Behavioral Health News

The rapid expansion of cannabis legalization across the U.S. has raised growing concerns about its impact on adolescents. Cannabis remains the most commonly used recreational drug among U.S. youth (Young-Wolff et al., 2026), and while cannabis use is not legal at the federal level, medical use has been legalized in 40 states and recreational use (for individuals 21 and older)...

Nearly a million New Yorkers cannot access the mental health care they need. A broken workforce, a fraying safety net, and deep inequities are forcing the nation’s largest city to reimagine how — and for whom — mental health care is delivered.

The fluorescent lights in the psychiatric wing do not distinguish betwe...

A person can complete withdrawal management successfully and still lose the next step of care. A residential client can make meaningful progress and then leave without a confirmed outpatient appointment. A receiving program may know that a referral is coming but lack the medication list, risk information, family context, or authorization details needed to continue care smooth...

Hispanic Heritage Month allows us to honor and celebrate Latino and Hispanic histories and cultures. But it should also challenge behavioral health organizations to ask a harder question: Have we evolved beyond merely translating words to truly understanding people? Language access is vital. However, translation alone will not fix mistrust or stigma. Translation won’t ensure ...

Hi, my name is Dr. Tracy Hicks. I am a mother, a friend, an educator, a mentor, a wife, a psychiatric healthcare provider…among many other parts of my identity. How I introduce myself is an important element of how I view myself and how the outside world views me.

My experience with schizophrenia is both personal and professional. As a clinician, I work with pe...