Adding High Fence To Florida Bridge Has Dramatically Reduced Suicides

AP: Fences Dramatically Cut Suicide At Tampa Bay's Skyway Bridge 
For decades, the Sunshine Skyway Bridge has been one of Tampa Bay’s most iconic landmarks. But the 190 foot-high peak has also drawn hundreds of people wanting to take their own life. Most who have jumped from the top of span have died. Each time, witnesses, first responders and loved ones are left traumatized. Now, nearly a year since fences along the top of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge over Tampa Bay were completed, suicide rates have decreased dramatically. (De Leon, 6/5)

NBC News: 988 Suicide Prevention Hotline Launches In July. How Will We Pay For It?
The mental health version of 911 is set to launch nationwide next month with hopes it will be a game changer for suicide prevention and other emergencies, but some mental health professionals worry they will not be ready to handle the anticipated flood of calls. “We have all of the technology,” said Jennifer Piver, the executive director of Mental Health America of Greenville County in South Carolina. “We do not have the funding for staff, for salaries.” The new national three-digit number — 988 — is meant to connect people in mental health crises with those who are specially trained to respond to such situations. The easy-to-remember number launches July 16. (Edwards, Siegel and Snow, 6/7)

In other health news —

CNET: Apple's Safety Check For IOS Aims To Help People Facing Abusive Relationships
Apple on Monday announced a new Safety Check feature for iOS 16 aimed at people in abusive relationships. The feature lets users review and reset who has access to location information as well as passwords, messages and other apps on an iPhone. Apple debuted the feature at its annual WWDC event. Safety Check is a response to the fact that phones can become stalking devices in abusive relationships, with features that can be convenient in some relations giving abusers dangerous information. That's especially true when people try to leave their abusers, a time that domestic violence experts say is the most dangerous point for survivors. "Many people share passwords and access to their devices with a partner," said Katie Skinner, a privacy engineering manager at Apple, at the event Monday. "However, in abusive relationships, this can threaten personal safety and make it harder for victims to get help." (Hautala, 6/6)

Side Effects Public Media: Alcohol Use Was A Problem In The Midwest. Then The Pandemic Hit 
Nancy’s ex-husband had been sober for almost a decade when the pandemic hit. Not long into lockdown, she said his behavior changed. Nancy quickly tied it to drinking. “He would basically sleep all day and be up all night,” she said. Side Effects Public Media is only using Nancy’s first name, to protect Nancy and her ex-husband's privacy. Nancy, who lives in West Des Moines, Iowa, isn’t certain what triggered his relapse, but said her ex-husband was facing a lot of pandemic-related stressors. He was no longer going to his job due to pandemic closures, and he struggled when his Alcoholics Anonymous meetings moved online. (Krebs, 6/6)

CNN: Teen Sleep Deprivation Is An Epidemic: Q&A With Lisa Lewis 
American teenagers aren't getting enough sleep these days, and author Lisa L. Lewis refuses to snooze on the issue anymore. Lewis, a mother of two, helped spark the first law in the nation requiring healthy school start times for adolescents — a law that will be put into action in California later this summer. Her forthcoming book, "The Sleep-Deprived Teen: Why Our Teenagers Are So Tired, and How Parents and Schools Can Help Them Thrive," will be released June 7 and details so many things parents and caregivers need to know about teenagers and sleep. (Villano, 6/7)

AP: Bama Company Recalls 1-Lb Crabmeat Sold In 4 Southern States
An Alabama seafood company is recalling 1-pound (0.45 kilogram) packages of crab meat because federal inspectors found listeria bacteria on cooking equipment and in the cooking room. Irvington Seafood of Irvington, Alabama, said in a notice posted Friday on the Food and Drug Administration website that it has suspended production of the packages while it and the FDA investigate. (6/5)

Chicago Tribune: Frank Schwindel: Chicago Cubs 1B's Bond With 7-Year-Old Fan
Sometimes, if you look closely, you can spot the blue band on Frank Schwindel’s wrist. For Schwindel, his Team Ryker wristband is a visual connection to the 7-year-old Chicago Cubs fan who calls the first baseman his best friend. Schwindel’s bond with Ryker Colón began in January at a meet-and-greet event through Club 400, a nonprofit founded by a Cubs fan. It spawned a link between Schwindel and the Colón family. Ryker is one of 17 children in the world with a JAG2 gene mutation. Doctors categorize his condition as a form of muscular dystrophy; however, the rare disease does not have a name. Ryker no longer can walk and uses a power wheelchair. (Montemurro, 6/6)