Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Telemedicine Mental Health Grows; California Skips Mental Health In School Aid Spends
Stat: As Teladoc Bolsters Mental Health Business, Competitors Make Their Case
If Teladoc, the bigfoot of virtual care, comes poking around your turf, you’d better be ready. For several billion-dollar mental health startups, that moment came last week, when the company announced a retooled, expansive offering for employers and health plans, trampling into a crowded market. (Aguilar, 5/19)
NPR: Researchers Worry Facebook Is Muddying Platform's Link To Depression
Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers' biggest fear as a parent isn't gun violence, or drunk driving, or anything related to the pandemic. It's social media. And specifically, the new sense of "brokenness" she hears about in children in her district, and nationwide. Teen depression and suicide rates have been rising for over a decade, and she sees social apps as a major reason. (Parks, 5/18)
KPBS: Flush With Aid, Most Districts Aren’t Spending On Mental Health Resources
In April, a San Marcos High School student died by suicide and now mental health professionals are urging San Marcos and other districts to invest in counseling and other services with the influx of cash they’re getting from the state and federal government. For now, there’s no indication they are. Voice of San Diego found that schools leaders are relying on mental health and social-emotional training from the County Office of Education and are working with local community groups, but not spending more money on crisis counseling despite receiving millions of dollars in coronavirus relief funding. (Jimenez, 5/18)
The Baltimore Sun: Johns Hopkins University To Begin Sending Mental Health Providers On Security Calls
The Johns Hopkins University plans in the fall to begin sending trained mental health providers on calls to campus security from students and staff who may be having a crisis. The move is similar to pilot programs recently announced in Baltimore city and county, and reflects a movement around the country to better tend to the mental health needs of the community and avoid unnecessary police involvement. (Cohn, 5/18)
