Mental Health
Inside Illinois’ journey to build a centralized platform for child welfare services
A digital transformation among six child welfare agencies in Illinois is helping to break down silos and connect families with the mental and behavioral health services they need.
Iowa governor signs statewide ban on cellphones in class
The law requires school boards adopt a policy that, at minimum, bans the use of cellphones in class beginning in the 2025-2026 school year.
Nebraska social media age-verification bill moves forward
Democratic-allied lawmakers described the bill as government overreach and said it likely would face lawsuits, while supporters of the proposal said it would help address a mental health crisis among young people.
Ban on cell phone use during K-8 school hours in Georgia goes to the governor
Expansion to high schools could come later.
Utah lawmakers advance bill requiring age verification for app store purchases
The Utah Senate advanced a law to require app stores to verify the ages of customers to give parents more control over their kids' accounts.
Social media experts are skeptical about the power of new state laws
Lawmakers worry about negative effects on teens, but others raise concerns over free speech.
Nebraska lawmakers take aim at youth social media and cell phone use
Gov. Jim Pillen and a group of Nebraska lawmakers take aim at social media and school-hours cell phone use by youths.
Amid a $7 million deficit to Texas’ suicide hotline, thousands of calls are abandoned monthly
The state’s 988 suicide had the nation’s fifth highest rate of abandoned calls in August, the latest data available, amid a multi-million funding deficit that could worsen as federal dollars expire this year.
U.S. Education Department pings states, schools to set policies on cellphone use
The department said schools' policies should be "clear, consistent, and research-informed," but did not specify exactly what those policies should be.
How one school's cell phone ban is going after two years
A cell phone ban at an Oregon high school has led to students being more focused, more engaged and talking to each other more.
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As AI in mental health evolves, one states wants to regulate it while encouraging innovation
The Utah Office of Artificial Intelligence Policy is exploring best practices and potential pitfalls in the technology.
Governments are pushing teen social media bans – but behind the scenes is a messy fight over science
Jonathan Haidt’s book The Anxious Generation has set governments against teen social media – and triggered a months-long debate among experts.
Will Mississippi schools join the cellphone ban bandwagon?
A Mississippi lawmaker is already crafting a bill to ban cellphones in classrooms, but how would it play out?
Computer programs monitor students’ every word in the name of safety
Companies tout security features; privacy advocates dislike constant surveillance.
Woman’s suicide after repeated 911 calls reveals gaps in one city's pioneering crisis response system
Public health departments can tell you how many people they've referred for help and, possibly even, how many people have sought that help. But in Bend, Oregon, officials say it is harder to know how much of a difference the crisis response teams are making in actually saving lives.
FCC to vote on routing 988, crisis callers directly to local resources
Proponents of georouting 988 calls say it is especially important given the transient nature of many areas, including major cities.
Suicide rates for young Americans are increasing. Here’s what states are doing about it.
A $68 million federal grant program announced last week during Suicide Prevention Month will help support state programs aimed at solving the youth mental health crisis.
Study finds prevalence of firearms is driving soaring gun deaths in U.S.—not mental illness
Researchers compared the U.S. to 40 countries and found that Americans are 20 times more likely to die by firearms, even with a similar rate of mental health illness.
Community colleges step up to address young adults’ mental health
Young people feel uneasy about the future. But educational institutions are stepping up to give them the tools they need.
Surgeon general says minors’ social media use is causing parental stress
Over the past two years, states have passed dozens of laws to protect young people from the worst of the platforms. Here’s how they’ve done it.
