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BetterMynd & Lavender Collaborate To Improve Mental Health Resources for College and University Students
/PRNewswire/ -- BetterMynd, a leading online therapy platform centered on the mental health needs of university and college students, has announced a...
$7,000 grant to expand access to mental health services in Saginaw County
Child and Family Service of Saginaw County has received $7,000 grant from MyMichigan Health to support the organization’s Hope Counseling Scholarship Fund.
AI is generating a mental health crisis, warns Divine Mercy University president
"Who are we? What does it mean to be human? What understanding of the person should guide technological and social development?"
Voices: No single organization can address Utah’s mental health crisis alone. We need a new response.
“No single organization can address behavioral health outcomes alone,” Valley Behavioral Health President and CEO Jared Sanford writes in an op-ed. “Progress depends on sustained collaborations.”
New crisis center aims to expand mental health care in Lansing
A new crisis care center is opening Tuesday in Lansing, offering an alternative to hospitalization for people experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis.
New crisis center aims to expand mental health care in Lansing
A new crisis care center is opening Tuesday in Lansing, offering an alternative to hospitalization for people experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis.
New crisis center aims to expand mental health care in Lansing
A new crisis care center is opening Tuesday in Lansing, offering an alternative to hospitalization for people experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis.
New crisis center aims to expand mental health care in Lansing
A new crisis care center is opening Tuesday in Lansing, offering an alternative to hospitalization for people experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis.
New crisis center aims to expand mental health care in Lansing
A new crisis care center is opening Tuesday in Lansing, offering an alternative to hospitalization for people experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis.
New crisis center aims to expand mental health care in Lansing
A new crisis care center is opening Tuesday in Lansing, offering an alternative to hospitalization for people experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis.
New crisis center aims to expand mental health care in Lansing
A new crisis care center is opening Tuesday in Lansing, offering an alternative to hospitalization for people experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis.
New crisis center aims to expand mental health care in Lansing
A new crisis care center is opening Tuesday in Lansing, offering an alternative to hospitalization for people experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis.
New crisis center aims to expand mental health care in Lansing
A new crisis care center is opening Tuesday in Lansing, offering an alternative to hospitalization for people experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis.
New crisis center aims to expand mental health care in Lansing
A new crisis care center is opening Tuesday in Lansing, offering an alternative to hospitalization for people experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis.
Health dept. gets $300K for youth mental health
'Our goal is to improve the health, wellness of the community'
Ruck hikes at Texas state parks aim to raise awareness about veterans' mental health struggles
State parks across Texas are hosting ruck hikes to help raise awareness about the mental health struggles many veterans face.
Is 50 the new 60?
Subscribe TL;DR: Younger generations are showing signs of worse health compared to earlier-born cohorts at the same age This backward “drift” is showing up both in mortality risk and chronic disease Worsening trends in obesity and diabetes are the most consistent signals Taking the long view, we’ve made astonishing gains in health and life expectancy in the last century. Global average life expectancy has more than doubled from 32 years in 1900 to 73 years in 2024. (But don’t forget, there were still old people when life expectancy was 32). As people lived longer, they also generally lived healthier along the way. It turns out that avoiding things that can kill you early, like malnutrition and lots of childhood infections, also keeps you healthier later in life. In a classic 2004 paper, Finch and Crimmins proposed that cohorts of children who benefited from fewer early life infections had less lifetime exposure to inflammation and cardiovascular disease later in life, accelerating mortality improvements at older ages. Poor nutrition in the womb has also been linked to a higher risk of later chronic disease. The upshot is that improvements in childhood health can pay dividends many decades later. The combination of better living conditions (nutrition, sanitation) and medical advances (antibiotics, vaccines, blood pressure meds, etc) meant that people’s healthy lifespan generally expanded, even as they lived longer. Aging researchers call this best-case scenario “compression of morbidity”—meaning we delay the onset of disease and disability even faster than the years of life we are adding. During my 20+ year research career, we could generally bank on the idea that younger generations would not only live longer but also keep getting healthier along the way. “60 is the new 50” as they say… Enter “Generational Health Drift” Sadly, this expectation of steady progress may be changing. You’ve probably heard that US life expectancy gains have slowed to a crawl in the past couple of decades. Mortality improvements are also slowing (though less dramatically) in many other high-income countries (you can read more about that in a review paper I wrote here). Mortality is a very blunt health measure, but it is often a good barometer for the broader population health trends happening underneath. And we are now seeing that younger generations may be in worse health at similar ages compared to earlier born cohorts. My collaborator Prof. George Ploubidis at University College London coined this worsening health in more recently born cohorts “generational health drift.” “Generational health drift” is bad news on multiple fronts. Most obviously, we don’t want our health progress to go backward. But the timing is also bad, since our populations are aging. In demographic terms, “population aging” means that the proportion of the population at older ages (i.e >65 years) is increasing. Fun demography fact: Current population aging is not due to the recent declines in the birth rates making the news, but declines in fertility decades ago, after the “baby boom.” As baby boomers reach older ages, the smaller cohorts behind them mean the percentage of older adults will increase. For example, the share of the population age 65 and older in the US increased from 12.4% in 2004 to 18.0% in 2024. This story of population aging was written long ago. Many worry that population aging will put pressure on health care and pension systems. But if people reach older ages in better health than in years past, those fiscal pressures would be less dire than projected. Healthy older people can also continue to contribute to society in many valuable ways, including paid work, caregiving, community service….even high political office 🤷. On the flip side, if younger generations reach retirement age in worse health and with more disabling conditions, this could magnify the societal challenge of population aging. Evidence for worsening generational health A recent paper that I LOVED in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences by Dr. Leah Abrams and colleagues examined which birth cohorts (aka generations) were behind worsening US mortality. Behold the Lexis diagram (cue swooning demographers). Calendar time is on the x-axis, age on the y-axis. Birth cohorts can be followed over time as they age on the diagonal lines moving up and to the right. This figure plots the year-on-year % change in all-cause mortality at a given age. Green shading indicates mortality improvements over time, white is stagnation, and gray shading indicates worsening mortality. Following the diagonal line for those born in 1950, you can see a noticeable shift from green to gray that follows this cohort for most of their lives. This gray shading shows generally worsening mortality for the 1950 to 1959 birth cohorts compared to their predecessors across all ages. Concerningly for my GenX and elder millennial peeps, there was also a deterioration in mortality for birth cohorts born in the 1970s and 1980s, visible as dark gray areas at ages 30 to 45 during the 2010s. While some of these mortality changes reflect specific shocks such as the opioid epidemic, most deaths still occur from major causes of death such as cardiovascular disease and cancer. For cancer, the gray in the top left corner of the figure below reflects the legacies of smoking for older cohorts, followed by a period of green with improvements in cancer mortality as smoking rates declined. But the white/gray shading in the bottom right corner highlights a stagnation and reversal of the cancer trends, with cohorts born around 1970 to 1985 experiencing worsening cancer mortality. This deterioration was most noticeable for colon cancer mortality, possibly linked to obesity or dietary factors. Not just dying more, but less healthy along the way. A recent paper by Dr. Laura Gimeno of University College London (of which I am a co-author), found evidence that more recently born cohorts in Great Britain have stagnating or worsening health. A stylized picture of what“generational health drift” might look like: The review paper found: Rates of childhood overweight and obesity were highest among Gen Z. Rates of diabetes in the 40s almost doubled from 3.1% among the Baby Boomers to 5.9% in Generation X. Gen Z reported higher rates of poor mental health in adolescence compared to earlier-born groups. These UK results are consistent with studies showing worsening health across generations in the US as well. A 2021 US study found that more recently born cohorts had worse biological markers (like blood pressure and blood sugar) than earlier generations at the same age. A separate 2022 study of Americans aged 50 and over found that more recently born generations had a higher number of chronic diseases, with younger age of disease onset. A 2024 Lancet paper found that in the US, women born in 1945 had 33% obesity prevalence at age 50, rising to 48.2% for women born in 1970 turning 50. So what’s going on, and can we turn it around? We don’t have a definitive answer for what’s causing the deteriorating health of younger cohorts, but circumstantial evidence points to worsening trends in obesity and diabetes in both the US and UK. Remember that cohort trends reflect lagged effects of early environments, and younger generations have faced both earlier onset and more severe obesity across their lifetimes. Despite these very concerning trends, the future is not set in stone. We’ve reversed poor generational health trends before: drops in smoking are a major reason cancer and heart disease deaths fell so dramatically in recent decades. GLP-1 drugs may finally turn the tide against rising rates of obesity and diabetes, though it is still early days. But things could also get worse…for example from a return to higher levels of childhood infectious diseases that can have a lasting impact on health. See for example: [ ](https://jenndowd.substack.com/p/dont-you-forget-about-measles-the) [ Don’t You Forget About Me(asles): The Virus That Erases Immune Memory ](https://jenndowd.substack.com/p/dont-you-forget-about-measles-the) Jenn Dowd, PhD · March 24, 2025 [ Read full story ](https://jenndowd.substack.com/p/dont-you-forget-about-measles-the) Even as an optimist, emerging data on the “generational health drift” has my full attention. For most of my research career, we took it for granted that each generation would be healthier than the last. But if present trends continue, **50 could be the new 60….**and Gen Z celebrities will soon look older than Paul Rudd :). Stay well, Jenn Share the Health! If you found this post useful, please share it with a friend. Share
Police, fire, EMT and mental health: How one city is leading the charge to reshape 911
Alternative response programs, where mental health clinicians respond to 911 calls instead of police, have proliferated since George Floyd's murder. What does it take to do this work well?
Police, fire, EMT and mental health: How one city is leading the charge to reshape 911
Alternative response programs, where mental health clinicians respond to 911 calls instead of police, have proliferated since George Floyd's murder. What does it take to do this work well?
Police, fire, EMT and mental health: How one city is leading the charge to reshape 911
Alternative response programs, where mental health clinicians respond to 911 calls instead of police, have proliferated since George Floyd's murder. What does it take to do this work well?
Why Spending Time Outdoors Is Good For Your Physical And Mental Health
British fitness expert Joe Wicks recently teamed up with neuroscientists to scientifically test the widely-held belief that spending time outdoors is good for us.
Counselor running over 3,000 for youth mental health
A mental health therapist is running from Boston to Newport, Oregon, to raise funds to provide mental health therapy to teens.
New Hampshire to receive $2M for mental health services
More than $2 million is coming to the Granite State for mental health services.
San Antonio VA plans fixes after OIG review of inpatient mental health unit issues
VA watchdog flags South Texas VA mental health unit issues: delayed bed reporting, gaps in involuntary commitment processes, and VA police video monitoring without policy or signage. Report makes 13 recommendations.
Mental health expert: Fall’s arrival brings comfort, challenges
As many look forward to the first day of fall, a licensed professional counselor says this time of year brings a sense of excitement and anticipation.
Beshear announces nearly $17M in federal grants for mental health, addiction services
Gov. Andy Beshear's administration has secured nearly $17 million in federal funding to support 988 crisis services, youth mental health and addiction recovery, his office announced Monday.
Mental health at center of Mount Dora double murder trial as defense and prosecution rest
Vicki Williams declined to testify in her own defense Monday as attorneys rested their case in the double murder trial involving the deaths of Darryl and Sharon Getman.
Teen Mental Health Is Improving, CDC Finds. Then Why Are Experts Still Concerned?
Student mental health remains a big challenge for schools to address.
Jessie Diggins, Olympic gold medalist and mental health advocate, to speak Oct. 29 at Montana State University
The event is free and open to the public; tickets can be reserved in advance.
Presley Gerber dies at 27 of suspected overdose, police say. What Cindy Crawford's son said about recovery, medication and feeling 'misunderstood.'
Gerber, the older brother of model and actor Kaia Gerber, had spoken publicly about his mental health and experiences with addiction.
What is ibogaine, and what does it treat?
Psychedelic drugs, once pushed to the fringes of medicine, are gaining serious attention within the Trump administration as potential treatment options for people with certain mental health conditions. And they could be getting closer to receiving approval from the US Food and Drug Administration.
$17M in grants to fund Kentucky mental health, addiction services
Kentucky is set to receive nearly $17 million in federal funding to strengthen mental health and addiction services across the state, Gov. Andy Beshear announced Monday.
Most Oklahoma mental health employees affected by privatization have employment offers
As the state’s mental health department works to privatize four mental health clinics, nearly all of the state employees affected have already been offered alternative employment.
Midwest Access - Mental Health Monday - The Power of Small Wins
Midwest Access - Mental Health Monday - The Power of Small Wins
Sadness and Suicidal Behavior Among Teenagers Is Declining, C.D.C. Finds
A national survey has found that key mental health measures for teenagers have significantly improved from their worst levels during the pandemic.
Sadness and Suicidal Behavior Among Teenagers Is Declining, C.D.C. Finds
A national survey has found that key mental health measures for teenagers have significantly improved from their worst levels during the pandemic.
Minnesota Department of Education requiring mental health instruction
Mental health education was formerly listed as "encouraged", and is now listed as "required".
Hayden Panettiere remembered at Malibu memorial service
Hayden Panettiere attends the Los Angeles premiere of Netflix's new film 'Blonde' at TCL Chinese Theatre on Sept. 13, 2022, in Hollywood, California. (Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images)Hayden Panettiere was celebrated over the weekend at a memorial service held in California, her representative confirmed to ABC News.Around 80 friends of the late Nashville star, who died on Aug. 16 at the age of 36, gathered in Malibu on Saturday to share "an evening of music, memories, laughter and tears."“We wanted to honor Hayden in the best way we knew how—with as much love as possible," Panettiere's representative, Kasey Kitchen, said in a statement with a group of the actress's friends, who jointly organized the memorial.The statement continued, "It was a beautiful and intimate ceremony where friends came together to celebrate her life and honor the beautiful, magnetic light and love she infused into the world.”Panettiere's Nashville co-star Connie Britton and other celebrities, including Evan Ross and Ruby Rose, were photographed attending the memorial.Panettiere died after she was found unresponsive and in cardiac arrest at a Greenville, South Carolina, apartment.The actress's official cause and manner of death have not yet been announced.An investigation into her death has expanded from South Carolina to Los Angeles, and investigators are focusing on the role drugs may have played in her death, sources told ABC News last week.Kitchen, Panettiere's representative, said in a statement on Sept. 15 that her death "remains under investigation pending toxicology results.""As we await the answers we are all seeking, may we also remember Hayden for the incredible legacy she leaves behind — the light she shined on mental health and postpartum depression, and the voice she gave to those who felt unseen and unheard," Kitchen said. "The answers we are all seeking will come."Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
Maui Health Medical Minute: Is it dangerous to interact with AIs or chatbots?
AI chatbots can be helpful tools, but they aren’t a substitute for real human connection or professional mental health care.
Photo Album: Mental Health Mile 2026
Wabash College is a small, private, liberal arts college for men, located in Crawfordsville, Indiana, United States.
Kentucky receives millions in federal funding for mental health services
Kentucky will receive $17 million in federal funding from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Gov. Andy Beshear announced Monday.
Gov. Beshear administration secures $17M in funding for mental health services
The Beshear administration announced the securing of millions in grant funding for mental health and addiction support.
Garden Grove Replaces Be Well OC’s Mental Health Services
The change marks the latest installment in Mind OC’s turbulent saga and the organization’s operations in Orange County.
Kentucky secures nearly $17 million for mental health, addiction services
Gov. Beshear says healthcare is a basic human right and his administration is taking action to expand and protect access to essential services that save lives.
WAMU's Week Ahead: Postpartum mental health, week two of the Trayon White trial, National Museum of African American History's 10-year anniversary
This week WAMU will be checking in on what resources there are for mothers experiencing postpartum mental illness, the second week of D.C. Councilmember Trayon White's federal bribery trial and what the National Museum of African American History and Culture is cooking up for its 10th anniversary celebrations.
Mz. Shyneka gives the latest in entertainment headlines
More victims may have been affected in fake NFL player scam and Mz. Shyneka is hosting a mental health awareness event.
Prince George's County leaders discuss mental health after man's death by suicide
After a man was found hanging from a tree in Prince George's County over the weekend, elected leaders are speaking out about what actually happened and the ment
Bridges to Wellbeing launches youth mental health initiative
Ottauquechee Health Foundation launches Bridges to Wellbeing to connect local families with youth mental health resources and services.
Presley Gerber Shared Mental Health, Addiction Struggles Before Death: ‘I’ve Had a Lot of Time to Look Into Myself’
The son of model Cindy Crawford and businessman Rande Gerber, who has died at 27, said dealing with mental health issues was a “24/7 job.”
Editorial: Central Oregon getting needed children's mental health facility
The emergency room at St. Charles hospital Bend is not the ideal place for a child to get mental health care when they are in crisis. But there can be […]
Author writes children’s book to help families navigate mental health challenges
Book aims to help children understand a parent's mental health struggles
Rochester Public Schools expands mental health teaching
In accordance with a new Minnesota mandate, Rochester Public Schools (RPS) is incorporating additional instruction and support for mental health into the school curriculum and environment.
Highlighting Mental Health Disparities in Indigenous Communities Affected by Huntington’s Disease
⏱️12 min read | Unique research highlights an overlooked mental health disparity among Indigenous North American people with HD – and the need for care grounded in trust, community partnership, and cultural understanding.
Seattle’s Talkspace deal for youth therapy falls short
Amid a mental health crisis, Talkspace pledged to expand young people’s access to therapy. Data shows few were served while the tech platform raked in millions.
Mental Health Treatment by Adults in the United States
Some of our adult patients may have a comorbid diagnosis of a mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder. Of these patients, some may have sought and/or be undergoing treatment. This may…
Youth mental health improves, New Hampshire survey reports
Youth mental health has improved since the COVID-19 pandemic, when anxiety and depression spiked for teens, according to the results of a statewide survey. The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services recently released the results of its 2025 Youth Risk Behavior Survey. The anonymous and voluntary survey helps measure health-related behaviors among New […]
Parental gambling linked to poorer health and educational outcomes for Australian children
New Australian research has found that risky parental gambling is associated with poorer physical health, mental health and educational outcomes among children, highlighting the need to recognize gambling ...
'Other generations just buried it' - Youths share their mental health concerns
The BBC's Catherine Burns spoke to some young mental health ambassadors who called for an increase in mental health support.
California is failing on homelessness. This Sacramento woman’s struggles show why
Califia Carlisle almost graduated from college. Now, she lives on the streets. Her plight speaks volumes about the state mental health system.
Inside Presley Gerber’s Battle With Mental Health And Addiction Before Death At 27
Presley Gerber, son of supermodel Cindy Crawford and brother of actress Kaia Gerber, tragically passed away at age 27 in a rehab facility in California. He had been open about his struggles with menta...
Patrick Clancy describes Lindsay’s mental health struggles in ’60 Minutes’ interview
Patrick Clancy described the mental health struggles he saw his ex-wife Lindsay Clancy face in an exclusive interview with CBS’ “60 Minutes.”
Patrick Clancy describes Lindsay's mental health struggles in '60 Minutes' interview
Patrick Clancy described the mental health struggles he saw Lindsay face in an exclusive interview with CBS' "60 Minutes."
Presley Gerber dies at 27. What Cindy Crawford's model son said about recovery, medication and feeling 'misunderstood.'
Gerber, the son of Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber, had spoken publicly about his mental health and experiences with addiction.
Oklahoma County jail administrator on challenges of mental health care
Trump administration takes on mental health parity
It's steering the issue in a different direction than the Biden administration.
It’s Hard To Predict Who Will Be Suicidal. It’s Easier To Ensure People Can’t Shoot Themselves.
Some mental health experts favor suicide prevention steps that are applied broadly, with protections that aren’t tied to an individual’s specific risk.
The Recovery House by Derek Owusu review – a uniquely honest view of mental health
Writing from firsthand experience, the author offers an affecting meditation on art, mental fragility and faith
Whether you like it or not, celebrities have an impact on politics
The global groundswell of support for Macklemore’s pro-Palestinian advocacy serves to remind us that maybe celebrity activism really is that deep after all, writes Cheek’s Varsha Yajman. Subscribe In the last week, publications, podcasts, and influencers that have either rarely or never spoken about Israel’s genocide in Palestine have flooded my social feed. And it was all because singer Ed Sheeran and his team dropped Macklemore as his opener for saying “Free Palestine” on stage. Millions raised, millions speaking up in support of Palestine - all of this confirming my view that, whether I like it or not, celebrities do have an impact on political outcomes. And this is interesting when much of the time celebrity activism can induce an eye roll - I love to see Charli XCX pointing out a Palestinian flag in the crowd, but it’s hardly the bold symbol of allyship that some fans would make it out to be. But there’s a line between healthy scepticism and outright dismissal - and I’d argue that the latter lets the rich and powerful off far too easily. For instance, actress Jennifer Lawrence, once outspoken about her political views, last year told The Times she no longer believes celebrities have a role to play: “Celebrities do not make a difference whatsoever on who people vote for. So then what am I doing? I’m just sharing my opinion on something that’s going to add fuel to a fire that’s ripping the country apart.” While it’s a narrative she might find comfort in, it simply is not true. Grassroots movements often garner worldwide attention when celebrities and other high-profile spokespeople bring a mainstream platform to their causes. And this frustrates me. We have had three years of a live-streamed genocide. Macklemore himself has been calling for a Free Palestine long before he booked the Sheeran concert. Yet it’s the high-profile fallout of the last week that finally seems to have made saying “Free Palestine” socially acceptable in the mainstream. It feels like the collective mood has shifted, where calling out censorship is now the obvious response - not just the business of ‘radical’ activists. To recap, Sheeran’s decision followed an ultimatum from billionaire Robert Kraft, owner of Gillette Stadium, one of the venues Sheeran was scheduled to perform at: either drop Macklemore as your opener after only two of the eight scheduled shows, or you do not play at any stadiums. Sheeran’s disappointing decision to stand on the side of billionaire-led censorship has ultimately seen a surge in support for Free Palestine. It began when all his openers and his backing band pulled out of Sheeran’s tour, in solidarity with Macklemore and with the Palestinian cause. It was met with an uproar of support from those who had never or barely touched politics before: influencers lip-syncing to Macklemore’s music, singers like Jack Antonoff singing “Free Palestine,” and publications and podcasts standing with Macklemore. And finally, we saw material support: Macklemore donated $1 million in profits from his two nights opening for Sheeran’s tour to several Palestinian aid groups and called for Sheeran and Kraft to match it, which they have since promised to do. We’ve also seen children’s entertainer Ms Rachel follow suit with a $1 million donation to Palestinian aid, and publication PopBase has donated $10,000. Anera, a humanitarian aid group working in Palestine, Lebanon, and Jordan, said donations since Macklemore’s announcement were more than triple this month’s daily average. The group’s Instagram page has also gained 8,000 followers. Macklemore far from the first celebrity to speak and participate in politics in the Western World. In 1924, singer Al Jolson supported Republican candidate Warren G. Harding for president, and decades later, celebrities such as Harry Belafonte, Lena Horne, and Aretha Franklin voiced their public support for the Civil Rights movement. More recently, in the lead-up to the 2024 US election, ‘The Daily Show with Trevor Noah partnered with the organisation Power the Polls to recruit poll workers to address shortages- a problem disproportionately affecting voters of colour. The campaign saw 170,000 new sign-ups - 35,000 of which came directly through the TV show’s link - resulting in the recruitment of 713,000 total poll workers that year, an almost three-fold increase on the organisation’s goal. Alongside recruiting workers, celebrities in the US (where voting in elections is not compulsory) have made a huge difference by calling for people to register to vote. Taylor Swift’s endorsement of Kamala Harris in 2024 saw over 400,000 visitors on the voter registration site within 24 hours of her Instagram post. In 2023, Swift had urged her fans to register, resulting in 35,000 new voter registrations. Similarly, Ariana Grande promoted voter registration in 2019 by setting up booths at concerts on the American leg of her tour, resulting in over 33,000 voters registering. And the same thing is happening closer to home. This year, musician Jack River successfully called for government action to ensure creatives in Australia do not have their work scraped by generative AI companies. Celebrity as the mediator between the punter and the politician Celebrity activism isn’t just a feel-good news story - research tells us it actually makes a difference. By directing attention to issues affecting the average person, like voting inaccessibility or a lack of action on a genocide, researchers Alfred Archer and Amanda Cawston state that “celebrities can play a useful bridging role between political elites and the people they represent”. Alternatively, in a world where talking about politics is “not cool,” or where people lack exposure or knowledge to engage with politics, celebrities can act as an educational resource or an entry point into the political world - when they speak up about an issue, their audience gets exposed to it. Olivia Rodrigo’s Daisy Chain Fields festival is a perfect example. Rodrigo partnered with twelve organisations focused on women’s issues, such as reproductive rights. These organisations had stalls at the festival for people to meet them and were also featured heavily on social media, giving their issues global attention and raising $20 million for the organisations. We have also seen celebrities at award shows such as the Emmys wearing F*CK ICE pins, referring to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s treatment and detainment of people - generally people of colour. When celebrities speak up about political issues in public forums, they put the issue at the forefront of mainstream media, rally their supporters, and make it clear that, however much they disagree, the government cannot simply ignore it. Our over-reliance on celebrities versus our politicians As much as I love seeing my favourite celebrity use their platform for a good cause, there is an important question to ask: not whether celebrity activism is good or bad, but whether we should have to rely on celebrities. And the answer would, in an ideal world, be no. In an ideal world, or merely a just world, action on Palestine would’ve happened decades ago, climate change would be taken seriously, and most importantly, people would understand their democratic rights. However, that is not our reality. Only around 28 per cent of Australian Year 10 students reach proficiency in civics and citizenship. In the US, almost two-thirds of people under 30 say high school civics education didn’t prepare them to understand voting deadlines, how to research candidates, or how to vote by mail. When civics education is weak, our trust in these institutions and our understanding of change-making processes also decline. This is where celebrity steps in and becomes our main source of reliance. As Mary R. Connelly notes in _The Tartan, “_Celebrities will always be involved in campaigns in one form or another, but their presence is not what causes people to vote blindly. The lack of political engagement and literacy is what allows celebrities to wield their influence on the political sphere so impactfully.” About the author Varsha Yajman is the Digital Content Producer at Cheek Media. She is a youth advocate and lawyer with a background in climate litigation and is passionate about looking at the intersection between race, climate justice, and mental health. Thanks for reading Cheek Media Co. ! This post is public so feel free to share it. Share
How Budding Laws On AI And Mental Health Could Go The Route Of ‘Federal Floor, State Ceiling’
U.S. states are enacting AI mental health laws. A federal version is in the offing. One approach would be to do a "federal floor, state ceiling". An AI Insider analysis.
Q&A: How AI can expand mental health support beyond the clinic
USC’s John Blosnich tells how AI finds opportunities for mental health support in “industries of disruption” — places people turn to during difficult moments.
Forest Green Rovers footie prescribed for poor mental health
Football is being used to help people experiencing low mood, loneliness and other mental health challenges.
Checking in on the mental health of construction workers
Experts say construction workers are five times more likely to die by suicide than from a jobsite injury.
Checking in on the mental health of construction workers
Experts say construction workers are five times more likely to die by suicide than from a jobsite injury.
Checking in on the mental health of construction workers
Experts say construction workers are five times more likely to die by suicide than from a jobsite injury.
Checking in on the mental health of construction workers
Experts say construction workers are five times more likely to die by suicide than from a jobsite injury.
Checking in on the mental health of construction workers
Experts say construction workers are five times more likely to die by suicide than from a jobsite injury.
Checking in on the mental health of construction workers
Experts say construction workers are five times more likely to die by suicide than from a jobsite injury.
Checking in on the mental health of construction workers
Experts say construction workers are five times more likely to die by suicide than from a jobsite injury.
Checking in on the mental health of construction workers
Experts say construction workers are five times more likely to die by suicide than from a jobsite injury.
Checking in on the mental health of construction workers
Experts say construction workers are five times more likely to die by suicide than from a jobsite injury.
Checking in on the mental health of construction workers
Experts say construction workers are five times more likely to die by suicide than from a jobsite injury.
Young people are not snowflakes, head of mental health review says
Speaking exclusively to the BBC, Prof Fonagy says being young is much harder now than it was.
Presley Gerber, son of Cindy Crawford and brother of Kaia Gerber, dies at 27
Presley was open about his struggles with addiction and mental health, sharing in 2025 his hope to find “a good community of people who can be good influences on me.”
Kaia Gerber Praised Brother Presley's Honesty About His Mental Health and Addiction Struggles Just Weeks Before His Death at 27
Kaia Gerber opened up about her brother's struggles in rare comments just before his death.
Mental Health Awareness MOnth
Gibson County Health Department Administrator Juli Ellsworth (center, holding microphone), welcomes participants to Thursday's second annual mental health awareness walk through downtown Princeton. September is Mental Health Awareness Month.
Mental Health Awareness Month
Reboot Recovery members carry a banner in Thursday's mental health awareness walk through Princeton.
Experts say Arkansas lacks data about mental health screenings for new mothers, despite state mandate
Since 2023, Arkansas lawmakers have stepped up efforts to improve the state's dismal maternal health outcomes, including a requirement that doctors and other providers offer mental health screenings to women after giving birth.
Experts say Arkansas lacks data about mental health screenings for new mothers, despite state mandate
Since 2023, Arkansas lawmakers have stepped up efforts to improve the state's dismal maternal health outcomes, including a requirement that doctors and other providers offer mental health screenings to women after giving birth.
Choate workers’ union files lawsuit to block state from gutting mental health facility
ANNA — The labor union representing hundreds of employees at Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center has filed a lawsuit challenging the state’s planned downsizing of the facility, arguing Gov. JB Pritzker’s administration failed to follow state laws governing reductions in healthcare services, the closure of state facilities and the preservation of psychiatric beds. ...
$27,000 raised to support mental health awareness and local mental health programs
NAMI Northern Nevada has put on this event for two consecutive years.
Peggy Duncan wants tackle mental health and AI in Coronado schools
Peggy Duncan knows what it’s like to be the new kid. As a military child, she moved in the middle of the school year from a small school in the […]
Man says Pontiac mental healthcare facility saved his life: 'I probably wouldn't be here'
A Pontiac man says a walk-in mental health facility helped pull him back — and he wants others to know they don't have to face their struggles alone.
DIALOGUE: NAMI Albany invites community to support mental health at NAMIWalks
Ngina Mandouma and Kelly Wesselman discussed their involvement with NAMI on Sunday’s Dialogue
DIALOGUE: NAMI Albany invites community to support mental health at NAMIWalks
One in five Americans live with a mental illness. The Albany chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness wants to remind the community that no one has to face it alone. Ngina Mandouma and Kelly Wesselman joined Sunday’s Dialogue to discuss their involvement with NAMI and to invite the community to support mental health for all through NAMIWalks.
DIALOGUE: NAMI Albany invites community to support mental health at NAMIWalks
One in five Americans live with a mental illness. The Albany chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness wants to remind the community that no one has to face it alone. Ngina Mandouma and Kelly Wesselman joined Sunday’s Dialogue to discuss their involvement with NAMI and to invite the community to support mental health for all through NAMIWalks.
DIALOGUE: NAMI Albany invites community to support mental health at NAMIWalks
One in five Americans live with a mental illness. The Albany chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness wants to remind the community that no one has to face it alone. Ngina Mandouma and Kelly Wesselman joined Sunday’s Dialogue to discuss their involvement with NAMI and to invite the community to support mental health for all through NAMIWalks.
DIALOGUE: NAMI Albany invites community to support mental health at NAMIWalks
One in five Americans live with a mental illness. The Albany chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness wants to remind the community that no one has to face it alone. Ngina Mandouma and Kelly Wesselman joined Sunday’s Dialogue to discuss their involvement with NAMI and to invite the community to support mental health for all through NAMIWalks.
Parental rights group questions student data, portal tied to mental health screenings
(The Center Square) – An Illinois parental-rights organization is raising concerns about how student information could be handled through BEACON, a state behavioral health portal that Awake Illinois describes as