MPR News — All Content

Mental health crisis in our criminal justice system

Alisa Roth spoke to an audience at Metro State University on how America’s criminal justice system developed and what we can do to improve it’s treatment of mental illness. She shared some insights on mental health, policing and incarceration.

Minnesota-made app helping first responders nationwide

About 30 percent of first responders experience depression or post-traumatic stress disorder, compared with 20 percent of the general population. They’re also at higher risk of dying by suicide, according to federal estimates.

MPR NewsKatherine IchinoseOctober 19, 2020mental health and technology, first responders, telehealth

How to stop your 'doomscroll'

During this unprecedented time, we are spending more time on screens and thumbing through a lot of information that can be negative, saddening and disheartening. This habit is called “doomscrolling” and it can often lead to more fear, anxiety and stress.

MPR NewsKatherine IchinoseSeptember 2, 2020mental health and technology, social media, stress management, anxiety

CDC: Pandemic fuels threefold increase in rates of depression, anxiety

A report out this week from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention sheds light on the mental toll the pandemic is having on Americans. It says nearly 41 percent of adults reported adverse mental health conditions in June, with those reporting depression and anxiety up threefold from the same time last year.

MPR NewsKatherine IchinoseAugust 19, 2020COVID mental health, depression, anxiety, mental health data

Schools ready to address pandemic-driven mental health needs

As schools in Minnesota and around the country prepare to open in a few weeks — whether in-person, hybrid or remotely — teachers and school officials aren’t just scrambling to figure out how to keep students learning. They’re trying to figure out how to help students handle their mental health.

Will telemedicine be the new norm in Minnesota?

Since March, almost every nonemergency medical visit has been conducted through video chats or on the telephone to reduce the spread of the coronavirus. Telemedicine or telehealth is not new, but the pandemic has caused health care systems to rapidly pivot to online doctor’s visits. How is it going and is it here to stay?

‘Excited delirium’ cited in Floyd case, and in other deaths involving law enforcement

Chauvin’s attorneys may argue that excited delirium contributed to Floyd’s death. Law enforcement officials and others say excited delirium usually happens to people who have been using drugs or who have a serious mental illness. It may be seen when a person is held in a chokehold, hog-tied, or Tasered.

‘Where can I feel safe?’: The need for more Black therapists in Minnesota

Before George Floyd was killed in Minneapolis by police, the clients who came to the clinic Anissa Keyes runs on the city’s north side didn’t care if the clinician they saw was Black or white. But now, they do.

When crisis workers, not traditional police, respond to calls about mental health

Police are often called on to respond to mental health emergencies. That could change, though, as cities across the country — including Minneapolis —consider defunding the police. What would an alternative model look like?

Pandemic disruptions taking a toll on farmers' mental health

Low commodities prices, tariff wars and other troubles have made the last few years some of the toughest for farmers. And that was before the pandemic forced hog farmers to destroy their animals, or chicken farmers to dump eggs and dairy farmers to pour out milk. All of it is taking a toll on farmers’ mental health.

The Science of Happiness

Two psychologists discuss how adults and children can deal with negative emotions such as fear, anxiety and depression during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Caregiver shares her experience during COVID-19: ‘Self-care is at a minimum’

Cathy Wurzer from MPR News talks to Nancy Saunders about her experience being a caregiver during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Caregiving in a time of pandemic

Cathy Wurzer from MPR News talks to Julie deRosier-Paul about her experience being a caregiver during the COVID-19 pandemic

Advocates: Pandemic making it harder for domestic violence victims to leave

Stay-at-home orders allow people to leave abusive situations. But advocates say some victims feel the pandemic has given them fewer options.

First climate change, now COVID-19: Tips for managing the stress

MPR’s Paul Huttner talks with Hennepin Healthcare clinical psychologist Kristi White about hope as a response to stress related to climate change and COVID-19

Matching health workers with peers to ease stress of fighting pandemic

Being a health care worker dealing with COVID-19 is stressful, even in a place like Minnesota, which is in better shape than, say, New York or Michigan.

Therapists forge ahead with telehealth — not knowing if they'll be paid

Insurance companies covered telehealth before the pandemic, but the rules were complicated and strict. The provider had to be in an office and so did the patient. It had to be done over special platforms, not just a plain old telephone. Most of the insurers the center deals with have adopted recent changes for the reimbursement of telehealth services.

Addiction recovery organizations scramble to keep treating patients

As social distancing takes hold, along with the governor’s order to stay home, recovery organizations are racing to figure out how to keep treating patients during the coronavirus outbreak. Some places — from Hazelden Betty Ford to Alcoholics Anonymous — are moving their groups online and it seems to be working. But others are still looking for how best to serve their clients.

Tips for staying resilient during the COVID-19 pandemic

Scared? Worried? Anxious? These are normal feelings during this terrifying moment. But now is not the time to neglect your mental health. Here’s how you can stay resilient during this time of uncertainty.

Therapists tap telehealth to connect with patients

Until last week, Jen Atherton, a mental health counselor, had rarely ever seen clients outside of her office — Not anymore. Like a lot of us, Atherton is working from home now and she’s seeing her patients via video. She said for her office, the switch to telehealth “was pretty much an overnight thing.”