Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Mental Health Patients Living In ERs Contributing To Physician Burnout
USA Today: Against Backdrop Of A Mental Health Care Shortage, Emergency Room Doctors Are Overwhelmed
A 9-year-old boy lived for weeks in a hospital emergency room, dressed in paper scrubs, because his parents couldn't handle him and the state's social services agency had nowhere to place him. A 14-year-old spent more than four weeks in an emergency room in a community with no beds for a teen with mental health needs. (Alltucker, 6/21)
Stat: Amid Soaring Need, 988 Operator Taps AI To Boost Counselor Skills
Over 1,000 times a day, distressed people call crisis support lines operated by Protocall Services. Its counselors are carefully trained for the sensitive and taxing conversations, but even with supervision on the job, major errors, like failing to screen for suicide, can go undetected. So Portland, Ore.-based Protocall is working with a company called Lyssn to investigate if technology can help keep call quality high. (Aguilar, 6/22)
Fox News: Spike In Teen Depression Aligns With Rise Of Social Media, New Poll Suggests: ‘It’s Not Going Anywhere’
"I can’t do anything right." "I do not enjoy life." "My life is not useful." The share of teens who agree with these phrases has doubled over the past decade, according to an annual poll conducted by the University of Michigan — and one expert asserts that the increase in depressive symptoms is tied to the rise of social media. (Rudy, 6/21)
The Washington Post: How Millennial Celebrities Are Helping Change Mental Health Stigma
As demand for mental health help has vaulted higher, celebrities ranging from musicians to TV stars to athletes have used their platforms and public profiles to discuss their own mental health challenges. It is both reflective of the broader societal shift that has destigmatized the discussion of emotional and mental health, and a trend that has made an impact in encouraging people to speak up about or address issues in their own lives. (Adelson, 6/21)
Bloomberg: Tackling Burnout By Tracking Employee Wellness Data
Transparency might be the best salve to treat work-induced burnout, new data show. Some 85% of C-suite executives believe that organizations should require mandatory reporting of well-being metrics, according to a study released Wednesday by research firm Deloitte and Workplace Intelligence. Yet only half of those executives think their own companies are doing a good enough job promoting transparency. (Gindis, 6/21)
Health News Florida: Mental Health Providers Back College Board's Decision To Keep Gender In AP Psychology
Central Florida mental health providers are voicing support for the College Board’s decision to keep gender identity and sexuality in AP Psychology classes in Florida. The College Board says it won’t modify its AP Psychology curriculum after the Florida Department of Education asked it to remove all references to gender identity and sexuality. (Prieur, 6/21)
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