MFP/ANA e-Newsletter: July 11, 2025

MENTAL HEALTH, SUBSTANCE USE, AND NURSING ARTICLES

American Academy of Nursing Designates Six Trailblazers as Living Legends (opens new window)

The American Academy of Nursing (Academy) will officially designate six extraordinary nurse leaders as Living Legends this fall. Drs. Dyanne D. Affonso, Connie W. Delaney, Judith E. Haber, Christine A. Miaskowski, Brother Ignatius T. Perkins, OP, and Phyllis Sharps will be honored at the Living Legends Ceremony held at the Academy’s annual Health Policy Conference, taking place on October 16 – October 18, 2025.  Read more (opens new window)

How to manage ADHD at work and turn it into a strength (opens new window)

Jeremy Didier had taken her son to a psychologist for a possible ADHD evaluation when she spotted an article about women with the condition. As she read it in the waiting room, she thought to herself: They’re describing me. “Lots of risk-taking, lots of very impulsive behavior growing up,” Didier said. Read more (opens new window)

American kids have become increasingly unhealthy over nearly two decades, new study finds (opens new window)

The health of U.S. children has deteriorated over the past 17 years, with kids today more likely to have obesity, chronic diseases and mental health problems like depression, a new study says. Much of what researchers found was already known, but the study paints a comprehensive picture by examining various aspects of children’s physical and mental health at the same time. Read more (opens new window)

Avatar therapy: does 3D add value? (opens new window)

The development and evaluation of relational therapies for distressing voices continues to be a popular investigational topic. In the 7 years since The Lancet Psychiatry published the first definitive trial of avatar therapy1 showing significant reductions in voice severity, the findings from several more trials have been published. Read more (opens new window)

Focus on first responders' mental health grows as death toll rises in flood-ravaged Texas (opens new window)

Riding on horseback through brush and over numerous dead turkeys, Margo Mellon spent Tuesday scanning the flood-ravaged ground of Texas’ Hill Country for dead bodies. As she and her rescue mates trudged through the muddy terrain, state officials announced that more than 160 people are still believed to be missing. With countless miles swamped by the floods, nobody knows when the searches will end. Read more (opens new window)  (opens new window)

Who Will Fill the 988 Hotline Gap for LGBTQ+ Youth? (opens new window)

The Trump administration recently directed the national suicide prevention hotline, 988 National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, to end its specialized support opens in a new tab or window for LGBTQ+ callers, saying they can use the general services instead. After July 17, youth and young adult callers will no longer have the option to "Press 3" or text "PRIDE" to be connected with counselors who offer tailored support as part of the hotline's LGBTQ+ Youth Specialized services program. Read more (opens new window)

In a nation growing hostile toward drugs and homelessness, Los Angeles tries harm reduction (opens new window)

Inside a bright new building in the heart of Skid Row, homeless people hung out in a canopy-covered courtyard — some waiting to take a shower, do laundry, or get medication for addiction treatment. Others relaxed on shaded grass and charged their phones as an intake line for housing grew more crowded. Read more (opens new window)

Weighing in: Clinician and Patient Perspectives on Discussions of Expected Body Weights in Eating Disorder Treatment (opens new window)

Clinicians often determine an “expected body weight” (EBW) for patients who have lost weight due to an eating disorder (ED). However, there is inconsistent guidance and limited empirical research on when, how, and why to discuss EBWs with patients. This study explores clinician and patient perspectives on discussions of EBWs. Read more (opens new window)  (opens new window)

Mind over matter: advocating for your mental health | Student Voices (opens new window)

Whether we choose to accept it, the reality of today’s world is that something is always happening outside of our control. For me, the alarming state of our current sociopolitical climate, the uncertainty of our future, and pressures at school (among other things), all influence my mental health, and not necessarily for the best. Read more (opens new window)

HOTLINE RESOURCES

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (opens new window) or 1-800-273-TALK (8255) 

The Substance and Mental Health Services Administration (opens new window) provides COVID-19 guidance and resources to assist individuals, providers, communities and sates across the country. The website is updated daily.

The National CLAS Standards

The National CLAS Standards are a set of 15 action steps intended to advance health equity, improve quality, and help eliminate health care disparities by providing a blueprint for individuals and health and health care organizations to implement culturally and linguistically appropriate services. View the standards here (opens new window)