the pandemic exacerbated that need. (Adobe Stock)

MA Group: 988 Launch One Step to Shore Up Behavioral Health System

Massachusetts advocates for mental health are raising awareness about the new three-digit National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 988. Like 911…

Advocates for and families of children and teens facing mental-health crises say emergency departments are not healthy for kids to stay in for days or weeks. (chrisdorney/Adobe Stock)

Mental-Health Program Provides Alternative to Emergency-Room Boarding

On a given day in Massachusetts, more than 100 children and teenagers are brought to hospital emergency rooms because they're facing a mental-health …

Around 40% of young people who've experienced care will experience homelessness. (Brian/Adobe Stock)

MA Group: Campus-Based Supports Needed for Former Foster Youth

May is National Foster Care Month, and groups that serve foster youths and families say improvements are needed for outcomes and to reduce …

Children from low-income families, kids in foster care, homeless children and those in families receiving public assistance are eligible for Head Start or Early Head Start. (Teran/Adobe Stock)

Program Aims to Provide Trauma-Informed Care Training for Early Educators

A program in Massachusetts aims to provide training on trauma-informed care for early educators. It's called Readying Educators and Developing Young …

Massachusetts has 351 local public health departments, one for each city and town, with budgets that vary widely based on the local tax base. (Dragana Gordic/Adobe Stock)

MA Groups: State Funding Needed for Local Health Departments

Groups advocating for public health in Massachusetts urged Gov. Charlie Baker and the General Assembly not to cut funding for the Public Health …

If the End-of-Life Options Act is passed, Massachusetts will join 10 other jurisdictions across the country that have authorized medical aid in dying. (Photographee.eu/Adobe Stock)

MA Lawmakers Urged to Pass End-of-Life Options Act

BOSTON, Mass. -- Groups advocating for terminally ill Massachusetts residents say a bill reintroduced this session, the End-of-Life Options Act…

Pata Suyemoto, Ph.D., shares her own experiences with depression as chair of the People of Color Caucus for the Massachusetts Coalition for Suicide Prevention's Alliance for Equity. (Photo courtesy of Suyemoto)

Suicide Prevention Month: A Survivor Shares Her Story

BOSTON -- September is Suicide Prevention Month, and a Massachusetts woman who tried to take her own life now shares her story with others. As a …

Groups that promote unity and social harmony are encouraging Americans to find ways to connect despite social distancing. (#WeavingCommunity)

Online Campaign Aims to Weave Community During COVID-19 Crisis

BOSTON -- A new online campaign called #WeavingCommunity aims to confront the social crisis created by the COVID-19 pandemic. Their website…

Suicide is four times higher among African-American men than African-American women, according to federal statistics. (thaddeus coates/courtesy of Marshall Gillson)

Local Playwright Tackles Intersection of Race, Mental Health

SOMERVILLE, Mass. – Mental health and the stigma surrounding it are the topics of a new play that's getting a first read this Sunday in …

The Full Frame Initiative is part of a Massachusetts pilot project to pinpoint not only the needs, but also the strengths of domestic-violence survivors. (Fibonacci Blue/Flickr)

A New Approach to Serving MA Survivors of Domestic Violence

GREENFIELD, Mass. — Massachusetts is trying a new approach to help survivors of domestic violence at risk of homelessness. Five state agencies …

Short-term plans could exclude maternity benefits including prenatal care and delivery. (pxhere)

Health-Care Advocates Call New Insurance Rule Bad for Consumers, Providers

BOSTON — A new health insurance rule is being called another blow to people with pre-existing conditions. On Wednesday, the Trump …

Paid family and sick leave is considered a victory for moms who need to take time off with a new baby, an aging parent or in case of family illness. (RaiseUpMA)

Grassroots Campaigners Bask in MA Minimum-Wage "Victory"

BOSTON – Paid family and medical leave and a $15 minimum wage is cause for celebration for tens of thousands of Massachusetts workers this Inde…

Study Shows “Red-Flag” Laws Reduce Gun Suicides

BOSTON - With the state Senate poised to take up a bill to allow removal of firearms from people considered a danger to themselves and others…

After 1978, the number of women in prison nationwide increased at twice the rate of men. (jaroas/Pixabay)

Reductions in Prison Population Lag for Women

BOSTON – Prison populations are dropping in most states, but a new study finds that the number of incarcerated women is not falling as fast as …

Millions across New England and the nation made New Year's resolutions to get healthy in 2017. (Ed Yourdon/Wikimedia)

Helping Bay Staters Keep Their 2017 Resolutions

BOSTON – About 4 in 10 people make New Year's resolutions, but only a tiny fraction actually keep them. The top pledges center around health &…

Ashley Garcia, left, and her adoptive mom, Liz, say the state of Massachusetts has been stepping up and giving them the kind of support called for in a new report calling for more and better-trained foster parents. (A. Garcia)

Bay State In-Line: New "Blueprint" for More and Better-Trained Foster Parents

BOSTON – It's being called a blueprint for government and helping agencies to better meet the needs of children coming into foster care…

On Veteran's Day, Bay Staters who served our country are hoping President-Elect Donald Trump honors the promises he made to help vets. (New England Paralyzed Veterans of America)

New England Veterans Want Trump to Honor His Pledge

BOSTON – There are about 3,000 paralyzed veterans in New England and today, on Veteran's Day, a local veterans' advocacy group said now that …

Domestic violence prevention programs across the Bay State got some major help this month with new funding from the CDC. (Ben Polloard via flickr)

Domestic Violence Prevention Gets Big Bump in MA

BOSTON — The Bay State just got some major help from the feds when it comes to combating domestic violence and dealing with traumatic brain inju…

Massachusetts' high school graduation rate is just over 86 percent, but only 69 percent for students with disabilities. (Boston Public Schools)

MA Could Do More to Help Special-Needs Students Graduate

BOSTON - It's graduation time, and the Commonwealth is doing better than average in terms of high school graduation rates except in one major area…

A Boston nonprofit is ditching the fancy banquet tables in favor of soapboxes Tuesday night in an event that will focus on patient-centered care. (National Institutes of Health)

Nonprofit Tosses Fancy Banquet Tables in Favor of Speaker Soapboxes

BOSTON - Forget the banquet table with expensive flowers and a fancy meal. A major Boston nonprofit is replacing that with soapboxes for speakers to …

Five percent of kids in Massachusetts grow up missing a parent who is incarcerated and a new report examines what can be done to make the experience less traumatic for children. (Matt Crampton)

69,000 Commonwealth Kids with Parents in Prison

BOSTON - About 69,000 children in the Commonwealth are growing up with a parent who is or has been incarcerated, and a new report says that can have …

Police should be called to Peck School in Holyoke less often as the result of a settlement with the school district that also calls for reducing the use of restraints on students with disabilities. (Jeff Joniec)

Goal: Fewer Restraints, Cop Calls at Holyoke School

HOLYOKE, Mass. - It is an agreement that should mean fewer students ending up in restraints and fewer cops being called to respond to discipline …

Rep. Jeffrey Sanchez is among House members who gave unanimous support to a measure that aims to reduce abuse of prescription painkillers. (Office of Rep. Sanchez)

Mass. House Bill Aims to Curb Flow of Millions of Painkillers

BOSTON - State lawmakers passed a measure in the House this week that would limit the prescriptions that most doctors write for pain medications to a …

A new report ranks the Commonwealth in the top 10 states for both the strength and scope of its animal-protection laws. (Pixabay)

MA Ranks in Top 10 States for Animals

BOSTON – Massachusetts scores in the top 10 for animals in a new report that ranks protection laws in all 50 states. The report from the …

Para Educator Nancy Burke (r.) with student Taylor Warren. Courtesy: Massachusetts Teachers Association

National Bammy Award for Massachusetts Educator

BOSTON - A Massachusetts educator won national recognition this week for a garden project that enables high school students in wheelchairs to do some …

SNAP coordinator Beth Zambia talks with a veteran at the Soldier On shelter in Leeds. At least 26,000 low-income veterans rely on SNAP benefits in the Commonwealth. Courtesy: Food Bank of Western Massachusetts.

Independence Day: No Time to Forget Hungry Vets

BOSTON - As Massachusetts gets ready for Independence Day, local hunger-fighting advocates say it's a good time to remember tens of thousands of …

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MA: Mental Health