Mental Health

When Act 106 was passed into law in October 2018, lawmakers said it would help people with some of the most severe mental illnesses by allowing judges to set up “assisted outpatient treatment” plans.

Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf says his administration will work to improve mental health care in the commonwealth and remove the stigma experienced by many people struggling with mental illness.

A broad effort to improve mental health services and change public perceptions of mental illness was announced Thursday by Pennsylvania' governor.

Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics offer crisis care, substance and mental health treatment, and other crucial support in Pennsylvania and other states.

With the unveiling of the 2020 state budget still a few months away, groups that provide mental health and intellectual disabilities services are lobbying for an additional $84 million in funding.

Sunday marks one year since the Tree of Life synagogue shooting, and several events have been scheduled in an effort to help people grieve and heal. 

Seniors today are happier than previous generations, according to new findings from the University of Pittsburgh.

A new study from University of Pittsburgh researchers finds that when predicting suicide risk in young adults, extra focus should be paid to the fluctuation of depressive symptoms.

Pennsylvania Auditor General Eugene DePasquale and Democratic state Rep. Mike Schlossberg of Lehigh County are calling for increased resources for mental health services. The two fielded questions at a Facebook town hall Tuesday. 

The first day of the new year is a great date to turn over a new leaf, but setting an overly ambitious new year’s resolution may not be the best way to make a major change.

New mothers dealing with pregnancy-related mental health disorders can keep their babies with them as they seek treatment at West Penn Hospital's new Alexis Joy D'Achille Center for Perinatal Mental Health. 

A 2014 study of 1,609 Allegheny County teens between the ages of 14 and 19 found those who have lost a friend or family member to murder are three times more likely to attempt suicide. In total, 13 percent of those surveyed reported to have suffered this loss. 

It’s been more than a week since the shooting at Tree of Life Synagogue, and those who were part of the emergency response might only now be starting to confront the effects of trauma caused by this tragedy.

A report on safety threats and security concerns in Pennsylvania schools concludes there is a need for better access to mental health services.

The death of black teenager Antwon Rose at the hands of a white police officer has been a catalyst for social activism in Pittsburgh, and might also stir up past trauma for people of color.  

A University of Pittsburgh psychiatrist is one of the primary collaborators on a new, public health toolkit that presents important information related to the Netflix program “13 Reasons Why,” a teen drama that depicts events surrounding a high school girl’s suicide.

The second season came out earlier this month. 

Even as Jason McKoy struggled with mental illness, he understood that the disease was invisible, and that he shouldn’t talk about it. He called this phenomenon “contextual camouflage.”

“I felt like I was camouflaging my true feelings,” he said. “That’s what a lot of people with mental-health disorders have to do. … We have to walk around camouflaging.”

This year, Avonworth High School students arrived at their first period, for the most part, after sunrise.

The district recently shifted its first period start time from 7:15 to 8 a.m., and Superintendent Thomas Ralston said his students now pass what he calls "the eye test."

“You can see that kids are coming to school, and they’re awake. They’re coming in when it’s light outside,” he said. “Our faculty have reported that kids are more attentive in class … and faculty feel more prepared.”