Mental Health Archives - ��ϳԹ�� News

The Peculiar Politics of Hospitals

Episode 444

April 30, 2026

Democrats and Republicans on a House panel that oversees Medicare had strong words about high hospital pricing at a hearing this week, but it remains unclear whether reality will match the rhetoric when it comes to reining in those prices. Meanwhile, a study found the 988 suicide prevention hotline reduced suicides significantly in its first two years. Shefali Luthra of The 19th, Rachel Roubein of The Washington Post, and Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico Magazine join ��ϳԹ�� News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more.

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An aerial view of flattened homes destroyed by Hurricane Helene in North Carolina

When Natural Disasters Strike, Another Crisis Hits Those Recovering From Opioid Addiction

Using Hurricane Helene as a teachable moment, a group of doctors outlined concrete steps that lawmakers can take to reverse a crisis in getting substance use medications during natural disasters.

By Andrew Jones

April 30, 2026

A man wearing a red shirt, a baseball cap and sunglasses rests his hand on the open window of a truck

ELEVEN MINUTES

Saving Lives by Changing Lives: The Next Frontier in Suicide Prevention

Someone in America dies by suicide every 11 minutes. It’s a tragic and entrenched problem. A new approach to prevention shifts the focus from stopping harm in moments of crisis to upstream policies that give people reasons to live.

By Aneri Pattani

April 29, 2026

What the Health? From ��ϳԹ�� News

RFK Jr. vs. Congress

Episode 443

April 23, 2026

HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. completed his tour of House and Senate committees this week, ostensibly to promote President Donald Trump’s budget proposal for his department but also to answer for some of his more controversial positions, particularly on vaccines. Meanwhile, Trump signed an order to facilitate the use of hallucinogens to treat mental health conditions. Victoria Knight of Bloomberg Government, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, and Sheryl Gay Stolberg of The New York Times join ��ϳԹ�� News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, as part of our “How Would You Fix It?” series, Rovner interviews Harvard public health professor David Blumenthal.

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The Week in Brief

States Update Guardianship Laws To Keep Children of Immigrants Out of Foster Care

Get our weekly newsletter, The Week in Brief, featuring a roundup of our original coverage, Fridays at 2 p.m. ET.

By Jazmin Orozco Rodriguez

April 17, 2026

A hand drawn illustration of a young person holding their cell phone to their chest surrounded by robotic AI therapists, which are trying to get her to take a seat on a recliner couch. Text on their screens says, "TRUST ME!" "YOU'RE SO RIGHT!" "You can trust me!" and "Exactly."

Your New Therapist: Chatty, Leaky, and Hardly Human

With high demand for mental health care, a wave of artificial intelligence-powered chatbots are being marketed as therapy apps — with little evidence they work and few regulations.

By Darius Tahir

April 17, 2026

A woman holds the hands of a senior man.

The New Old Age

For Many Patients Leaving the ICU, the Struggle Has Only Just Begun

A long stay in intensive care can bring physical, cognitive, and mental health challenges that can take months or longer to resolve.

By Paula Span

April 10, 2026

Letters to the Editor

Readers Sound Off on Wage Garnishment, Work Requirements, and More

��ϳԹ�� News gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.

April 1, 2026

The Week in Brief

How the Trump Administration Uses Migrant Kids To Find and Detain Family Members

Get our weekly newsletter, The Week in Brief, featuring a roundup of our original coverage, Fridays at 2 p.m. ET.

By Claudia Boyd-Barrett

March 27, 2026

A syringe rests on the top shelf of a fridge.

HealthQ

Taking a GLP-1? Doctors Say Not To Forget About Movement and Mental Health

So you’ve decided to go on a GLP-1 to lose weight. These medicines might seem like an easy way to drop unwanted pounds, but you’ll likely need to do a few other things to be successful long-term.

By Emily Siner, Nashville Public Radio, Cara Anthony, and Blake Farmer, Nashville Public Radio

March 26, 2026

A small gel electrode with a cord is seen placed behind a woman's ear.

Payback: Tracking Opioid Cash

Maker of Device To Treat Addiction Withdrawal Seeks Counties’ Opioid Settlement Cash

Some researchers and recovery advocates see the NET device as the latest in a series of products pitched as the solution to the addiction crisis that have been overhyped to capitalize on money from the opioid settlements.

By Aneri Pattani

March 18, 2026

An image of several brain scans on a screen.

Psychiatrists’ Use of Biomarkers Could Open a New Window Into Mental Health Diagnoses

The world’s largest professional psychiatry organization is preparing for the day when biological indicators can help diagnose and treat mental illness.

By Jamie Ducharme

March 17, 2026

A woman looks out her window. Blurred greenery is seen in the foreground.

As More Americans Embrace Anxiety Treatment, MAHA Derides Medications

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has criticized the broadening use of anxiety medications, claiming they’re harmful. Doctors and researchers say the MAHA movement is misrepresenting drugs that have been proved to safely treat chronic anxiety and point to broader social changes to explain their increased use.

By Phillip Reese

Feb. 23, 2026

An older doctor consults with a younger doctor as they both review forms on a clipboard.

The New Old Age

When the Doctor Needs a Checkup

The physician workforce is aging fast, and some hospitals now require that older clinicians undergo testing for cognitive decline. Many have resisted.

By Paula Span

Feb. 4, 2026

A man with a beard and wearing jeans and a t-shirt sits on the floor and looks at a phone in his hand.

When Suicidal Calls Come In, Who Answers? Georgia Crisis Line Response Rates Reveal Gaps

In Georgia, a high number of callers to the 988 crisis line hang up or disconnect before reaching a counselor. Many other calls are transferred out of state.

By Andy Miller and Rebecca Grapevine, Healthbeat

Jan. 28, 2026

Letters to the Editor

Readers Balk at ‘Gold Standard’ of Autism Treatment

��ϳԹ�� News gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.

Jan. 20, 2026

What the Health? From ��ϳԹ�� News

Culture Wars Take Center Stage

Episode 429

Jan. 15, 2026

With lawmakers still mired over renewing enhanced tax credits for Affordable Care Act plans, much of Washington has turned to culture war issues. Meanwhile, “confusion” remains the watchword at HHS as personnel and funding decisions continue to be made and unmade with little notice. Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico Magazine, and Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico join ��ϳԹ�� News’ Julie Rovner to discuss those stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews ��ϳԹ�� News’ Elisabeth Rosenthal, who wrote the latest “Bill of the Month” report.

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A photo of a store exterior with graffiti tags on the outside.

Postcard From New Orleans

Thrift Store. Clinic. Roller Rink. Center Becomes ‘Radical’ Lifeline Amid Homelessness, Drug Crises.

Located in the Lower 9th Ward, this abandoned building has become a community sanctuary and resource.

By Aneri Pattani

Jan. 9, 2026

A man with long dark hair pulled into a ponytail and wearing a dark blue t-shirt stands near a building under construction.

In Lodge Grass, Montana, a Crow Community Works To Rebuild From Meth’s Destruction

Meth is a problem most everywhere, but particularly in Indian Country. On the Crow Indian Reservation in Montana, new buildings serve as symbols of a town trying to rebuild after being devastated by addiction.

By Katheryn Houghton

Jan. 8, 2026

A photo of an open glass doorway. Writing on the top of the doorway reads, "Welcome to the MVP Program."

Homeless Shelters for Seniors Pop Up, Catering to Older Adults’ Medical Needs

Seniors are the fastest-growing segment of homeless Americans. Shelters are struggling to take in people with mobility issues and other chronic health conditions that can make living in a shelter nearly impossible. But specialized shelters for seniors are cropping up around the country to fill the gap.

By Aaron Bolton, MTPR

Jan. 7, 2026

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