BetterHelp to pay $7.8M for sharing mental health data with Facebook, Snapchat

Online therapy platform BetterHelp will pay $7.8 million for reportedly sharing sensitive mental health info with Facebook, Snapchat and other advertisers for profit.

California health program successfully cut hospital visits

A five-year experiment aimed at improving care for some of California’s most at-risk Medicaid patients — including homeless people and people with severe drug addictions — resulted in fewer hospitalizations and emergency room visits that saved taxpayers an estimated $383 per patient per year, according to a review released Wednesday.

High school sports group rethinks menstrual cycle questions

Facing blowback, the director of Florida’s high school sports governing body is backing away from using an eligibility form that requires female athletes to disclose their menstrual history in order to compete.

13 is too young to join social media, US surgeon general says

In a CNN interview, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy said that kids are still “developing their identity” at this age.

California prison inmates to get some Medicaid care

The federal government will allow Medicaid dollars to treat some people in prisons, jails or juvenile detention centers for the first time ever, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced Thursday.

US veterans in suicidal crisis now eligible for free emergency care at any facility

Veterans do not need to be enrolled in the VA system for the new policy, which includes inpatient care for up to 30 days and outpatient care for up to 90 days.

San Francisco man left with broken skull, brain injury fighting release of his alleged assailant

An attack last year near his apartment in the city’s Lower Nob Hill neighborhood left a San Francisco resident and Army veteran with severe head injuries – including a traumatic brain injury – that have derailed his life.

Man seen on video spraying homeless San Francisco woman with hose tells his side of story

A San Francisco art gallery owner caught on video spraying a homeless woman with a hose on the sidewalk tells his side of the story. Meanwhile, SF Fire Dept. says the victim has accepted city services.

Calls, texts and chats pouring into new 988 mental health helpline

The 988 mental health helpline has quickly expanded its reach in the six months since it launched — with over 2 million calls, texts and chat messages pouring in.

California lawmakers want to decriminalize 'Magic Mushrooms'

State lawmakers introduced a new bill on Monday, focused on decriminalizing certain naturally occurring psychedelic drugs, including a drug known popularly as “magic mushrooms.”

Stephen 'tWitch' Boss death sounds alarm on rising rates of Black male suicide

The CDC says men are nearly four times more likely to die by suicide than women and Black men are the fastest-growing group of men. Mental health experts say many men struggle with opening up and getting the help they need.

TikTok boosts posts about eating disorders, suicide, report says

The findings come from the Center for Countering Digital Hate, which created TikTok accounts for fictitious young people living in the U.S., Britain, Canada and Australia.

Having a strong sense of purpose in life may help you live longer, study suggests

The study found an association across race/ethnicity and gender, but women may benefit slightly more from the health-protective benefits of having a sense of purpose.

Synthetic 'magic mushroom' drug may ease depression in hard-to-treat patients, study says

A single dose of psilocybin, the hallucinogenic compound found in “magic mushrooms,” was found to help some people who previously had gotten little relief from standard antidepressants.

Forcing a smile might put you in a better mood, research suggests

The new research, led by a scientist at Stanford, may tell us “something fundamentally important” about how human emotions work.

Psychologist Says Bipolar Disorder Not To Blame For Kanye West's Hate
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Licensed psychologist, Dr. Bedford Palmer, weighs in on Kanye West, his mental health, and accountability for his anti-black and anti-semitic remarks.

Bus driver attacked with hammer says AC Transit ignored pleas for help

An AC Transit bus driver who was attacked in East Oakland by the same woman three times, said the agency did nothing to prevent it from happening again. Antoine Nolen says Sharee Hall has targeted him and other drivers for months.