Faced with his wife’s late-onset mental illness, author penned an open, heartfelt memoir
Jeff Zuckerman and his wife, Leah, had been married for 30 years when Leah’s late-onset bipolar disorder upended their ordinary, happy lives.
Andy Steiner
Andy Steiner is a Twin Cities-based writer and editor. Before becoming a full-time freelancer, she worked as senior editor at Utne Reader and editor of the Minnesota Women’s Press.
John Engebreth: Overdose rise is ‘the third wave of the opioid epidemic’
“We saw an 18 percent increase nationwide in overdoses in March, a 29 percent increase in April and a 42 percent increase in May,” said Engebreth, who heads Minnesota Outpatient Services at Hazelden-Betty Ford.
‘There’s just something about being together’: In the age of COVID, Interact Center maintains community for its artists
“We decided to offer a series of virtual online classes,” said founder/Executive Director Jeanne Calvit. “We didn’t want anyone to get bored or feel isolated. We created a Zoom community, and the response from our artists was immediate and enthusiastic.”
Through woman-centered peer support, The Hive aims to make mental health part of the conversation
“I want to show people you can still live a beautiful life even with the greatest challenges,” said Heather Boll, a certified peer support specialist.
Culturally specific treatment programs help people of color achieve, maintain sobriety
Such programs often have higher success rates with members of minority populations, who frequently struggle to reach and maintain sobriety using traditional treatment programs.
Avatar-based suicide-prevention program now available for Minnesota educators
Thanks to funding provided by the Minnesota Legislature, the program is available free of charge to all schools in the state.
Telehealth hubs offer care options for people living on the edge of the virtual world
The idea of the hubs, Dr. Rich Levine explained, is getting care where it is needed to the people who need it.
Andrea Jenkins: ‘Culturally embedded racism impacts every part of your body and mind’
In an extended Q&A, Jenkins talks about her work on the City Council, her hopes for the future and the ways she looks after her own mental health.
Minnesota doctors see worrisome reduction in childhood immunization rates during pandemic
“The message we are trying to get out there is that our offices are safe, that ill and well children are being separated,” said Dr. Sheldon Berkowitz. “We’re taking all the needed precautions: masking, gowning, wearing face shields.”
‘We become their family’: Mission Nursing Home cares for men with nowhere to turn
Mission Nursing Home is a skilled nursing facility in Plymouth for men who have struggled with addiction, alcoholism and mental illness.
Kristi K. Phillips: In small towns, ‘We’re still not comfortable talking about our mental health’
“The stressors of life have had a devastating impact on farmers and farm families,” Philips said. “In rural communities, we’re seeing higher rates of depression, anxiety and suicide. It’s a disturbing trend.”
With small grants, Pink Cloud Foundation helps recipients take the next step in recovery
The Pink Cloud Foundation is a Twin Cities-based nonprofit that pays sober deposits for people facing financial hardship.
With COVID Cares phone line, Minnesota mental health professionals offer support in time of crisis
COVID Cares Support Service is a statewide phone line offering free, anonymous support for people experiencing stress and anxiety; it’s staffed by a volunteer team of licensed mental health professionals.
With IGF Kids, Irreducible Grace Foundation hopes to teach children key self-care strategies
The coronavirus altered their plans. The group decided to produce a series of videos demonstrating the key tools that they teach. They called the series, which they posted on YouTube, “Finding the Pause.”
‘I got some hope’: Face It Foundation provides peer support for men battling depression
Face It, founded in 2009, was built on the idea that the support of other men is key to helping men understand and recover from depression and reduce the rate of male suicide.
For some students with learning disabilities, distance learning has been a disappointment
Distance learning can be a particular challenge for students with learning disabilities, especially students with ADHD, or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, said Martha Moriarty, executive director of Learning Disabilities Association of Minnesota.
When COVID upended her career plans, a local mortician stepped forward to help families deal with death
“My original plan for 2020 was thrown off the rails,” Angela Woosley said. “I realized that the coming year wasn’t going to be anything like what I’d expected.”
Sue Hoyt: Child-protection workers fear for kids’ well-being during COVID lockdown
In a Q&A, Hoyt talks about how societal stressors can take a toll on children’s safety, how a lack of in-person connection reduces child-welfare reports and the role that concerned adults can play in children’s lives.
Retooling to meet COVID-era limitations, Fidgety Fairy Tales releases ‘Chicken Little’ on video
Fidgety Fairy Tales, a traveling children’s acting troupe sponsored by the Minnesota Association for Children’s Mental Health, performs well-loved stories with a mental health twist.
How Hennepin County’s mental-health outreach team is serving clients during COVID-19
A crisis line for adults in mental health distress, Hennepin County’s Community Outreach for Psychiatric Emergencies has been forced to shift to phone-only services due to coronavirus, assessing callers’ mental states in new and different ways.
