MinnPost’s Mental Health & Addiction coverage seeks to shine a light on issues that affect a huge number of Minnesota families yet are often ignored by the media, with author Andy Steiner writing stories related to mental health, addiction and the complex relationship between the two.
About a year ago, mental health providers and hospital administrators started meeting weekly to find ways to reduce emergency department stays. They say changes are under way.
Until this spring, when Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz signed a bill restoring voting rights to ex-felons, Miranda Pacheco would not have been able to vote. Now, her first-ever vote will be for herself.
SoundMind app founders Brian Femminella and Travis Chen on how they’ve helped K-12 students combat pandemic-induced stress and anxiety by 46%.
The Minnesota State Legislature’s recent move to legalize recreational use of the drug for adults over 21 is raising questions for many of her patients’ parents about the availability and impact of cannabis on their teens.
When she began her own journey of recovery from substance abuse disorder in 2009, Farhia Budul saw a need for culturally specific services. Her organization — the first of its kind in the U.S. — provides addiction recovery and awareness services to Minnesota’s East African community.
While police officers and paramedics have some training in assisting individuals struggling with mental illness, these situations are often beyond their expertise, and in many cases, taking this route for assistance can be less direct or effective and sometimes dangerous.
In rural parts of the state, the shortage of licensed alcohol and drug counselors is stark. According to the Minnesota Department of Health, in the Twin Cities, there are 2,786 residents for every 1 LADC. In rural areas, the number is 13,576 residents to every 1 LADC.
Four students participated in a graduation ceremony earlier this month, celebrating both their educational achievements and their sobriety.
Despite being new to the peer recovery space, Refocus Recovery has quickly become the leading recipient of state Medicaid dollars going toward peer addiction recovery support, raising questions among other providers.
Organizations whose workers interacted with customers in public spaces, including Metro Transit, saw a need for more training.
NAMICON will take place May 24-27 at the Minneapolis Convention Center.
Oswald found a trustworthy psychiatrist and successfully reduced antipsychotic medications. They are considering pursuing a graduate degree and has just moved in with their life partner.
Advocates and mental health professionals have noticed an uptick in self-diagnosis they say is linked to videos on social media describing mental health conditions.
At each committee stop, a small group of people representing themselves or organizations like the trucking industry, traffic safety watchdogs, law enforcement, addiction advocates, and religious groups squeeze in concerns among the more-numerous supporters.
The magazine’s first edition includes a mix of personal essays, visual art, poetry and features with a focus on the intersections between integrity and drugs.
Carter McNamara had associated PTSD with military veterans until a therapist told him, “You were in a war and you were only 10 years old. And when you looked behind you there were no other soldiers to back you up.”
Advocates hope education and awareness will help reduce stigma around fentanyl testing strips, which are seen as a tool to reduce overdose deaths.
A recent policy change in Minnesota promotes quick evaluations and care for people with substance use disorders. But because of gaps riddling rural treatment systems nationwide, the promise of swift care isn’t reaching rural Minnesotans.
The Department of Human Services has proposed an additional $45 million for behavioral health services that would help address stark racial disparities in the opioid crisis.
Nationally, a recent poll found that 86% of transgender and nonbinary youth reported that recent discussion around anti-trans bills has harmed their mental health.
