Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
In Lawsuit, Uvalde Families Accuse 3 Companies Of Cultivating Criminality
The Texas Tribune: Uvalde Families Sue Gun Manufacturer, Instagram, Activision
Several Uvalde families are suing Daniel Defense, the gun company whose AR-15 style rifle an 18-year-old gunman used to kill 19 children and two teachers and injure several others at Robb Elementary two years ago, lawyers said. The family members of victims Friday also filed a separate lawsuit against California-based companies Meta — the parent company of Instagram and Facebook — and Activision, whose best-selling video game Call of Duty features Daniel Defense guns. (Salhotra and Garcia, 5/24)
In other mental health news —
The Washington Post: Americans See Disparities In Mental And Physical Care, Survey Finds
When asked, 75 percent of survey respondents said they felt mental health conditions are identified and treated worse than physical health issues, according to a new survey from West Health and Gallup. The poll surveyed a random sample of 2,266 U.S. adults 18 and older. In addition to perceptions about treatment, the survey also gauged mental health conditions among participants. Of the respondents: 51 percent reported experiencing depression, anxiety or another mental health condition in the previous 12 months. (Docter-Loeb, 5/27)
Stateline: Amid Mental Health Crisis, New Compact Allows Social Workers To Practice Across State Lines
Stefani Goerlich, a certified sex therapist and social worker with a private practice in Detroit, sees several dozen clients a month, most of them from underserved and minority backgrounds. She speaks to them about sensitive matters such as gender-affirming care, and building trust takes time. Those hard-won relationships often are upended when clients move away from Michigan, because most states bar social workers from providing telehealth services across state lines. Finding another therapist who is a good fit isn’t easy, especially since many areas of the country have a shortage of mental health providers. (Chatlani, 5/28)
The CT Mirror: For Some CT Kids, The Mental Health Care System Is Struggling
The Simsbury mother felt like she had exhausted all the options. They’d tried repeated psychiatric hospitalizations to help her adopted daughter. They’d tried a wide variety of therapy methods. They’d lost track of the number of emergency room visits. And still, she feared her daughter, who had reported suicidal ideations, would end up dead. (Monk and Edison, 5/26)
KFF Health News: New Help For Dealing With Aggression In People With Dementia
Caring for older adults with dementia is stressful, especially when they become physically or verbally aggressive, wander away from home, develop paranoia or hallucinations, engage in inappropriate or repetitive behaviors, or refuse to let caregivers help them. Upward of 95% of patients experience these neuropsychiatric symptoms of dementia, which tend to fluctuate over time and vary in intensity. They’re the primary reasons people with dementia end up in assisted living facilities or nursing homes. At some point, families and friends trying to help at home simply can’t manage. (Graham, 5/28)
