One of the most common questions psychiatrists hear from concerned pediatricians reaching out to the Massachusetts Child Psychiatry Access Program, a program Dr. John Straus founded in 2003 that went statewide a year later, is, “Should I send this kid to the emergency room?” With the help of the psychiatrist
“A.J. began to change, going from outgoing and bubbly to pulling into his shell,” said veteran NFL player Doug Middleton of his childhood best friend. “He stopped wanting to be social. He stopped showering.” Middleton and Anthony “A.J.” Morrison, Jr., had been best friends since they were six. They were
Woodsy Owl, an environmental icon launched by the United States Forest Service, told school children, “Give a Hoot! Don't Pollute.” Smokey Bear, part of another U.S.F.S. campaign, increased the public’s awareness of fire prevention, helping reduce annual wildfires by more than 40,000 between the 1930s and 1950s. Of course, perceptions
After 12 hours in the emergency room and two days into an 11-day inpatient hospitalization, fifteen-year-old Vancouverite Ingrid Parker learned she’d been diagnosed with an eating disorder. Lack of transparency and not being included in dialogue with doctors has been a hallmark of her experience with the healthcare system, which
There’s a chasm between the momentum of 988 and how it’s reaching Black people, said Victor Armstrong. He’s the Chief Diversity Officer at RI International and the former mental health commissioner of North Carolina. “Many people in Black and Brown communities aren’t even aware of 988 or the transition from
In November, Los Angeles County increased its transitional housing access with Safe Landing, a no-wrong-door 176-bed facility. Luana Murphy, CEO of Exodus Recovery, the provider the county contracted to operate the new facility, says it fills a vital gap in housing. Like many other communities in LA County, transitional housing
It’s been over two years since the United States Congress passed the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act of 2020, allowing states to implement a monthly telecom service fee for 988 crisis system costs. Yet, only five states have enacted one, said Hannah Wesolowski, chief advocacy officer of the National Alliance
People in acute suicidal distress who reach out to the newly launched 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline (“988 Lifeline”) can often opt for a 988 crisis counselor to follow up with them within 24 to 72 hours after their initial outreach. The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline provides free, confidential
Workforce shortages in mental health and substance use disorder services and supports aren’t new, says Jessica Wolf, Ph.D., principal of Decision Solutions Consulting and assistant clinical professor at the Yale School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry. She’s been working on behavioral health workforce challenges in Connecticut since the ‘70s. “We
A push for behavioral health parity, where insurance companies provide equal treatment for mental health and substance use services as physical ones, isn’t new. However, inequality between the two has increasingly garnered attention from federal and state leaders. Awareness that Arlene Stephenson, senior advisor at the National Association of State
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