November 2016

Millions of Americans suffer from alcoholism or addiction to legal and illegal drugs, but only a fraction are being treated, according to a report released on Thursday by the surgeon general. One in seven people in the United States is expected to develop a substance use disorder at some point in their lives, the report said. But as of now, only one in 10 will receive treatment. The report is the first from a surgeon general to address substance use disorders and the wider range of health...

In 1964, the U.S. surgeon general released a report on the health impacts of smoking, and it shaped the public and government's attitudes toward tobacco for years to come . On Thursday, another surgeon general's report was issued, this time tackling a much broader issue: addiction and the misuse and abuse of chemical substances. The focus isn't just one drug, but all of them. Though little in the report is new, it puts impressive numbers to the problem, and some surprising context: More...

Wine and tears poured and tissues were borrowed as several juvenile justice reform advocates were honored for their work to end life without parole for juvenile offenders. The first award winners at the Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth ’s highly emotional Hope & Healing awards ceremony Tuesday were Steve Drizin and Laura Nirider, the advocates working to earn “Making a Murderer” star Brendan Dassey his freedom. Gary Tyler, sentenced to death at age 16 in 1974 by an all-white...

Facing a wave of criticism for allowing advertisers to exclude anyone with an “affinity” for African-American, Asian-American, or Hispanic people from seeing ads, Facebook said it would build an automated system that would let it better spot ads that discriminate illegally. Federal law prohibits ads for housing, employment, and credit that exclude people by race, gender, and other factors. Facebook said it would build an automated system to scan advertisements to determine if they are...

The Youth First Initiative wants to help end the use of youth prisons. The justice-advocacy group works from the premise that detaining minors—whether in youth facilities or in prisons—is not just a poorly executed practice; it is simply beyond repair. “This model of incarceration is broken—it does not work,” says Liz Ryan, the president and CEO of the Youth First Initiative . “It actually has never worked.” The United States has been incarcerating child offenders for a couple hundred years...

florida, a coalition of parents known as “the recess moms” has been fighting to pass legislation guaranteeing the state’s elementary-school students at least 20 minutes of daily free play. Similar legislation recently passed in New Jersey, only to be vetoed by the governor, who deemed it “stupid.” When, you might ask, did recess become such a radical proposal? In a survey of school-district administrators, roughly a third said their districts had reduced outdoor play in the early 2000s.

Donald Trump’s victory in Wisconsin last week marked the first time a Republican presidential candidate has won there since 1984. The seemingly massive political shift that took place in this Midwestern U.S. state on Election Day, particularly in its rural counties, has since been thrust into the national spotlight. In trying to better understand what happened in Wisconsin, and for that matter in the outcome of the election nationwide, one of the first people I wanted to speak with was Kathy...

YESTERDAY, DESIGN GUIDELINES for those providing accommodation for people living with persistent mental health conditions, was launched by the Housing Agency and the HSE. The 121-page book – thought to be the first of its kind worldwide – makes recommendations for those with “severe and enduring” conditions so that they can live independently. These aren’t necessarily complicated or costly measures – but involve everyday solutions such as including key hooks so that the person can find their...

Every family deserves an equal opportunity to build a healthy, nurturing environment that helps their kids thrive. That’s where home visits come in. Some of the most fulfilling and valuable experiences of my early career involved working as a home visitor about twenty years ago. I traveled through Philadelphia’s most underserved neighborhoods with a team from the MomMobile , a community-based organization that provides free support and education to families facing the challenges that...

As pediatricians, we champion the need to address social determinants of health, such as poverty and food insecurity, in an effort to achieve health equity. We emphasize screening for toxic stress. In our conversations about equity, we include data about racial and ethnic disparities. Because of our commitment to work for the health and well-being of all children, pediatricians are uniquely positioned to consider and address the needs and concerns of the at-risk communities for whom we care.

Ra’ad and Hutham Lalqaraghuli are no longer sure which America they’re a part of. Is it the hateful country they confronted a few weeks before the presidential election, when someone left a note at their door that said, “Terrorist Leave no one wants you here”? Or is it the generous country of welcoming strangers who heard about their ordeal and showered them with gifts and cards with positive messages? The victory of President-elect Donald J. Trump has intensified their whiplash. After a...

Inpatient treatment programs for heroin and opioid dependence can be so difficult to get into in some parts of the country that drug users who want to quit are voluntarily asking judges to lock them up — just to guarantee they'll get help. In Massachusetts, that's happening via a 46-year-old law that was designed for family members to commit their loved ones to a locked facility when they are deemed "a danger to themselves or others" because of drug or alcohol abuse. But as more people...