News

When people in rural counties can’t connect to local mental health care services in their community, telehealth care can help. But these are also the counties most likely to lack access to broadband, according to a national study published Jan. 4 in the journal Nature Mental Health.

The study defines counties with low broadband access as those in which the percentage of households without broadband was greater than the national median of 26.5%, and counties with high broadband access were defined as those in which the percentage of households without broadband was less than the national median.

To make it more affordable for low-income Americans, the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) benefit program that helps ensure that households can afford the broadband they need for work, school, health care, and more.

Read more on GPB.org.

In order to highlight pockets of excellence across the country, the NNED selects a partner organization to highlight once a month. Wyoming Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault has been selected as the Partner of the Month for April in recognition of Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

The Wyoming Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault works to amplify the voices of survivors, offer support to overcome abuse, and move communities beyond simply raising awareness to end violence before it occurs. Their work centers social and grassroot efforts, the values of peer support, and system change.

Some of the programs and services that are currently offered:

• Silent Witness Initiative
• Training and Technical Assistance
• Legal Program
• Primary Prevention

Learn more about The Wyoming Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault and its mission to provide education and systems advocacy to advance social change and end violence.

View a list of previous NNED Partners of the Month.

In order to highlight pockets of excellence across the country, the NNED selects a partner organization to highlight once a month. All Things Women, Inc has been selected as the Partner of the Month for March in celebration of Women’s History Month.

All Things Women, Inc works with local women of color to provide comprehensive services to unhoused women and veterans. They aim to create an impact of change on communities that have historically not had access to equitable and affordable opportunities and disrupt the cycle of generational and situational poverty among women and children.

Some of the programs and services that are currently offered:

• Mental Health Support
• Transitional Housing
• Parenting Programs
• Therapy
• Workforce Development

Learn more about All Things Women, Inc and their mission to provide comprehensive housing and supportive services to women, children, and families in the State of Michigan. To provide programming that will eliminate barriers and increase opportunities for a successful transition to permanent housing.

View a list of previous NNED Partners of the Month.

More than 25,000 migrants and asylum-seekers have arrived mostly from South and Central America since late August 2022. They are fleeing the collapse of their economies and as one social worker puts it, “misery.” Many came to Chicago on a bus from Texas, where Republican Gov. Greg Abbott said Chicago and other sanctuary cities that embrace immigrants would provide much-needed relief “to our small, overrun border towns.” The buses haven’t stopped since.

WBEZ interviewed more than 30 people to understand the emotional toll migrants face, the army of helpers who are filling in the gaps of a frayed mental health system and what’s at stake. Some of those helpers’ efforts are catching the attention of leaders in other big cities where migrants are heading.

Just getting in front of a therapist or a social worker can be difficult for even the most savvy and persistent. With a shortage of mental health workers, waiting lists for an appointment can be months long.

Layer on being new to this country, speaking a different language, having no health insurance and trying to find a mental health provider who understands your culture. Getting help can seem impossible. And that’s if you know help exists.

The Coalition for Immigrant Mental Health, University of Chicago’s Crown Family School and Lurie Children’s Center for Childhood Resilience are training hundreds of people who are on the front lines where migrants are staying. They include case managers and shelter supervisors — not people with a medical background.

The idea is to help migrants feel less isolated and to try to prevent the most extreme outcomes, such as suicide.

Read more on Chicago.Suntimes.com.

The CCH Maternal Child Health team was evaluating postpartum complication rates from July 2020 through June 2021, and they noticed an increased rate in complications, such as postpartum hemorrhage and postpartum infection, with Hispanic patients compared to the non-Hispanic population. Since approximately 20 percent of the patients in Maternity identify as Hispanic, the team knew that this patient population needed an extra focus.

The primary goal of the initiative is improving postpartum outcomes and addressing health care disparities in CCH Hispanic patients. The secondary goal, which is critical to the long-term success of this initiative, is to build trust with the Hispanic population.

The Maternal Child Health care team plans to partner with community resources to better connect patients to long-term solutions, and they hope to expand their Spanish-speaking volunteer base to be able to provide more tours and additional support to all Hispanic patients.

Read more on PennMedicine.org.

It’s unlikely any region of the world will escape the effects of climate change. These include increasing temperatures, more frequent and intense extreme weather events such as bushfires and floods, rising sea levels, and more.

But some areas, like the Pacific Islands, are likely to experience disproportionate effects from advancing climate change. Pacific island nations are uniquely vulnerable to sea level rise, coastal erosion and cyclones of escalating intensity.

The consequences of climate change also pose significant risks to the mental health and wellbeing of the people living in these countries, as we observed in a recent study with rural Fijians.

More research is urgently needed to better understand mental ill-health in Pacific peoples related to the effects of climate change, and to develop culturally informed supports. There’s also a need to strengthen mental health systems in Pacific island nations.

Read more on TheConversation.com.