Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Before Georgia School Shooting, Suspect's Mother Tried To Raise Alarm
The Wall Street Journal: Georgia Shooting Suspect’s Mom Tried To Warn School, Family Says
The mother of the 14-year-old suspect in the Georgia high-school shooting that left four people dead called the school the morning of the attack to warn of a possible emergency, according to a family member. Marcee Gray called Apalachee High School in Winder, Ga., Wednesday around 9:50 a.m., her sister, Annie Brown, told The Wall Street Journal on Sunday. Gray urged a counselor to find her son, according to Brown. The shooting began about half an hour later. (Otis, 9/8)
AP: Georgia School Shooting Highlights Fears About Classroom Cellphone Bans
Huddling for safety in classrooms as gunfire rang out, students at Apalachee High School texted or called their parents to let them know what was happening and send what they thought could be their final messages. One student texted her mother to say she loved her, adding, “I’m sorry I’m not the best daughter.” ... The moves to restrict phone use in schools have been driven by concerns about the impact screentime has on children’s mental health and complaints from teachers that cellphones have become a constant distraction in the classroom. But those opposed to the bans say they cut off a lifeline parents have to make sure their children are safe during school shootings or other emergencies.(DeMillo, 9/8)
Also —
AP: Manhunt For Kentucky I-75 Shooter Enters Third Day
As a grueling manhunt stretched into a third day Monday for a suspect in an interstate shooting that struck 12 vehicles and wounded five people, authorities vowed to keep up a relentless search as the stress level remained high for a rural area where some schools canceled classes. Authorities have been searching a rugged, hilly area of southeastern Kentucky since Saturday evening, when a gunman began shooting at drivers on Interstate 75 near London, a small city of about 8,000 people located about 75 miles (120 kilometers) south of Lexington. The search was temporarily suspended once darkness fell Sunday night, but was set to resume Monday morning. (Schreiner, 9/9)
In other news about mental health —
Modern Healthcare: Mental Health Startups Are Thriving In Schools
Talkspace is working with New York Public Schools and Baltimore County Public Schools. Cartwheel Care is working with Bristol-Warren Regional School District in Rhode Island and Chelsea Public Schools in Massachusetts. School is back in session and digital health startups that sell to schools are finding success — and investor interest — as administrators try to address the youth mental health crisis amid district budget issues. (Perna, 9/6)
New Hampshire Public Radio: Nashua Public Health Seeks To Decrease Stigma, Barriers For Latino Mental Health
Nashua health officials are working to decrease the stigma surrounding mental health for Latinos in the city, through an initiative that seeks to understand the community’s current mental health needs. Equity Officer Iraida Muñoz said the city's division of public health hosted a community conversation last month about mental health in English, Spanish and Portuguese, with a focus on emotional well-being. She said some of the most interesting responses were about the cultural taboos among Latinos about talking about mental health — especially for young men. (Guzman, 9/7)
