{"title":"Coming Up…","authors":"","doi":"10.1002/mhw.34587","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/mhw.34587","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The <b>Alliance for Rights and Recovery</b> is holding its 43rd Annual Conference, “Unbreakable! Harnessing Our Power, Building Our Resilience, Inspiring Hope and Courage,” <b>Sept. 29</b> to <b>Oct. 1</b> in <b>Callicoon, N.Y.</b> For more information, visit https://rightsandrecovery.org/annual-events/annual-conference/2025-annual-conference.</p>","PeriodicalId":100916,"journal":{"name":"Mental Health Weekly","volume":"35 35","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145037952","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Centerstone, Brightli finalize plan to merge operations as of November","authors":"Gary Enos","doi":"10.1002/mhw.34581","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/mhw.34581","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The leadership teams at behavioral health provider organizations Centerstone and Brightli have finalized a merger that as of Nov. 1 will establish the nation's largest nonprofit mental health and substance use treatment entity. In an interview with <i>MHW</i> prior to a ceremonial signing event last week, the two companies' CEOs said this summer's due diligence process toward the merger affirmed both the companies' complementary qualities and the industry's desire for a national mover in behavioral health care.</p>","PeriodicalId":100916,"journal":{"name":"Mental Health Weekly","volume":"35 35","pages":"1-3"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145038270","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"In Case You Haven't Heard…","authors":"","doi":"10.1002/mhw.34588","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/mhw.34588","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Can adding more green space to college campuses help students with anxiety and depression? A research team at Texas A&M University College of Architecture seems to think so. An article written Sept. 2 by Chanam Lee, Li Deng and Yizhen Ding and posted on the university website, discussed their launch of a Green Campus Initiative with a goal to find ways to design, plan and manage such an environment by developing evidence-based strategies. “Decades of research show that access to green spaces can lower stress and foster a stronger sense of belonging — benefits that are particularly critical for students navigating the pressures of higher education,” they wrote. Their survey of more than 400 Texas A&M students showed that abundant greenery, nature views and quality walking paths can help with mental health issues. “More than 80% of the students we surveyed said they already have their favorite outdoor places on campus. One of them is Aggie Park, 20 acres of green space with exercise trails, walking and bike paths and rocking chairs by a lake. Many students noted that such green spaces are a break from daily routines, a positive distraction from negative thoughts and a place to exercise. Our survey confirms other research that shows students who spend time outdoors — particularly in places with mature trees, open fields, parks, gardens and water — report better moods and lower stress,” they added.</p>","PeriodicalId":100916,"journal":{"name":"Mental Health Weekly","volume":"35 35","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145037954","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Gallup poll: Estimated 47.8 million U.S. adults have depression","authors":"Valerie A. Canady","doi":"10.1002/mhw.34584","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/mhw.34584","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The percentage of U.S. adults who report currently having or being treated for depression has exceeded 18% in both 2024 and 2025, up about eight percentage points since the initial measurement in 2015, according to new Gallup research. The current rate of 18.3% measured so far in 2025 projects to an estimated 47.8 million Americans suffering from depression.</p>","PeriodicalId":100916,"journal":{"name":"Mental Health Weekly","volume":"35 35","pages":"6-7"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145038028","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"FDA publicly releases MDMA rejection letter; MAPS vows to press forward","authors":"Valerie A. Canady","doi":"10.1002/mhw.34582","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/mhw.34582","url":null,"abstract":"<p>In a historic move toward transparency, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Sept. 4 publicly released its Complete Response Letter (CRL) rejecting the approval of midomafetamine (MDMA)-assisted therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The letter, sent to Lykos Therapeutics in August 2024, outlines concerns about treatment durability, study design and prior MDMA use among participants — issues that critics say were not flagged during earlier protocol discussions.</p>","PeriodicalId":100916,"journal":{"name":"Mental Health Weekly","volume":"35 35","pages":"1-6"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145037956","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"JAMA analysis examines link between ADHD meds, psychosis","authors":"Valerie A. Canady","doi":"10.1002/mhw.34583","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/mhw.34583","url":null,"abstract":"<p>A new meta-analysis is raising fresh concerns about the psychiatric risks associated with stimulant treatment for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Drawing on data from nearly 400,000 individuals across 16 studies, researchers found that the occurrence of psychosis and bipolar disorder (BD) in stimulant-treated patients was “nonnegligible.”</p>","PeriodicalId":100916,"journal":{"name":"Mental Health Weekly","volume":"35 35","pages":"3-4"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145037953","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Former DOJ disability rights leader Anne Raish joins Bazelon Center","authors":"","doi":"10.1002/mhw.34586","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/mhw.34586","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law on Sept. 4 announced that <b>Anne Raish</b> had joined the Center as a senior staff attorney. Raish joins the Bazelon Center with 15 years of experience at the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Civil Rights Division, where she served for much of that time as principal deputy chief of the Disability Rights Section, a news release stated. In that position, Raish led the Section's work enforcing the integration mandate of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and negotiated statewide agreements securing community-based housing and employment services for thousands of individuals. Raish's work at the DOJ also focused on combating discrimination against individuals with mental disabilities in the context of higher education, professional licensing, elementary and secondary schools and employment. She negotiated several agreements eliminating discriminatory barriers to education and employment for people with mental disabilities. In addition to her ADA enforcement work, Raish led several interagency working groups addressing a range of disability rights issues and worked on guidance and rulemakings implementing disability rights laws.</p>","PeriodicalId":100916,"journal":{"name":"Mental Health Weekly","volume":"35 35","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145038269","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"RAND study sets AI benchmark for suicide-related chat support","authors":"Valerie A. Canady","doi":"10.1002/mhw.34574","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/mhw.34574","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Widely used artificial intelligence (AI) platforms, powered by large language models (LLM), generally handle both very high risk and very low risk queries with caution and accuracy, but their responses to intermediate-risk questions — such as those involving suicidal ideation or seeking help — are often unpredictable and vary significantly across platforms and even within repeated interactions, RAND researchers noted about new AI research published in <i>Psychiatric Services</i> Aug. 26.</p>","PeriodicalId":100916,"journal":{"name":"Mental Health Weekly","volume":"35 34","pages":"3-5"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144914925","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"In Case You Haven't Heard…","authors":"","doi":"10.1002/mhw.34580","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/mhw.34580","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) this month launched <i>Free Mind</i>, a new national campaign that provides youth ages 12 to 17 and their parents and caregivers with resources and information about substance use, mental health and the connection between the two, a news release stated. The number of teens reporting poor mental health has increased in the past decade. In 2023, 40% of high school students stopped regular activities because of persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, and one in five students seriously considered attempting suicide. CDC spoke directly with youth about their knowledge and perceptions regarding substance use to develop messages, branding and tactical strategies for <i>Free Mind</i>. The campaign seeks to resonate with this age group by addressing the connections between substance use and mental health, risk factors that contribute to drug use and strategies to keep them safe. CDC also has created resources for parents and caregivers about the latest substance use and mental health challenges youth may face.</p>","PeriodicalId":100916,"journal":{"name":"Mental Health Weekly","volume":"35 34","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144914930","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Neuroscience drives teen mental health approach at Phoenix BH center","authors":"Valerie A. Canady","doi":"10.1002/mhw.34572","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/mhw.34572","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Mental health providers working with teens have long voiced concerns about the limitations of symptom-based psychiatric care — especially when it comes to medication decisions made without insight into brain function. Now, a Phoenix, Ariz.–based treatment center is taking a bold step to change that. Horizon Recovery recently launched a new initiative that incorporates neuroscience-based brain assessments and therapies into its clinical approach, making it the only adolescent behavioral health center in the country to offer integrated neuro services.</p>","PeriodicalId":100916,"journal":{"name":"Mental Health Weekly","volume":"35 34","pages":"1-3"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144914923","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}