Public News Service

In 2022, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services published a request for information about updating Essential Health Benefits requirements. It is the first time comments have been requested since 2014. (Adobe Stock)

VA Senator calls for updates to ACA health coverage

Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., wants to update the 14-year-old Affordable Care Act. He and Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., are asking for updates to the Act's …

On average, school divisions across the country receive 14% more per student than those in Virginia, or about $1,900 more per student than Virginia. (Adobe Stock)

VA child advocates calling for increased school funding

Virginia child advocates are calling on state lawmakers to improve school funding. The concern grew when several bills focused on building up school …

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services found between January 2022 and January 2023, more than 4,200 drugs had prices rising 46% higher than the rate of inflation. (Adobe Stock)

AARP VA calls on General Assembly for legislative changes

As the General Assembly session begins, AARP Virginia is calling on lawmakers to tackle key reforms. In particular, they're looking to establish a …

KFF reported in 2021 the state saw 2,230 opioid overdose deaths, which accounted for 85% of drug overdose deaths in Virginia. (Adobe Stock)

VA group sets record straight on substance-use disorder

During National Substance Abuse Prevention Month, a Virginia group is working to help those dealing with substance abuse. The state's Department of …

A 2023 National PTA survey finds 72% of parents support schools having mental health resources. (Adobe Stock)

This Wednesday: Youth mental health summit in VA

Today is World Mental Health Day, and this week a Virginia group is focusing on youth mental health at a special summit. Speakers at "Beyond Trauma: …

Una encuesta de Lumina Foundation/Gallup encuentra que uno de cada cuatro estudiantes hispanos

Muchos estudiantes universitarios hispanos consideran abandonar sus estudios

La mayoría de los estudiantes hispanos de colegios comunitarios dicen a los encuestadores que querían dejar la escuela. La encuesta de la …

A Lumina Foundation/Gallup poll finds one in four Hispanic students

Poll: Many Hispanic college students consider dropping out

A majority of Hispanic community college students tell pollsters they've wanted to leave school. The Lumina Foundation-Gallup poll finds 50% of …

Virginia ranked 48th in the 2023 State of Mental Health report undertaken by Mental Health America. This indicates higher rates of mental illness among the state's youth and little access to care. (Adobe Stock)

Report: VA, US Children Need Better Health Supports

A new annual report found children in Virginia and across the U.S. need better health support. The Annie E. Casey Foundation's Kids Count Data Book …

According to Virginia's opioid cost calculator, which tracks monetary impacts like lost labor, health care, crime, household costs, and state and federal costs, the state is facing a price tag of around $3.5 billion. (Adobe Stock)

VA Group Works to Address Opioid Crisis

As the opioid epidemic continues to take its toll, a Virginia group is working to keep people safe. The Virginia Harm Reduction Coalition in Roanoke …

Virginia ranked 48th in Mental Health America's 2023 State of Mental Health report for youth mental health, which indicated higher rates of mental illness among the state's youth and little access to care. (Adobe Stock)

Survey: Parents Worried About Student Mental Health

A recent survey from the National PTA found student mental health is a top-of-mind issue for parents across the U.S. The survey showed 72% of …

According to a 2022 Kaiser Family Foundation study, 57% of schools reported having insufficient access to licensed mental health professionals. (Adobe Stock)

VA Works to Improve Residents' Mental Health

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and Virginia is working to improve the mental health of its residents. In Mental Health America's 2023 State …

According to a Kaiser Family Foundation survey, 48% of schools surveyed felt inadequate funding was one reason they couldn't effectively provide mental-health services to students. (Adobe Stock)

Legislation Aims to Improve VA School Mental-Health Services

Virginia's General Assembly is reviewing legislation to improve mental health services in schools. Currently, Virginia ranks 48th among states for …

According to the Youth Risk Behavior Survey from the CDC, one in three (30%) of teen girls considering attempting suicide in 2021, a 60% increase over the last decade. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Teen Girls Face Record High Levels of Sadness, Violence

The latest report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention finds teen girls are experiencing record high levels of sadness and violence…

According to Mental Health America's 2023 state rankings, Virginia ranks 34th for access to care and 38th overall. For adult mental health care the state ranked 14th, but youth mental health was ranked 48th. (Adobe Stock)

Proposed Plan Better Funds VA Mental-Health Programs

A recently proposed plan has been devised to better fund Virginia's mental-health programs. The new Right Help, Right Now plan calls for $230 …

According to an annual report from United Healthcare, Virginia's strengths included low economic hardship index scores, low percentage of household food insecurity and high adult flu vaccination rate. (Adobe Stock)

Virginia Ranks High in Annual Health Report

Virginia ranked 14th in United Healthcare's annual America's Health Rankings report. The state saw a 14% decline in the number of uninsured adults …

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, youths who bully others are at increased with for substance abuse, academic issues, and experiencing violence in adolescence and as an adult. (Adobe Stock)<br />

As Bullying Prevention Awareness Month Ends, Prevention Efforts Continue

As National Bullying Prevention Awareness Month comes to a close, experts are reminding Virginians to be aware of the patterns within bullying…

A 2021 study by the nonprofit Mental Health America found only 60% of youths experiencing depression received any type of mental health treatment. (Adobe Stock)

VA Kids' Mental Health Still Strained from Pandemic

With a new school year beginning, Virginia parents are being urged to keep an eye on their children's mental health. According to Mental Health …

Kids who grow up in poverty are more than two times more likely to develop mental-health conditions than their peers. (Adobe Stock)

Virginia Shows Slow Progress on Kids' Economic Stability

For the second consecutive year, Virginia ranks 13th in an annual snapshot of child well-being. In the new 2022 Kids Count Data Book, the state …

According to a 2021 report by the Trevor Project, LGBTQ youths in rural areas were more likely to experience symptoms of depression than their urban and suburban counterparts. (Adobe Stock)

Program Aims to Support Rural LGBTQ Virginians

New research out of the University of Minnesota reveals rural LGBTQ folks face unique, and often unmet, mental- and physical-health needs. The …

According to United Health Foundation, the prevalence of frequent mental stress among adults 65 and up rose 8% from 2011 to 2020. (Adobe Stock)

Report: More Virginia Seniors Face Mental-Health Problems

Across Virginia, people have adjusted to the new normal of pandemic life, but concerns remain about the effects of the past two years had on the …

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, America had roughly 17.4 million military veterans as of 2019. (Adobe Stock)

Mental-Health Support Available for Virginia's Veterans, Active-Duty Military

Virginia is home to more than 780,000 military veterans, and one organization is offering mental and emotional support. The National Alliance on …

A leak of thousands of internal documents to journalists in 2021, detailing how social media giant Facebook handled everything from the January 6th insurrection to mental health issues among young women and girls. (Adobe Stock)

Facebook Whistleblower, Health Experts Discuss Social Media's Impact on Kids

Last year, a whistleblower at Facebook lifted the curtain on how the platform, and its sister companies, impact young kids' mental health. Frances …

According to The Sentencing Project, more than one in four kids are detained upon their arrest. (Adobe Stock)

Virginia Bill Proposes Public Health Approach to Juvenile Justice

The Virginia General Assembly has given bipartisan approval to a measure one advocate believes could lead to significant changes to the Commonwealth's…

About half of those who experience a mental illness during their lives also will experience a substance-use disorder and vice versa, according to federal data. (Adobe stock)

Mental Health First-Aid Training Offered for Rural Virginians

RICHMOND, Va. - Substance-use disorder can go hand in hand with mental-health issues, and folks in rural Virginia can take a mental-health first-aid …

The American Heart Association recommends schools avoid overly harsh discipline as kids and families readjust to the in-person school schedule during the pandemic. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Protecting Kids' Mental Health Top Priority as VA Schools Reopen

HAMPTON ROADS, Va. -- With many Virginia schools starting up next week, experts say parents and teachers need to take extra steps to protect …

About 11% of Virginia families with children don't have health insurance, according to a new report. (Adobe Stock)

Pandemic Widens Racial Gap in Meeting VA Families' Basic Needs

RICHMOND, Va. - As the number of coronavirus deaths surpasses 300,000 in the United States, new research shows families with children are suffering …

Mental Health Website Supports Veterans in Pandemic Isolation

RICHMOND, Va. - As the new coronavirus pandemic increases depression and anxiety for folks across the nation, a mental health campaign is boosting …

A coalition of mental-health advocacy groups, including Voices for Virginia's Children and NAMI Virginia, is calling attention to the need for more mental-health services and providers in the Commonwealth. (Adobe Stock)

Groups Push VA Lawmakers to Ease Mental-Health Crisis

RICHMOND, Va. -- Mental-health support groups are sponsoring an advocacy day today in Richmond, urging lawmakers to back funding to help Virginians …

A congressional investigation has found that nine migrant children younger than a year old and 18 younger than two have been forcibly separated from their families and held in detention. (Office Of Refugee Resettlement/Wikipedia)

Family Separation, Detention of Minors Called Child Abuse

RICHMOND, Va. – Social workers and mental health professionals are trying to have the detention of migrant children away from their families …

Many Virginia cities and counties began researching a decade ago to create programs to divert people with mental illnesses from incarceration. (Adobe Stock)

Arlington County Aims to Launch Mental Health Court

ARLINGTON, Va. — Arlington County will hold a meeting this week to get public input on a new program designed to offer those with mental …

Centering gratitude in one's life can help people mentally and physically beat the stress of the holidays and be happy. (badski007/Pixabay)

Gratitude Beyond Thanksgiving Called Good for Health

RICHMOND, Va. – What are you grateful for this holiday season? The answer could be good for your health. An array of studies shows …

The Lynchburg College Caring for the Caregivers hackathon team beat groups from six other universities at the third annual event. (Lynchburg College)

Caregiver Hackathon Winner Coming to App Store Near You, Maybe

RICHMOND, Va. -- College students who won a recent hacking contest say they they now have a phone app to help family caregivers that they feel is …

Countries that restrict access to military-style weapons have far fewer mass shootings. (Pixabay)

Mass Shootings Not a Mental Health Issue, says Yale Psychologist

RICHMOND, Va. -- The latest mass shootings have led to calls for enhanced reporting of mental health records. But mental health experts say that …

A new poll shows Americans don't want their turkey served up with politics on Thanksgiving Day. (Pixabay)

New Poll Finds Americans Want Their Turkey-Time Talk Light on Politics

RICHMOND, Va. – Thanksgiving is associated with bringing family together and a majority of Americans say they don't want that spoiled by …

Opioid addiction is likely to be declared a national crisis. It has already been declared an emergency in Virginia. (Dan Heyman)

Punishment Not the Way to Fight Overdoses, Say Mental Health Experts

RICHMOND, Va. – President Donald Trump is vowing to take a law-and-order approach to combating the nation's worsening opioid epidemic. But …

A new study suggests the disproportionate number of African Americans behind bars in Virginia is feeding the state's educational achievement gap. (Prison Policy Initiative)

Report: Reduce Incarceration To Narrow Achievement Gap

RICHMOND, Va. — Widespread incarceration of African Americans during the drug war feeds the achievement gap in U.S. schools, according to a new …

The family of Jamycheal Mitchell say they have been gratified to see mental-health reforms move through the legislature this year. (the Mitchell family/Youtube)

Jamycheal Mitchell's Family Cheers Reforms

RICHMOND, Va. -- The state's General Assembly has taken a number of steps to strengthen Virginia's mental health services. And the family of …

Advocates say they hope cases such as the death of Jamycheal Mitchell will push the General Assembly to reform the state's mental-health system. (Facebook/the Mitchell family)

Advocates Hope VA Mental-Health Reform Has Hit 'Tipping Point'

RICHMOND, Va. -- It's been a long time coming, but advocates in Virginia hope the time is ripe for mental health reform at the General Assembly…

TimerCap says it has created a simple device that might help curb opioid abuse by helping people time their prescription doses. (TimerCap)

Dose Timer Aims to Limit Opioid Abuse

RICHMOND, Va — Officials in Virginia are worried about the rate of opioid use, but a simple new technology is offering a way to help curb abuse…

If you're curious about your brain, AARP Virginia has an event for you on Tuesday. (AARP)

Tips to Stay Sharp and a Tele-Town Hall on Brain Health

RICHMOND, Va. -- If you have questions on your mind about your brain, AARP Virginia is hosting a tele-town hall Tuesday night with national …

A new report says the best gifts - ones that inspire the most feelings of well-being - are actually not material things. (Pixabay)

Best Gifts Might Not Fit Under Tree

RICHMOND, Va. – People feel more grateful for what they have done than for what they have, according to new research, and that feeling of …

According to a new survey, U.S. jails hold ten times more mentally ill individuals than hospitals. Jamycheal Mitchell died in jail after being arrested for stealing five dollars worth of snacks. (Youtube/the Mitchell family)

Survey: Jails Hold Ten Times As Many Mentally Ill As Hospitals

RICHMOND, Va. -- U.S. jails are overrun with mentally ill inmates and are ill-equipped to deal with the problem, according to a recent survey of …

The death of Jamycheal Mitchell is sparking an examination of the number of mentally ill Virginians in jail or coming into conflict with the police. (The Mitchell Family/Youtube)

Mentally Ill Virginians Fill Jails, Risk Dying on Street

RICHMOND, Va. – Many Virginians with mental illness end up in jail, and some are involved in deadly altercations with police. Jamycheal …

More than a year after he was arrested for stealing $5 worth of snacks, there are no official answers about why or how Jamycheal Mitchell died in jail. (Youtube/Mitchell Family)

A Year Later – What Happened to Jamycheal Mitchell in Jail?

RICHMOND, Va. – Nearly a year later, it's still unclear how a mentally ill Virginia man died in jail after being arrested for stealing $5 worth …

A new report describes what it calls the devastating impact on Virginia children when a parent is incarcerated. (NC DPS)

103,000 Virginia Children Will Have a Parent in Prison

RICHMOND, Va. - About six percent of Virginia children have to grow up with a parent behind bars at some point. According to a new report from the …

New numbers from the CDC show autism affects about 1 in 68 U.S. children, and that rate is steady. But doctors say more testing is needed. (Wikipedia)

Autism Rate Stable, But Docs Say Testing Needed

RICHMOND, Va. - April is National Autism Awareness Month and the numbers are holding steady in the U.S., according to the latest snapshot of autism …

Student Hackathon: Creating Solutions for Family Caregivers

RICHMOND, Va. - University students staying up all night isn't unusual unless they're "hacking" solutions for folks who struggle to care for family …

Nurse practitioners say Virginia's General Assembly is missing a chance to improve medical care in under-served parts of the state. (Virginia General Assembly)

Virginia GA “Missing Opportunity" to Improve Rural Health Care

RICHMOND, Va. - The Virginia General Assembly is missing an opportunity to bring care to medically under-served parts of the state, nurse …

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VA: Mental Health