The COVID-19 omicron subvariant BA.5 can be blamed for what is, according to The New York Times, California’s third-largest surge of the pandemic. With nearly 19,000 new cases being reported every day, and a test positivity rate that has doubled from 8.3% to 16.7% over the past five weeks, the current surge has achieved the … Read more
New data shows an increase in youths using medications in attempts to take their own lives in Washington State. The Washington Poison Center (WPC) reported that cases of self-harm or suspected suicide rose 37% in patients aged 13-17 from 2019-2021, according to data analyzing poison exposure calls to the WPC. The report showed … Read more
The American Nurses Association (ANA) California has been making efforts to address barriers impeding nurses’ access to mental health care in the state amid heightened demands as a result of pandemic-related burnout and stress. Dr. Marketa Houskova, Executive Director of ANA California, and Carolyn Duenas, Advocacy Institute Fellow at the organization, and Jared … Read more
While the future course of the COVID-19 pandemic remains uncertain, federal and state officials are considering when, and how, to unwind the remaining emergency measures taken during the initial weeks of the crisis. The following is an overview of the authorities that were invoked and the issues raised by plans to return to pre-pandemic rules … Read more
At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, media reports warned of skyrocketing domestic violence. While the overall prevalence of domestic violence in Michigan didn’t increase, survivors of intimate partner violence experienced new, more frequent or more severe violence during the early months of the pandemic, a University of Michigan study found. U-M researchers surveyed 1,169 … Read more
In the Arizona Telemedicine Program’s webinar on Friday about school-based mental health education for rural youth last week, Jean Ajamie of the School Safety & Social Wellness team at the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) presented a comprehensive overview of Arizona’s recent statewide initiatives for student mental health. Ajamie noted that nearly all … Read more
Behavioral health services in Texas, particularly for young people, have tremendously struggled to keep up with demand since long before the pandemic, according to Dr. Christopher Taylor, founder of Taylor Counseling Group. He says the origin of this mental health crisis for youth and young adults can be traced back to about 2009. “We … … Read more