Mental Health Archives - Page 12 of 53

All About the (Government) Funding

Episode 329

Jan. 11, 2024

With days to go until a large chunk of the federal government runs out of money needed to keep it operating, Congress is still struggling to find a compromise spending plan. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court agreed to hear — this year — a case that pits federal requirements for emergency treatment against state abortion bans. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet, and Tami Luhby of CNN join KFF Health News chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews American Medical Association President Jesse Ehrenfeld about the choppy waters facing the nation’s physicians in 2024.

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A photo of an adolescent sitting in a chair with their parent while a medical professional takes notes on a clipboard.

Rising Malpractice Premiums Price Small Clinics Out of Gender-Affirming Care for Minors

Even in states where laws protect minors’ access to gender-affirming care, malpractice insurance premiums are keeping small and independent clinics from treating patients.

By Cecilia Nowell

Jan. 9, 2024

A photo of a police squad car with flashing lights on and crime scene tape in the foreground.

States Begin Tapping Medicaid Dollars to Combat Gun Violence

The Biden administration is allowing states to use money from the insurance program for low-income and disabled residents to pay for gun violence prevention. California and six other states have approved such spending, with more expected to follow.

By Samantha Young

Jan. 5, 2024

A health care worker is. sitting with their head in their hands.

Doctors Are as Vulnerable to Addiction as Anyone. California Grapples With a Response.

The Medical Board of California, which licenses MDs, is developing a program to evaluate, treat, and monitor doctors with alcohol and drug problems. But there is sharp disagreement over whether those who might volunteer for the program should be subject to public disclosure and over how much participants should pay.

By Bernard J. Wolfson

Jan. 4, 2024

Patients With Narcolepsy Face a Dual Nightmare of Medication Shortages and Stigma

It's been more than a year since the FDA declared a national shortage of Adderall, and it’s affecting more than just patients with ADHD. Those with narcolepsy, a much rarer condition, are often treated with the same medication. Without it, they're often unable to drive or function as usual.

By Lauren Peace, Tampa Bay Times

Jan. 3, 2024

Mental Health Courts Can Struggle to Fulfill Decades-Old Promise

Mental health courts have been touted as a means to help reduce the flow of people with mental illness into jails and prisons. But the specialized diversion programs can struggle to live up to that promise, and some say they’re a bad investment.

By Sam Whitehead

Dec. 28, 2023

Paramedics lift a person on a stretcher into ambulance at night.

As Foundation for ‘Excited Delirium’ Diagnosis Cracks, Fallout Spreads

Major policy changes and disavowals have made this a watershed year for curbing the use of the discredited “excited delirium” diagnosis to explain deaths in police custody. Now the ripple effects are spreading across the country into court cases, state legislation, and police training classes.

By Renuka Rayasam, Markian Hawryluk, and Samantha Young

Dec. 13, 2023

Anjelah Salazar, a fifth grade girl, sits at her desk in front of her computer.

LA County Invests Big in Free Virtual Mental Health Therapy for K-12 Students

California is spending almost $5 billion to address a growing youth mental health crisis. In Los Angeles County, a contract with teletherapy provider Hazel Health is funding free therapy sessions for all interested students. School districts are grateful for the additional support, but express concerns about the remote arrangement.

By Molly Castle Work

Dec. 12, 2023

Nora Super sitting in a wheelchair with a pillow behind her back and head. She smiles at the camera.

Navigating Aging

She Once Advised the President on Aging Issues. Now, She’s Battling Serious Disability and Depression.

Coping with disability — and the cost of coping with disability — is an enormously important issue for older adults. Nora Super, an expert on aging, shares her personal story.

By Judith Graham

Nov. 28, 2023

Two photos where Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is picture on the left and California Gov. Gavin Newsom is on the right.

Health Care Is Front and Center as DeSantis and Newsom Go Mano a Mano

Florida’s Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis and California’s Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom will square off in a first-of-its-kind debate on Nov. 30. KFF Health News compared the political rivals’ health care positions, showing how their policies have helped — or hindered — the health of their states’ residents.

By Daniel Chang and Angela Hart

Nov. 27, 2023

A photo of an older woman looking at the camera with her adult daughter next to her.

Dying Broke: A KFF Health News-New York Times Project

A Guide to Long-Term Care Insurance

Deciding when, or whether, to buy long-term care insurance can be complex. Here’s what to know.

By Jordan Rau

Nov. 22, 2023

A yellow sign with blue lettering says "Intermountain, restoring hope for children" outside a building in Helena, Montana. A bright red tree and a playground can be seen in the background next to the building.

It’s Getting Harder to Find Long-Term Residential Behavioral Health Treatment for Kids

Intermountain Residential in Montana is one of the only facilities in the United States that offer long-term residential behavioral treatment for kids as young as four. Now, administrators say they’re not sure how long it can keep its doors open.

By Aaron Bolton, MTPR

Nov. 16, 2023

Underdiagnosed and Undertreated, Young Black Males With ADHD Get Left Behind

A recent study found that young Black males are substantially more likely to be underdiagnosed and undertreated for the neurological condition than white peers.

By Claire Sibonney

Nov. 9, 2023

An old photo shows a young Oronde McClain with his sister.

Children Who Survive Shootings Endure Huge Health Obstacles and Costs

A new study finds that young people who have been injured by firearms are more prone to psychiatric diagnoses and developing a substance use disorder than kids who have not been shot — and their families also suffer long-term ill effects.

By Liz Szabo

Nov. 6, 2023

An unrecognizable mental health professional takes notes while sitting across from a patient.

Navigating Aging

Medicare Expands the Roster of Available Mental Health Professionals

Medicare is expanding access to mental health counselors and marriage and family therapists come Jan. 1. But the belief that seniors who suffer from mental health problems should just grin and bear it remains a troubling barrier to care.

By Judith Graham

Nov. 3, 2023

A photo of a woman posing for a portrait outside.

Bill Of The Month

When That Supposedly Free Annual Physical Generates a Bill

Completing a routine depression screening questionnaire during an annual checkup is cost-free under federal law. But, as one woman discovered, answering a doctor’s follow-up questions might not be.

By Julie Appleby

Oct. 30, 2023

A health care technician preps the arm of a senior adult for a blood draw.

Navigating Aging

Doubts Abound About a New Alzheimer’s Blood Test

Quest Diagnostics is selling a blood test online to consumers. But results may not be reliable or easy to interpret. And it isn’t covered by insurance.

By Judith Graham

Oct. 26, 2023

A photo of a woman standing at a table with gun safety pamphlets.

Storing Guns Away From Home Could Reduce Suicides, but Legal Hurdles Loom

Safe storage maps show gun owners where to put their firearms for safekeeping if they experience a mental health crisis. The idea has support among some gun enthusiasts, but legal obstacles threaten wider adoption.

By Aaron Bolton, MTPR

Oct. 26, 2023

A photo of Governor Gavin Newsom during a press conference taken from the side. On the wall behind him is California's state seal.

California Expands Paid Sick Days and Boosts Health Worker Wages

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation expanding paid sick leave to five days, extending bereavement leave to miscarriages and failed adoptions, and approving an eventual $25-an-hour health care minimum wage. Still, in a possible sign of national ambitions, the Democrat vetoed free condoms in schools and refused to decriminalize psychedelic mushrooms.

By Don Thompson

Oct. 25, 2023

A woman sits on a jacket on a sidewalk and leans against a building. She has short hair and wears red glasses, a purple tank top, and a long skirt with a flower print. There are a few bags beside her.

Pregnant and Addicted: Homeless Women See Hope in Street Medicine

As homelessness explodes across California, so does the number of expectant mothers on the streets. Street medicine doctors are getting paid more by Medicaid and offering some of those mothers-to-be a chance to overcome addiction and reverse chronic diseases so they can have healthy babies — and perhaps keep them.

By Angela Hart

Oct. 18, 2023

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