Today is National Food Bank Day.

National Food Bank Day was founded in 2017 by St. Mary's Food Bank to mark its 50th anniversary. John van Hengel created the world's first food bank in Phoenix, Arizona, in 1967. Let’s take today to raise awareness about food insecurity and celebrate volunteers and donors.

You can participate by donating non-perishable food items or spare change through local campaigns, volunteering to sort or serve food at a local pantry. You can connect with networks like Feeding America to find nearby food drives.

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🗞 Lindsay Clancy trial highlights need to rethink postpartum care, advocates say. The high-profile case is prompting advocates to call for the healthcare system to do more to screen for and treat postpartum mood and psychotic disorders, which remain under-resourced despite affecting large numbers of new mothers. Read more at CBS News

🗞 NCAA Division II equipping coaches, athletic trainers with Mental Health First Aid training. NCAA Division II is expanding mental-health support for student-athletes by offering fully funded Mental Health First Aid training to coaches, athletic trainers, and other campus staff. The program is designed to help people who work closely with athletes recognize signs of mental-health challenges, respond appropriately, and reduce the stigma around asking for help. Read more at NCAA.org

🗞 Women on parole face higher rates of mental health, housing challenges.  According to an analysis from the Council on Criminal Justice, women on parole often face a tougher road to rebuilding their lives, with higher rates of housing instability, poor health, and serious mental-health challenges than men on parole. Those challenges can overlap: difficulty finding stable housing can make it harder to access treatment, maintain employment, and successfully meet parole requirements, creating additional stress during an already difficult transition. Read more at Stateline.org

🗞 Las Vegas mayor points to mental health needs as city expands efforts for homelessness. Las Vegas is expanding its response to homelessness, but the mayor says housing alone isn’t enough. Nearly 140 people experiencing homelessness have moved into treatment or other assistance this year, while the city is expanding outreach. The mayor says she would invest heavily in a dedicated mental-health facility if funding allowed, emphasizing that many people living on the streets need behavioral-health support alongside housing and other services. Read more at News3LV

Mental Health: In Crisis? Call or Text 988

Veterans Crisis Line: Call 988 and press ‘1’ or Text 838255

Youth Helpline: 2NDFLOOR - (888) 222-2228

National Domestic Violence Hotline: (800) 799-SAFE (7233)

National Suicide Prevention Hotline: (800) 273-TALK (8255)

Addiction: Start Your Recovery - (800) 662-4357

Cats are the only pet linked to more mental health problems in children, study finds. Researchers in Spain found no clear mental-health benefit or harm from having dogs or birds as pets, while having a cat around ages 4–5 was associated with more reported mental-health problems. Children who consistently lived with animals such as fish, rabbits, hamsters, or turtles showed more positive outcomes. The researchers stress that this is an association, not proof that cats cause mental-health problems, and that other factors may come into play. Read more at The Independent

Question: I am interested in becoming a mental health therapist. Should I work for an agency or in private practice? What are the pros and cons of each?

Answer: Please see the chart below which provides a high level comparison between a mental health therapist working in private practice vs. in an agency. With that said, every organization or job may have their unique characteristics, requirements or responsibilities which may not completely align with the chart below.

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