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Mental health tops the lists of concerns of parents with kids younger than 18, according to a 2023 Pew Research Center survey. (Adobe Stock)<br />

A holistic approach to get WV kids on right back-to-school track

More than 263,000 West Virginia kids will soon return to school, and experts said it is crucial for parents to stay up-to-date with doctors' visits …

In 2017, mental health and substance use disorder emergency department visits in the U.S. cost more than $5.6 billion, according to federal data. (Adobe Stock)

West Virginia taking steps to strengthen 988 crisis response system

More households, workplaces, and schools are struggling with mental health crises, and a new report by the mental health advocacy group Inseparable …

Chronic absence from school may be driving learning loss. Thirty percent of all students, or about 14.7 million, were chronically absent in 2021-2022, nearly double pre-pandemic rates, according to new data from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Report: WV kids face sliding reading, math scores

Math and reading proficiency among West Virginia kids has worsened over the past five years, according to new data. The latest Kids Count Data Book …

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…

Exposure to videos and photos on social media can lead to eating disorders among teen and adolescent girls, as well as serious mental health issues, including suicidal behavior, according to researchers at Havard University's T.H. Chan School of Public Health. (Adobe Stock)

Federal legislation aims to protect kids from social media harms

Pressure is mounting on lawmakers to hold social media companies accountable for algorithms and other practices linked to eating disorders, …

As of March 2023, 65,748,297 people are enrolled in Medicare nationwide, according to the Center for Medicare Advocacy. (Adobe Stock)<br />

WV residents can get help navigating Medicare open enrollment

With just a few weeks left until the end of Medicare open enrollment, experts in West Virginia say now is the time to compare current coverage to …

A national coalition of more than 130 organizations recently released a roadmap for lawmakers and public health officials for distribution of more than $50 billion in opioid settlement funds.(Adobe Stock)<br />

WV Communities Map Path for Opioid Settlement Funds

This week, Gov. Jim Justice announced five new appointments to the West Virginia First Foundation, the private foundation responsible for the …

In 2021, some 53% of working adults ages 25 to 54 were parents, and more than a third of those parents had young children, according to a new report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. (Adobe stock)<br />

Report: More West Virginia Parents Not Working due to Childcare Issues

Thirteen percent of young children in West Virginia lived in families in which someone quit their job or refused a job because of responsibilities wit…

In 2020, 1,750 children died of abuse and neglect in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Adobe Stock)

Rising Inflation, Poverty, Puts WV Kids at Higher Risk of Abuse

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, and experts say ongoing inflation, economic challenges and poverty can place stress on families and increase …

Research shows having access to health care can influence children's physical and emotional health, growth, development and their capacity to reach their full potential as adults. (Adobe Stock)

Eligible WV Kids Could Slip Through Cracks When Coverage Protection Ends

A pandemic-era law that helped keep children and families continuously covered is set to expire this spring, and advocates are worried the state's …

A child's chances of thriving depend not only on individual, family and community characteristics but also on the state in which she or he is born and raised, according to research from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. (praba_tuty/Public Domain Mark 1.0)

Report: WV Sees Uptick in Kids Diagnosed with Anxiety, Depression

More West Virginia kids are struggling with their mental health, according to the latest Kids Count Data Book from the Annie E. Casey Foundation…

Two-thirds of the country's mental health-care deserts are in rural America, where three in five adults have reported the pandemic has impacted mental health in their communities

Experts: WV Mental-Health Issues Can Spur Child Anxiety

Marking Mental Health Awareness Month, advocates contended more outreach and services are needed to help West Virginia caregivers with their mental …

More than 300,000 West Virginia kids live in a county officially served by a Child Advocacy Center. (Adobe Stock)

Report: WV Saw Increase in Child-Abuse Cases Last Year

More than 600 child abuse charges were filed in West Virginia last year, and 94% of alleged offenders were someone the child knew. That's according …

One in three high school students and half of female students now report persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, an overall increase of 40% from 2009, according to the U.S. Surgeon General. (Adobe Stock)

WV Families Anticipate More Mental, Financial Stress in New Year

West Virginia families expect increased financial stress and anxiety in the new year. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, unemployment …

The American Psychological Association reports 81% of Gen Z teens (ages 13-17) have experienced more intense stress during the COVID-19 pandemic.(Adobe Stock)

ARP Funds Could Help WV Schools Address Mental-Health Needs

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Degrading mental health among the nation's K-12 students over the past year and a half has alarmed health professionals. Experts …

A U.S. House bill would support 40 programs nationwide that team social workers with police departments to respond to mental health-oriented emergency calls. (Adobe Stock)

WV Support for Mental-Health Alternatives in 9-1-1 Calls

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Mental and behavioral health practitioners in West Virginia are endorsing legislation in Congress to fund the use of social …

One study shows women in rural Appalachia with substance-abuse disorders who used a smartphone treatment app stayed in treatment almost twice as long as those who didn't. (Adobe Stock)

WV Recommends Use of Smartphone App for Pandemic Drug Treatment

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Spurred by concern that folks battling substance abuse can't always get in-person treatment during the pandemic, West Virginia is …

Drug-overdose deaths rose for African-Americans across the nation in 2018, according to a new report. (Adobe stock)

Before Pandemic, Drug-Overdose Deaths Slid, But Not for All

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Before the COVID-19 pandemic struck, drug-overdose deaths were down across the nation for the first time in 20 years, according …

Some West Virginia foster parents are troubled by a bill in the Legislature that would reduce licensing requirements for state caseworkers. (Adobe Stock)

New Bills Aim to Relieve WV Foster-Care Crisis

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Demands on West Virginia's foster-care system have exploded due to the opioid epidemic, and state lawmakers are proposing ways to …

The opioid crisis has led West Virginia to have the highest number per capita of children in state custody in the nation, a new report finds. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Opioid Crisis Hit 54 of every 1,000 Kids in WV

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – West Virginia has the nation's largest share of children who face devastating consequences linked to the opioid crisis…

The same health insurer that has served West Virginia's Medicaid program since 1996 has also been tapped to cover children in the state's foster-care system. (Adobe Stock)

Foster Groups Alarmed by WV Switch to Private Health Care

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Foster parents and child-welfare groups are worried about the switch from state-managed health care to private care for …

The West Virginia public school system has been searching for ways to fund more counseling and support services for students. (Pixabay)

Federal Changes to Medicaid Could Fund Behavioral Health in WV Schools

CHARLESTON, W. Va. – Federal funds could help pay for badly needed behavioral-health support services in public schools, advocates say…

The American Heart Association and others are confirming that, yes, people learn better and think more clearly after a good night's sleep. (engin akyurt/Pixabay)

Mom is Right: ‘Get to Bed, It's a School Night’

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — With school back in session, doctors are saying, “your mom is right - time to turn the phone off and get to bed…

A congressional investigation has found that nine migrant children younger than a year old and 18 younger than two have been forcibly separated from their families and held in detention. (U.S. Customs and Border Protection/Wikipedia)

Social Workers: Migrant Family Separation Is Child Abuse

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Social workers and mental health professionals are trying to have the detention of migrant children away from their …

Part of what makes Substance Abuse Disorder so hard to treat is the way it takes over a deeply rooted, animal part of the brain. (rebcenter/Pixabay)

The Brain Science of Addiction and Trauma: Discussion in Charleston

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Brain science can help explain why people with serious addictions are so out of control, and why many addicts have trauma …

Social workers such as Michelle Kosa, and recovering addicts such as Michael Honaker, swear by Suboxone and Medication Assisted Treatment for substance abuse disorder. (Dan Heyman)

Addict: “Suboxone Saved My Life”

CHARLESTON, W. Va. – West Virginia is debating the value of medication such as Suboxone for treating opioid addiction, but some advocates have …

In some parts of West Virginia, the demand for foster parents is so high the system is being forced to turn to the classroom. (wokandapix/Pixabay)

Ohio County Teachers Step into Foster Care Emergency

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – In Ohio County, W.Va., the drug crisis is breaking up so many homes that the public schools are forced to ask teachers and …

He's clean now, but not long ago, Jasen Edwards says he spent $21,000 on pain pills in 11 days. (Jasen Edwards)

Coal Miner Crawls Out of Addiction, Back Into the Light

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Jasen Edwards is a coal miner who beat a $1,000-a-day pain pill habit - he says, just by knowing he wanted something better…

State officials say West Virginia needs to increase support for families before they end up in crisis. (Bess-Hamiti/Pixabay)

Driven by Drug Crisis, WV DHHR Plans Child-Welfare Reforms

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Driven by the drug crisis, the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources is preparing a package of changes to …

The holidays can be a stressful time, but centering gratitude in one's life can help people mentally and physically. (Maggiepoo/Pixabay)

Gratitude Good For the Heart, in More Ways than One

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — What are you grateful for this holiday season? The answer could be good for your health. According to a number of studies…

Three years ago, there were about 4,600 foster children in West Virginia. The number now is close to 6,700. (Pixabay)

New Foster Care Group Seeks More Dialogue with State

CHARLESTON, W. Va. – West Virginia is in a foster care crisis, as many addicted parents lose custody of their children. According to a new …

West Virginia consistently has one of the highest rates of opioid-related overdose deaths. (Pixabay)

More Federal Money as Opioid Deaths Rise in WV

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia is getting an $8 million piece of a $1 billion pie to help combat the opioid epidemic. The funding announced …

South Charleston firefighters say they are called out to revive people who have overdosed nearly every day now. (SCFD)

Firefighter Says Even Overdose Survivors Can't Get Abuse Treatment

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A South Charleston firefighter says they're getting opioid overdose calls nearly every day. But, he said they have no place …

Online access can make children seem separated from adults and the world around them. (Pixabay/Sasint)

Parents Offered Tips on Bridging Social-Media Rift with Kids

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Tips for parents trying to bridge the modern media gap with their children - that will be one topic of Thursday night's …

Research confirms that not having a good childhood can have a lifelong impact on mental and physical health. (Pixabay/Rudy Anderson)

Social Work Conference to Address Post-Trauma Resilience

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Childhood trauma is a public health problem, but we can build resilience to its effects - that's the message planned for …

Half of mass shootings involve family or domestic violence, according to research. (Pixabay)

Link Cited Between Mass Shootings, Domestic Violence

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – There is a strong link between mass shootings and domestic violence, according to an analysis of seven years of shootings …

Countries that restrict access to military-style weapons have far fewer mass shootings. (Pixabay)

Psychologist: Mass Shootings "Not a Mental Health Issue"

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The latest mass shootings have led to calls for enhanced reporting of mental health records. But mental health experts say that …

A new poll shows Americans don't want their turkey served up with politics on Thanksgiving Day. (Pixabay)

New Poll: Most Want to Keep Politics Out of T-Day Table Talk

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Thanksgiving is associated with bringing family together and a majority of Americans say they don't want that spoiled by …

Under the Cassidy-Graham plan to repeal the Affordable Care Act, federal funding for Medicaid to the states would fall sharply, especially in 2027. (Center On Budget and Policy Priorities)

Cassidy-Graham Would Cripple WV Opioid Treatment, Medicaid

CHARLESTON, W. Va. - The health care bill Senate Republicans are rushing to finish would cripple West Virginia opioid treatment and end Medicaid …

A study found more than half of all West Virginia veterans reported serious symptoms of PTSD or depression. (Pixabay)

A Method Vets Can Use To Help Deal With Trauma

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – On Friday in Charleston, a WVU professor will be teaching a method veterans can use by themselves to deal with traumatic …

Tension between the U.S and North Korea has ramped up the stress many Americans already reported feeling during the last several months. (Dept. of Defense/Wikipedia)

Turning Down International Threats Might Improve U.S. Stress Levels

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The Sunday morning political talk shows were full of U.S. officials playing down the possibility of a nuclear conflict with …

Some recovering opioid users in West Virginia say the treatment they get through Medicaid is all that's keeping them from an addiction that could kill them. (3/Wikipedia)

Recovering WV Addicts Fear for Future If Healthcare Bill Passes

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- One of the big issues in the current healthcare debate is what will happen to Medicaid support for substance abuse treatment…

Medicaid supports much of the health-care provided in West Virginia schools. (Mary Kuhlman)

Medicaid Cuts' Impact on WV School Health Care Cited

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Health care providers say a Republican bill that includes Medicaid cuts would threaten West Virginia's school health …

Retired Army Lt. Col. Teresa James says it's important for counselors to understand why victims of sexual assault in the military, like her, often don't speak up. (Teresa James)

Military Sexual-Assault Victim Tells Her Story to Social Workers Conference

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A retired army lieutenant colonel is telling her story of surviving sexual assault, and explaining to social workers what it's …

Social worker Jennifer Wells says West Virginia was a caring refuge, just when she needed one. (J. Wells)

Social Worker, Katrina Survivor: “West Virginia Chose Me”

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Social worker Jennifer Wells says West Virginia chose her after Hurricane Katrina drove her out of her old home. And now her …

A new study suggests the disproportionate number of African Americans behind bars in West Virginia is feeding the state's educational achievement gap. (Prison Policy Initiative)

Does Incarceration Feed the Achievement Gap?

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Mass incarceration of African Americans from the war on drugs feeds the achievement gap in U.S. schools, according to a new …

A new report says the best gifts - ones that inspire the most feelings of well-being - are actually not material things. (Pixabay)

The Best Gifts May Not Be Things

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- People feel more grateful for memorable experiences than for material objects, new research suggests. And that feeling of …

West Virginia is one of only a few states with rising levels of young people behind bars, and advocates say part of the issue is a lack of behavioral health care. (WV Virginia Center on Budget and Policy)

Lack of Behavioral Health Care for Young People Limiting State Progress

CHARLESTON, W. Va. – Lack of behavioral health care for children may be undermining West Virginia's efforts to reduce truancy, cut juvenile …

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WV: Mental Health