A medicine that sidesteps the brain’s dopamine receptors to reach different targets represents a new approach to schizophrenia treatment. The Food and Drug Administration approved it Thursday.
mental health
‘I Don’t Want to Die.’ He needed mental health care. He found a ghost network
Ravi Coutinho bought a health insurance plan thinking it would give him access to mental health providers. But even after 21 phone calls and multiple hospitalizations, no one could find him a therapist.
He survived the water, but not the flood
Climate-driven flooding destroyed Tony Calhoun’s home in 2022. But as the water receded, his despair only grew. Now, his family hopes to bring attention to the mental health toll of extreme weather.
When Wil was struggling with depression, a therapist said just the right thing
In 2014, Wil Davenport was being treated for depression at an inpatient mental health program. One day, his therapist issued a challenge that renewed his sense of purpose.
When little kids don’t have stable housing, it can affect their health later
Researchers following a group of American children for decades found that even short periods of housing instability increased the chances of poor mental and physical health years later.
Where gun violence is common, some students say physical safety is a top concern
The federal government is investing billions to bolster school safety and mental health resources to combat gun violence. But some sense a disconnect between those programs and what students need.
Many 911 call centers are understaffed, and the job has gotten harder
More cities are adopting alternative response models, where mental health clinicians respond instead of police. The question of who to send usually rests with 911 workers, who are often overworked and overstressed.
Mental health care is hard to find, especially for people with Medicare or Medicaid
A report from the Department of Health and Human Services’ inspector general finds a dire shortage of mental health care providers in Medicaid and Medicare, which together serve some 40% of Americans.
California voters pass Proposition 1 to tackle the state’s homelessness crisis
Counties must spend about two-thirds of the money from a tax enacted for mental health services on housing and programs for homeless people with serious mental illnesses or substance abuse problems.
Recent gaffes by Biden and Trump may be signs of normal aging — or may be nothing
President Biden and former President Trump have both experienced public memory lapses. But brain experts say such slips, on their own, are not a cause for concern.

