Wellness & Well-being Highlights August 5

Wellness & Well-being Highlights

for the

Week of August 5, 2024

This week’s edition of our Worker Wellness & Well-being blog offers you a look at how law enforcement struggles with impaired drivers as more states legalize marijuana—to how Vets w/ PTSD are pushing for recognition of psychedelics as effective treatment—to how human trafficking is linked to online scamming operations overseas. This week I would like to take this opportunity to take a closer look at a few of the key findings in the 2024 State of Mental Health America Report.[1] As follows:

Nearly 60m adults in the US experienced mental illness in 2021-22
5% of the population reported serious thoughts of suicide
20% of youth had a major depressive episode of which >50% did NOT receive treatment
18% of adults has a substance use disorder of which 77% of them did NOT receive treatment
10% of adults with mental illness are uninsured
In the US, there are 340 people for every 1 mental health provider.

While this report does a good job of discussing findings since the end of COVID, it is important to take a look at many of the story links provided herein this week. Why? Because it will quickly become clear as to why mental health issues in the US continue to negatively impact the findings in the aforementioned report. From cyber-thieves scamming retirees to youth buying illegal drugs online, technology has seeped into nearly every aspect of our lives. While technology was said to make our lives better, in too many instances, it has been a curse. Hardly a week goes by where we do not hear about another breach of a bank/credit card concerning our personal data or a community’s power system is shutdown. Even when Congress steps in to implement industry guardrails, it seems like IT lobbyists’ voices matter more than the people’s!

Thus, I encourage you to investigate some of the links under the Upcoming Webinars section of this blog. One can find an array of resources from free food/diapers to info on youth vaping to a series video shorts on youth mental health issues.[2] With a new school year beginning in a few weeks, please share these links as you see fit.

Sources: [1] https://mhanational.org/issues/state-mental-health-america?eType=EmailBlastContent&eId=920d152f-693e-4510-9953-932adc572de4

[2] https://vimeo.com/user/20888066/folder/18291148?mkt_tok=MTMxLUFRTy0yMjUAAAGUZvBuGR1kHKE8u4RNzfPwnw1T3qeudEi35CRu8GWf9uHfqWEHDsHQXc9SH9NtK4RRKMfbauHy_jkKk6mZ6G1gkRWYvmmwUzc9Pz29juOe82eqvZ1y&isPrivate=false

Telehealth for MH on decline since end of COVID

MH in MS

Billing for 988?

Cost of Suicide & Promise of Prevention

Suicide: Triumph from Tragedy

Tests for driving high?

Impact of Meth

Opioids & NM

MDMA / FDA / Vets

Shingles Vax & Dementia?