MindSite News Turns Five
Five years ago yesterday, as the U.S. was trying to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, MindSite News was launched as the nation's only news outlet exclusively reporting on mental health.
Rob's Latest Articles
MindSite News Welcomes Jariel Arvin as Our New Reporting Fellow
A Boston transplant – by way of Vietnam – sprouts local roots to help MindSite News deepen its Bay Area connections.
Trump Order Fast-Tracks Psychedelic Testing, Bypassing Regulators to Control Science from White House
To get a good sense of how policy gets made these days in Washington, look no further than Saturday's signing event at the White House. The bottom line: Damn the clinical trials. Full speed ahead.
Are These the Words of a Sane Man? Trump: “A whole civilization will die tonight”
As Donald Trump posted unhinged rants – using words that are almost the definition of genocide – members of Congress, columnists and even Marjorie Taylor Greene called for using the 25th amendment to declare him mentally incompetent and remove him from power.
As Millions Protest, Marchers Raise Mental Health – Their Own and Trump’s – with Biting Humor
The No King's protest drew millions of people around the U.S. on Saturday. Demonstrators made clear in signs and interviews that they were there to improve their own mental health – and to express their outrage at Donald Trump's policies and mental status. This photo essay offers a glimpse.
Young Women Driving Justice and Mental Health Change to Take Stage at Bay Area Event
MindSite News hosts the Young Women's Freedom Center and Congresswoman Lateefah Simon at the Commonwealth Club for a public conversation on healing, leadership and justice.
1 in 8 Youth Turn to AI for Mental Health. ‘It Just Tells Me What I Want to Hear’
Youth with the deepest emotional needs are using chatbots for therapy the most – but many are unhappy with the outcome.
How Minecraft Therapy Is Transforming Child and Teen Mental Health Care
Two leading practitioners discuss how they do individual and group therapy that children want to take part in, using Minecraft, the most popular video game in the world. A MindSite News webinar.
With SNAP Benefits Delayed, Fountain House Clubhouses Scramble to Feed Hungry Members
From New York City to Salt Lake City, Fountain House and affiliated clubhouses have created plans to feed members impacted by cutoff of SNAP funds
What Comes Next for the Children of Gaza and Israel?
A look at the Gaza ceasefire, the difficult road to rebuilding and addressing mental health needs there, plus tips for couples on de-escalating arguments, and the changing trend of veteran suicide in the US.
Jimmy Kimmel Returned Tonight as ABC, Under Pressure, Lifts Comedian’s Suspension
More than 400 Hollywood stars signed onto a letter put together by the ACLU that condemned Kimmel's suspension before it was lifted.
This ER Doc Has Been Surveying Public Attitudes on Authoritarianism. The Numbers Are Chilling
Research suggests a two-way dynamic: In the era of Donald Trump, anxiety, fear and uncertainty are leading to acceptance of authoritarianism and violence. This, in turn, provokes more anxiety and fear – and for some people, withdrawal.
Trump Budget Abandons Historic Effort to Address Mental Health Crisis
The budget bill that passed Congress last week, coming on top of previous actions by the Trump administration, signals that the days of a federal commitment to addressing the U.S. mental health crisis are essentially over.
Vietnam Vets and Refugees Remember the War That Changed Their Lives
From the 1985 edition of the Tenderloin Times, a four-language newspaper with reporters from Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, a look back at the first 10 years following the end of the Vietnam War.
War Not Over For Vietnam Veterans: A View from 40 Years Ago
Forty years ago, The Tenderloin Times, a community newspaper in San Francisco, marked the 10th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War with a package of stories. The Tenderloin then, as now, was home to thousands of refugees from Southeast Asia, along with American military veterans who had fought in that war. This story looks at the experience of those veterans.
SAMHSA Firings Continue, Devastating U.S. Mental Health Agency
Employees of SAMHSA, the federal agency responsible for leading the nation’s response to the mental health and drug overdose crises, were among those terminated this morning in the latest round of mass firings implemented by the Trump administration.
Inside America’s Mental Health Agency: Mass Firings and Work Stoppages Sap Morale, Impede Mission
The agency tasked with leading the fight to ease the country’s mental health and addiction emergencies is going through an existential crisis. About 100 of its 900 workers have been fired and those that remain are frightened and demoralized. Communications with agencies funded by SAMHSA has slowed or halted. "Nobody feels safe," one employee said.
Five Years On, a Look at the Children Who Lost Parents to COVID
At the five-year COVID anniversary, we look at the children left behind after their parents died from COVID.
‘You’re going to see more people on the street’: Report finds Trump actions could devastate California
As California grapples with mental illness, addiction and homelessness, the Steinberg Institute issued a dire warning: Massive cuts from the Trump administration and Congress threaten to dismantle efforts to help the state’s most vulnerable.
Photoshopped Images, Scientific Fraud Derail Quest for Alzheimer’s Treatments
A reporter uncovers evidence that research fraud on a massive scale has hyped the potential benefit of expensive drugs aimed at slowing or reversing the mental decline of patients with Alzheimer’s disease.
Trump’s Campaign to Demonize Immigrants and People with Mental Health Challenges
Eight years after Donald Trump's election sparked a mental health crisis among immigrant communities targeted for deportation and violence, those fears are building all over again. So are efforts to provide support.
New Report: Mental Health Philanthropy Inches Up, but Still Lags Far Behind the Need
Mental health giving is rising slowly, but it's still a small percentage of overall giving.
