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A Decade of Advancements in Behavioral Health Technology for Pennsylvania Students
The year was 2014, and Drexel University, where I was working at the time, partnered with Pennsylvania’s Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) in submitting and being awarded a 5-year, $736,000 annually Garrett Lee Smith (GLS) grant for youth suicide prevention. Our...
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The Importance of Real-Time Data in Tailored Patient Treatment and Integrating Traditional Wellness Practices in Modern Substance Abuse Therapy
In the ever-evolving field of mental health and substance abuse therapy, utilizing real-time data to tailor patient treatment is becoming increasingly crucial. Real-time data allows healthcare providers to monitor and adjust treatment plans promptly based on the latest information, leading to more...
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What Makes a Bully? Can Hazing Culture Temporarily Warp Someone’s Moral Compass?
I was a sophomore at Smoky Hill High School when the Columbine school shooting happened just 20 miles away. I remember the confusion as our school went into lockdown. None of us could have imagined the horror unfolding nearby. For 25 years, I’ve carried the weight of that day, and I’ve long...
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How to Counter TikTok’s Mental Health Misinformation
KEY POINTS: During the pandemic, TikTok served as a way for teens to connect with others over sharing a mental health illness. Predatory advertising and popularity incentives drove creation of content that promoted self-diagnosis and misinformation. Parents and clinicians can assist...
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Under the Influence – How Hazing Drives Substance Use Among Students
Chase Roberts is a former student at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. After enduring severe hazing as a pledge in a fraternity, Roberts began using drugs as a coping mechanism. He described how the trauma from the hazing rituals led him to seek solace in substances like marijuana and...
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Biden-Harris Administration Announces Historic Investment to Integrate Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Treatment into Primary Care
$240 million in funding will launch and expand behavioral health care services in 400 Community Health Centers that provide primary care to more than 10 million patients – advancing President Biden’s Unity Agenda The Administration has called on Congress to make behavioral health a required...
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The Mental Health Impact of Hazing on Bystanders
I recently watched a short series called Fool Me Once, adapted from Harlan Coben’s novel. The theme of hazing plays a significant role in the story, particularly in relation to the main character’s past. Joe, who is initially seen as a victim of a murder, is later revealed to have a troubling...
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The Long-Term Psychological Effects of Hazing and How We Can Prevent Them
Danny Santulli, an 18-year-old college freshman, was a victim of a hazing incident in 2021. During a fraternity hazing ritual at the University of Missouri, he was forced to drink excessive amounts of alcohol, resulting in alcohol poisoning and brain damage. Danny was left unable to speak, walk, or...
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No Judgment. Just Help: What You Can Do to Support Suicide Prevention Month Efforts
Ask almost anyone about suicide, and you’ll likely find they have been personally impacted by the loss – or near loss – of a loved one. It’s perhaps not surprising given the statistics. In 2022 alone, more than 49,000 people in the United States died by suicide, the highest number ever...
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Back to School: Mental Health Tips and Resources to Help Youth Thrive in – and out of – the Classroom
As the dog days of summer draw to a sweltering close, many families across the nation are gathering books, binders, and other school supplies in preparation for a return to the classroom. And while the back-to-school season can be an exciting time, it can also be stressful – and even scary –...