Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
30% Of Teens Who Denied Suicide Risk During Survey Later Killed Themselves
The Washington Post: Study Looks At Teens Who Deny Suicidal Thoughts, But Later Die By Suicide
Nearly 1 in 3 teens with depression who deny having thoughts of suicide or self-harm on a commonly used mental health screening questionnaire go on to kill or harm themselves in the following months, a new analysis suggests. The study, published in JAMA Psychiatry, looked at 13-to-17-year-olds with depression diagnoses who answered Question 9 of the Personal Health Questionnaire (PHQ), which is used to screen for depression severity, before intentionally harming or killing themselves between 2009 and 2017. (Blakemore, 4/28)
The Boston Globe: Norway Banned Smartphones In School. Here’s What Happened After
This week, social media was abuzz about a study published earlier this year out of Norway that tested the argument: How would student outcomes and mental health be affected if schools banned smartphones? The research found the impacts were positive, including decreased bullying and improved academic performance among girls. Author and organizational psychologist Adam Grant highlighted the findings on X, formerly Twitter, saying “smartphones belong at home or in lockers.” (Larson, 4/27)
In other mental health news —
North Carolina Health News: NC Expanding Peer Mental Health Support
North Carolinians in need of mental health support now have more places to call — and soon will have more places to go — for help. The state health department is investing more money in a greater array of mental health crisis services, including those run by peer support specialists. (Knopf, 4/29)
The Colorado Sun: Colorado Is Creating More Competency Dockets To Help People With Mental Illness
A man in an orange Larimer County jail jumpsuit grew defiant within moments of entering a Fort Collins courtroom — raising his voice as he spoke to a judge. As he sat at a table beside a lectern, the man said he wanted to fire his attorney that day because he believed the lawyer was trying to kill him. Each time he spoke, Chief Judge Susan Blanco calmly interrupted, and asked him to create a plan that could help him stabilize and stay out of jail. (Flowers, 4/29)
WUSF: USF Will Open A Center To Address Florida's Mental Health Workforce Shortage
The University of South Florida is creating a center to boost the state's mental health workforce amid a national shortage. The Legislature recently awarded USF $5 million in recurring funds to create the Florida Center for Behavioral Health Workforce, part of the Live Healthy package of bills which Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law last month. (Colombini, 4/26)
Military.com: USS George Washington Heads To Japan, Ending Troubled Shipyard Stay That Included String Of Suicides
The aircraft carrier USS George Washington is finally underway to its new homeport in Japan, following six arduous years in a Virginia shipyard that included reports of difficult living conditions and a cluster of suicides among the crew. On Thursday, the vessel departed Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia. In the Navy's 2023 report into quality of life aboard the carrier, investigators found that the ship had the highest number of suicide-related behaviors, including suicidal ideation and suicide attempts, from 2017 to 2019 when compared to all aircraft carriers on the East Coast. (Novelly, 4/26)
On the use of psychedelics for mental health treatment —
The Washington Post: Agony Over Ecstasy: FDA Bid Shows It’s Hard To Test Psychedelics
The first attempt to win government approval of a psychedelic drug for mental health treatment is generating skepticism about its clinical trials, a case that reveals the unique challenges of bringing mind-altering, illegal drugs into mainstream medical care. A recent independent analysis questioned the integrity of patient studies that are being used to support the Food and Drug Administration application for MDMA — also known under the street name ecstasy — to treat post-traumatic stress disorder, citing a host of problems. (Ovalle and Gilbert, 4/27)
