Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Instagram, Facebook To Begin Filtering Content For Teens' Safety
The Wall Street Journal: Meta Imposes Mandatory Restrictions On Teen Instagram And Facebook Accounts
Parents have long been frustrated by internet platforms that treat teen accounts much the same as adult accounts. Data-collection laws protecting children under 13 don’t extend to older minors. Social media’s biggest operator is addressing this with a shift in content filtering. Meta Platforms plans to automatically restrict teen Instagram and Facebook accounts from harmful content including videos and posts about self-harm, graphic violence and eating disorders. The changes are expected to roll out in the coming weeks. (Jargon, 1/9)
NPR: Meta Restricts Content For Teens On Facebook, Instagram
"Now, when people search for terms related to suicide, self-harm and eating disorders, we'll start hiding these related results and will direct them to expert resources for help," Meta stated in a blog post. (Kerr, 1/9)
Also —
Bloomberg: Online Mental Health: Students Use Technology Rather Than School Counselors
An overwhelming majority of teens and tweens — 87% — have sought mental health information online, and 64% have used mobile health apps, according to a report by the Jed Foundation, a nonprofit focused on emotional health and suicide prevention among US teens and young adults. But it’s not just a desire for relatability and privacy that is pushing high school and college students to seek mental health services virtually. Schools are straining to meet demand. (Li, 1/9)
More mental health news —
Military.com: VA To Fund Research On Using MDMA, Psilocybin To Address Mental Health Disorders In Veterans
The Department of Veterans Affairs has announced new funding for research into the potential use of psychedelic substances to treat post-traumatic stress disorder and depression in former military personnel. According to the VA, it is the first time in nearly six decades the department will fund such research and comes amid a growing but cautious optimism among the veteran community and Congress that the drugs, widely associated with illicit party culture, could offer breakthrough treatments for the unseen wounds of war and military service. (Kime, 1/8)
Los Angeles Times: For L.A. Transplants, Mobile Crisis Teams May Be Out Of Reach
L.A. County says it needs a federal fix to make sure Angelenos with out-of-town area codes can access local services when they call 988. (Ellis, 1/10)
San Francisco Chronicle: S.F. Loses Out On Mental Health Beds Outside The City. Here's Why
Mayor London Breed on Tuesday will unveil a plan to cut through the city’s bureaucratic red tape to reduce wait times and bring new mental health and substance abuse treatment beds online faster. “People are in crisis, and we can’t allow delays and bureaucracy to get in the way of getting people help,” Breed said in a statement. “Our goal is to be able to deliver services as quickly as possible, and by removing these barriers, we can be ready when there are opportunities available to add beds to our system.” (Angst, 1/9)
Chicago Tribune: At ‘Climate Cafes,’ Mental Health Experts And Environmentalists Create A Community To Tackle Climate Anxiety
Ten years ago, Beth Beyer’s youngest child walked out to Lake Michigan on a mild winter day and cried. The Lincoln Park resident thought her son would be excited about spending time outdoors, but the seventh grader was distraught thinking about what the unseasonably warm weather meant for the world and its climate. (Perez, 1/9)
The Washington Post: 7 Foods That Can Help You Reduce Anxiety
We already know that what we eat affects our bodies. Now a growing body of research suggests our food choices can also affect our minds. The emerging field of nutritional psychiatry focuses on how eating certain foods may improve our mental health. Some research suggests that a variety of foods can help boost mood, improve cognition and even reduce the symptoms of depression and anxiety. (Soong, 1/9)
