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By Rudy Perez, Photo: Aaron/LA Photography/Shutterstock, Housing Matters, April 12, 2023 Every year, nearly 10 million people are released from prisons and jails in the United States. Formerly incarcerated people face significant barriers to reentry, such as challenges securing stable employment, housing, public benefits and access to education and the denial of voting rights. Because of the revolving door of homelessness and incarceration , many people in jail or prisons either experienced...

By Thomas Bognanno, Image: Getty, Forbes, April 21, 2023 On my desk, I have always kept a small hourglass. Inevitably, I am drawn to it throughout the workday. As I write this, I have only a few hours remaining as CEO of CHC: Creating Healthier Communities. After more than 40 years of nonprofit leadership, the hourglass is a powerful symbol of how quickly time passes and the inevitability of change. More than that, it is a reminder that time is precious. With the hours, days and years we...

Ralph Yarl, 16, was shot and wounded after mistakenly going to the wrong house to pick up his siblings. (Lee Merritt/Reuters) By Rachel Hatzipanagos and Timothy Bella, The Washington Post, April 19, 2023 When Ralph Yarl rang the doorbell of Andrew Lester’s Kansas City, Mo., home by mistake last week, the 84-year-old White man was “scared to death,” he told police. The Black teenager was looking for his two siblings who were playing at a friend’s house. Instead, he arrived at Lester’s door —...

To mark the anniversary of the passage of the landmark legislation of the Georgia Mental Health Parity Act, we are sharing a letter written a year ago by Roland Behm, Co-founder of the Georgia Mental Health Policy Partnership, Board Member and Former Board Chair, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) Georgia Chapter. The letter is to his son, Kyle, who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2010 as a junior in college and died by suicide in August 2019.

From the Washington Post, April 23, 2023: When Iowa lawmakers voted last week to roll back certain child labor protections, they blended into a growing movement driven largely by a conservative advocacy group. At 4:52 a.m., Tuesday, the state’s Senate approved a bill to allow children as young as 14 to work night shifts and 15 year-olds on assembly lines. The measure, which still must pass the Iowa House, is among several the Foundation for Government Accountability is maneuvering through...

Their “Earth Day,” held on April 22, 1970, brought more than 20 million Americans—10% of the total population of the country at the time—to call for the nation to address the damage caused by 150 years of unregulated industrial development. The movement included members of all political parties, rich Americans and their poorer neighbors, people who lived in the city and those in the country, labor leaders and their employers. It is still one of the largest protests in American history.

(photo: Jenna Kunze) To read more of Darren Thompson's article, please click here. NEW YORK — Indigenous scholars presented a report on Tuesday on Indigenous determinants of health at the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) 22nd session. The study was delegated during UNPFII 21st session and aims to create positive health and wellness outcomes for Indigenous communities worldwide. The study also responds to the U.N.’s adopted 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development...

From National Public Radio (NPR), Photo: Patrick T. Fallon/AFP/Getty Images, National Public Radio (NPR), March 1, 2023 In the wake of the pandemic, many people are struggling with their mental health regardless of their age. But recently published data from the CDC is shedding light on how teens are faring. The numbers show that 4 in 10 U.S. high schoolers experienced persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness in 2021. Nearly a quarter seriously considered attempting suicide. [ Please...

By Minnie Bredouw, Illustration: Adriana Crespo/TIME, TIME, February 15, 2023 At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, 19-year-old Steven Yglecias was, like many teens, living at home and feeling directionless. “I felt uninspired,” Steven told me. “Life was an emotional roller coaster each day.” Steven is one of the millions of young people who struggle with mental health challenges. In the decade before the pandemic, the share of high school students who reported persistent feelings of...

By Alyson Klein, Image: YoGinta/iStock/Getty, Education Week, March 30, 2023 Many teen girls say they spend much more time on social media—especially TikTok —than they intend to, interfering with their sleep, and in some cases their mental health, according to a survey released March 30 by Common Sense Media, a research and advocacy organization that studies the impact of technology on young people. Almost half of teenage girls surveyed said they are addicted to TikTok or spend more time on...

By William Brangham, Image: Screenshot from article, Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), January 25, 2023 Oregon ranks among the worst states for youth mental illness and access to care. William Brangham went there and found a system facing heavy burdens, but one searching for solutions. It’s part of our new series, "Early Warnings: America’s Youth Mental Health Crisis." A warning: this story includes discussions of suicide and depression. Amna Nawaz: It's been over a year since the U.S.

April 13, 2023: Today we honored April as Child Abuse Prevention month, discussed upcoming events and opportunities, and celebrated many accomplishments. Click here to access the slides from this month's meeting. See the summary below and required coalition member tasks follow. If you have any questions, please contact Stacie Kinlaw at skinlaw@rcpartnership4children.org or 910-738-6767 2023 COMMITMENTS TO ROAR EVERY stakeholder is encouraged and invited to COMPLETE the 2023 Commitments...