Latest Mental health News

2 police officers are shot and injured at Kentucky mental health center

Nov. 06, 2024 10:49 AM EST

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (AP) — Two Kentucky police officers were shot and injured early Wednesday at a mental health center. The officers were being treated at a hospital for injuries not considered life-threatening, according to Ronnie Ward, a Bowling Green police spokesperson. ...

How to help your tropical plants survive the winter blues

Nov. 05, 2024 10:07 AM EST

Dreaming of a beach vacation? My guess is you’re picturing a palm tree. Fantasizing about life on a remote island? You’re probably envisioning a walk among birds of paradise, cannas and bananas. Nothing conjures up the feeling of the tropics like giant, lush-leaved plants, and if you live in...

Winter depression is real and there are many ways to fight back

Oct. 30, 2024 17:32 PM EDT

As winter approaches and daylight hours grow shorter, people prone to seasonal depression can feel it in their bodies and brains. “It’s a feeling of panic, fear, anxiety and dread all in one,” said Germaine Pataki, 63, of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. She’s among...

Maine's adult mental health system ready to emerge from court oversight after 3 decades

Oct. 30, 2024 16:48 PM EDT

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — Maine's adult mental care facilities are ready to emerge from court oversight after an appointed specialist concluded the state is now in “substantial compliance" with the latest standards set by a court legal decree. An agreement called the “AMHI Consent...

A colorful kite festival in South Africa raises awareness for mental health

Oct. 27, 2024 10:51 AM EDT

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — Enthusiasts flew kites of all shapes and sizes Sunday at a festival in South Africa that raises awareness for mental health and provides a burst of beachside color. The Cape Town International Kite Festival is celebrating its 30th year, with...

Board cancels costly psychologist licensing exam after pushback led by Texas

Oct. 24, 2024 12:24 PM EDT

A costly proposed national certification exam for psychologists has been scrapped for now after Texas’s licensing authority led the fight against it by considering crafting a cheaper alternative to alleviate the mental health provider shortage. On Tuesday night, the Association of...

Kaiser mental health workers go on strike in Southern California over staffing, workloads

Oct. 21, 2024 15:35 PM EDT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — More than 2,400 Kaiser Permanente psychologists, therapists, social workers and other mental health workers in Southern California began an open-ended strike Monday over increased workloads and staffing shortages that their union said have created a “substandard” system of...

DeMar DeRozan's book on mental health adds to the conversation that he helped start in the NBA

Oct. 19, 2024 06:15 AM EDT

For DeMar DeRozan, this path toward improved mental health started with writing a tweet. It led to him writing a book. Being in Sacramento isn’t the only new part of DeRozan’s story entering this NBA season. The six-time All-Star is now an author, after his book...

Dennis Eckersley's daughter gets suspended sentence in baby abandonment case

Oct. 17, 2024 16:55 PM EDT

MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) — A mother convicted of abandoning her newborn son in the woods in subfreezing temperatures was given a suspended sentence Thursday, provided she continues to maintain contact with mental health providers. Alexandra Eckersley, 27, the daughter of Hall of Fame...

Years of war in Congo have created a dire mental health crisis. But little support is available

Oct. 16, 2024 09:10 AM EDT

GOMA, Congo (AP) — For Nelly Shukuru, there was no way out. The fighting that forced her from her home, the squalid conditions in the displacement camp in eastern Congo, the hunger, all felt inescapable. The 51-year-old planned to hang herself. She said a neighbor stopped her just...