Category: mental health

A Look at Federal Health Data Taken Offline

This post looks at federal government databases with key health data that went offline on Jan. 31, 2025, including several related to HIV, some of which had returned by Feb. 2, 2025. It briefly describing the affected databases, which include widely us…

Drawn-Out Overhaul of Troubled Montana Hospital Leaves Lawmakers in Limbo

Unsure how to help the troubled psychiatric facility, legislators look to shore up other parts of the state’s mental health system.

Sports Betting Is Coming to Missouri. A Fund To Help Prevent Problem Gambling Will Follow.

Can a $5 million compulsive-gambling fund help Missouri avoid the mistakes of other states that have legalized sports betting?

Montana Eyes $30M Revamp of Mental Health, Developmental Disability Facilities

The moves under consideration include relocating a residential facility for people with developmental disabilities, renovating the state’s psychiatric hospital, and opening a new unit of the hospital in Helena.

How Does the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Impact Health and Health Care?

This policy watch provides a short overview of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), describing its history, budget, organizational structure and its major programs and responsibilities.

Dogs Paired With Providers at Hospitals Help Ease Staff and Patient Stress

Some hospitals are bringing in dogs to spend entire shifts with doctors and nurses. The trained canines help staffers cope with the stress of their work amid high levels of burnout.

New California Laws Target Medical Debt, AI Care Decisions, Detention Centers

California has a few major changes coming to its health policy landscape in 2025. New laws that took effect Jan. 1 ban medical debt from credit reports, allow public health inspections of private immigration detention centers, and ban toxic chemicals in makeup.

Beyond Hard Hats: Mental Struggles Become the Deadliest Construction Industry Danger

The physical hazards of construction work have long been a focus of safety professionals. Yet attention on the psychosocial hazards is relatively new, with suicide and substance use soaring among male construction workers. Mitigating those risks requires more than hard hats, safety vests, and protective goggles.

Climate Change Threatens the Mental Well-Being of Youths. Here’s How To Help Them Cope.

The growing toll of climate-related disasters is a risk to the emotional well-being of young people. An Orange County, California, pediatric emergency doctor wants to add questions about climate change to standard mental health screenings conducted in pediatricians’ offices and other settings where kids seek care.

Health Care Is Newsom’s Biggest Unfinished Project. Trump Complicates That Task.

As Gov. Gavin Newsom enters the second half of his final term, health care stands out as his most ambitious but glaringly incomplete initiative for California residents. The issue will likely shape his national profile for better or worse. And now, Donald Trump brings a new wrinkle.