Mental Health

Nearly 1 in 20 adults in the U.S. — some 13.6 million — live with some form of serious mental illness, but 60 percent of those adults received no mental health treatment in the past year.

Severe Shortage Of Psychiatrists Exacerbated By Lack Of Federal Funding

7:15pm March 09, 2018

by Samantha Raphelson

The Balanced Budget Act of 1997, which put a cap on federal funding for medical residency programs, is contributing to a growing shortage of psychiatrists in the U.S.

The Florida Senate approved a bill last weekend that would cover lost wages for first responders with PTSD, and the House followed suit on Monday. Florida Gov. Rick Scott says he will sign the bill.

Workers' Comp Benefits For Florida First Responders To Include PTSD, Governor Says

9:54am March 09, 2018

by Abe Aboraya

In the wake of the Parkland shooting, Florida plans to expand paid time off benefits to first responders suffering from PTSD. Those diagnosed before Parkland are not included.

The first episode of this season's Invisibilia podcast explores how people cope when something happens that fundamentally shifts how they view themselves. The author's mother decided to try skydiving.

Invisibilia: When Death Rocks Your World, Maybe You Jump Out Of A Plane

8:00am March 09, 2018

by Hanna Rosin

The first episode of this season's Invisibilia podcast explores how people cope when something happens that fundamentally shifts how they view themselves. The author's mother decided to try skydiving.

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A hippocampal neuron seen in culture. Dendrites are green, dendritic spines are red and DNA is blue.

Sorry, Adults, No New Neurons For Your Aging Brains

6:15pm March 07, 2018

by Jon Hamilton

The brains of birds and mice continue to produce new nerve cells in the hippocampus throughout life. But research now suggests the human brain stops doing this around adolescence.

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A student stops to look at a memorial at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., on Feb. 28. Last month's shooting raised questions about whether states are doing enough to fund mental health services in schools.

Mental Health Funding Tied To Florida's Controversial Gun Legislation

1:21am March 07, 2018

by Julio Ochoa

Florida has had three mass shootings in 20 months. Twice before, there have been calls for more mental health funding from the state — to no avail. Will this time be any different?

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Family members watch a rescue vehicle pass by on Feb. 14 in Parkland, Fla.

PTSD Currently Doesn't Qualify Parkland First Responders For Workers' Comp

1:45pm March 02, 2018

by Abe Aboraya

The shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., is speeding a political debate in Florida over paying workers' compensation to sufferers of post-traumatic stress disorder.

Legal Expert Judge Steve Leifman Offers Insights On Gun Violence And Mental Health

8:02pm March 01, 2018

NPR's Ailsa Chang speaks to Miami-Dade County Judge Steve Leifman, who chairs the Florida Supreme Court Task Force on Mental Health, about gun violence and mental health. Leifman offers a look at what role courts can play in preventing something that hasn't happened yet.

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Colorado State Rep. Brittany Pettersen (right) is advocating for more treatment money for opioid addiction, in part because of the substance abuse struggles of her mother, Stacy (left).

States Seek More Federal Funding For Opioid Treatment, Not More Promises

11:33am March 01, 2018

The Trump administration has talked about prioritizing the opioid crisis, but states have seen little in the way of new resources. And, in some states, getting into treatment is becoming even harder.

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A Look At The Narrow Point Of Intersection Between Mental Health And Gun Violence

5:29pm February 28, 2018

NPR's Ailsa Chang speaks with psychiatrist Jonathan Metzl about the narrow point of intersection between the worlds of mental illness and gun violence. He says there's not much more the mental health field can do to prevent potential mass shooters, since the best predictive factors fall out of the scope of the medical field.

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Cover detail of Blue Dreams, by Lauren Slater

Long-Term Effects Of Psychotropic Drugs Are 'Cloaked In Mystery'

5:18pm February 27, 2018

by Terry Gross

When it comes to antidepressants and other psychotropic drugs, author Lauren Slater says, "We don't really know what we're taking into our bodies." Her new book is Blue Dreams.

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