Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Law Enforcement Had Cause To Detain Maine Gunman Before Shooting
CNN: Lewiston Shooting: Sagdahoc Sheriff Had Probable Cause To Take Maine Gunman Into Custody Before Shooting, Report Says
Law enforcement officers had probable cause to confiscate the firearms from Robert Card and take him into protective custody before he went on a shooting rampage in northern Maine, but failed to invoke a state law that could have been used to disarm him, according to an independent report into the mass shooting made public Friday. The interim report, released by an independent commission to investigate the October 25, 2023, mass shooting in Lewiston, determined the Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s Office had sufficient evidence to believe the US Army Reservist posed a likelihood of serious harm and stressed the department could have utilized the state’s so-called “yellow flag” law. The report detailed how those who knew Card alerted authorities on several occasions to his deteriorating mental state and serious concerns he would become violent. (Tucker, 3/15)
The Baltimore Sun: Survivors Of Spinal Gunshot Injuries Navigate Challenges
Walter Smith used to drive fast in his Ford Crown Victoria. Four years ago, the 60-year-old stayed busy working, playing sandlot baseball and spending time with his three granddaughters. Smith’s life now moves at a slower pace after he was paralyzed in a 2020 shooting in Annapolis. His ability to leave the house in his power chair is weather-dependent — he spends most days sitting by a stop sign in Owings Mills, listening to music and watching as cars zoom down the road. (Price, 3/18)
More on mental health —
The Boston Globe: Patients From The Courts Add Strain To State's Psych Hospitals
An influx of patients from the criminal justice system is overwhelming a Massachusetts psychiatric hospital, contributing to overcrowding and dangerous conditions at a facility ill-equipped to properly care for them. At Tewksbury Hospital ... staff complain of groping, threats, and assaults; and local police have responded to violent incidents and patients wandering off the property, according to town records, state data, and interviews with current and former workers. (Laughlin, 3/16)
The Denver Post: Denver First Responders To Get Psychedelic Crisis Training
First responders in Denver will soon undergo training designed specifically to bolster psychedelic crisis response and intervention. The training, developed by the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelics Studies (MAPS), aims to “enhance the knowledge, attitudes, and skills of first responders to quickly recognize and effectively respond to emotional and behavioral crisis incidents involving psilocybin and other psychedelics,” according to an announcement this week. (Ricciardi, 3/15)
KFF Health News: As More States Target Disavowed ‘Excited Delirium’ Diagnosis, Police Groups Push Back
Following a pivotal year in the movement to discard the term “excited delirium,” momentum is building in several states to ban the discredited medical diagnosis from death certificates, law enforcement training, police incident reports, and civil court testimony. In January, California became the first state to prohibit the medical term from many official proceedings. Now, lawmakers in Colorado, Hawaii, Minnesota, and New York are considering bills that also would rein in how the excited delirium concept is used. (Rayasam, 3/18)
NBC News: Why Depression Goes Undetected In Teen Boys: Doctors Warn About Symptoms
Teenage boys are drowning in just as much of the depression and anxiety that’s been well documented in girls. Experts warn that many young men struggling with their mental health are left undetected and without the help they need. “We are right to be concerned about girls,” said Kathleen Ethier, director of the Division of Adolescent and School Health at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “But I don’t ever want us to lose sight of the fact that boys aren’t doing well, either.” (Edwards, 3/17)
