Today is National Depression Screening Day.

On today, we raise public awareness about clinical depression in order to reduce stigma and encourage early detection and routine mental health screenings.

If you or someone you know needs immediate, confidential support or treatment referrals, you can contact the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 or text your 5-digit ZIP code to 435748 (HELP4U).

Missed a newsletter? Check out our archives!

🗞 Stephen A. Smith's walks back comments on Eagles lineman's mental health. A USA Today article examines the backlash after ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith criticized Philadelphia Eagles lineman Lane Johnson for retiring early to prioritize his mental health and family. Smith questioned the timing of Johnson’s decision, prompting criticism from sports figures and viewers who felt his comments trivialized mental-health struggles. Smith subsequently apologized publicly, acknowledged that he was wrong to make light of the issue, and expressed concern that his remarks might discourage others from seeking help. Read more at USA Today

🗞 Mayor Mamdani Launches NYC Mental Health Connect, Helping New Yorkers Find and Access Local Mental Health Services.  New York City has launched NYC Mental Health Connect, a new online service designed to make finding mental-health care easier. The platform helps New Yorkers explore services from over 600 providers based on needs, age, preferred language, insurance coverage, and appointment availability. Options include outpatient therapy, youth and family services, crisis support, and assistance with challenges such as housing and food insecurity. The initiative addresses a significant barrier to care: many people who want mental-health support don't know where to start. Read more at NYC.gov

🗞 More than 4.1 million health workers gain safer path to mental healthcare. A new national initiative is helping more than 4.1 million U.S. healthcare workers access mental-health care without fear of professional consequences. The American Dental Association reports that 82 state licensing boards and thousands of hospitals and healthcare facilities have removed intrusive mental-health questions from licensing or credentialing applications that could discourage professionals from seeking support. The effort also encourages healthcare organizations to normalize conversations about mental health and strengthen peer-support programs. Read more at ADA News

🗞 Prince Harry Was Reportedly Paid a Shocking Amount for His Emotional MasterClass on Grief. Prince Harry has opened up about the personal impact of grief in a new MasterClass called Redefining Grief: Building Resilience Through Loss, created alongside a neuroscientist and grief expert. Drawing on his experience of losing his mother, Princess Diana, as a child, Harry discusses how suppressing emotions affected him for years and how therapy helped him acknowledge his grief and begin healing. He also challenges the idea that moving forward means forgetting someone you’ve lost, explaining that allowing yourself to experience happiness doesn't diminish the love or connection you still feel. Read more at InStyle

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

ChatGPT for Teens has special safeguards. A watchdog group finds most don't work. NPR reports that ChatGPT’s new safety features for teens may not be working as reliably as promised. Researchers tested teen accounts and found that while some protections worked, others fell short: parental safety alerts were unreliable, and the chatbot sometimes continued encouraging conversations during serious mental-health situations instead of consistently directing teens toward real-world support. OpenAI disputes aspects of the study’s methodology, including concerns that some parental controls may not have been fully activated during testing. Read more at NPR

MYTH: Mental illness is a lifelong diagnosis.

FACT: Mental illness is treatable. It is possible to recover and even thrive following a mental illness. Recovery can involve the complete resolution of a mental health problem, but it can also be about having a renewed focus on personal control, resilience, and day-to-day functioning.

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Thanks, and Be Well.

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