Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Judge Blocks Utah Social Media Law Intended To Protect Minors
Reuters: Utah Law Restricting Youth Social Media Use Blocked By Judge
A federal judge has blocked Utah from enforcing a new law aimed at protecting the mental health of young people by requiring social media platforms to verify users' ages and impose restrictions on minors' accounts. (Raymond, 9/11)
Inside Higher Ed: College Students’ Mental Health Takes a Turn—For the Better
Student mental health—long a top concern of higher education leaders—now appears to be improving, according to the latest edition of the annual Healthy Minds study. It found that 38 percent of undergraduates surveyed in the 2023–24 academic year experienced moderate or severe depression symptoms—down from the peak of 44 percent two years prior. To be sure, the decrease is relatively slight, and the share of college students experiencing depression still hovers slightly above pre-pandemic rates: In fall 2019, 36 percent of students reported depressive symptoms. (Alonson, 9/11)
The Texas Tribune: Texas Leads Push For Faster Certification Of Mental Health Professionals
Aspiring Texas psychologists hope to earn certification and start work faster under a new licensing examination that would be created by the state. The plan, which is catching the eye of other states, calls for Texas boards to conduct state certification tests, eliminating the need for more expensive and time-intensive national certification tests. (Simpson, 9/12)
NBC News: Jon Bon Jovi Praised For Talking Woman Off The Ledge Of A Nashville Bridge
Police in Nashville, Tennessee, praised singer Jon Bon Jovi for helping prevent a tragedy by speaking to a woman who was on the ledge of a bridge Tuesday. The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department said Bon Jovi and his team were at the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge as a woman stood precariously over the Cumberland River. Bon Jovi and others talked to the woman and helped her come back onto the bridge, police said. (Madani, 9/11)
In related news about substance abuse —
Fox News: Lack Of Sleep Among Children Could Lead To Drug, Alcohol Use: Study
A good night’s sleep has many proven benefits — potentially including a healthier future for kids. New research from Penn State University analyzed how childhood sleep patterns could be linked to future substance use. Researchers at the university found that adolescents who went to bed later and slept fewer hours during their childhood were more likely to have consumed alcohol or marijuana by the age of 15. (Stabile, 9/12)
The Baltimore Sun: Maryland To Launch Youth Residential Treatment Program
A new residential treatment program for young people struggling with substance and opioid use disorders will open in Baltimore, the Maryland Department of Health said Wednesday. While the program will be overseen by the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services, it will provide inpatient treatment to people statewide who are under the age of 21. (Roberts, 9/11)
