By Dianne Anderson Back when few people were thinking about getting mental health services into the Black community, health advocate Linda Hart pitched her winning idea in a contest, which set in motion a legislative resolution by former Assemblymember Wilmer Amina Carter. In 2008, the proposal caught Ms. Carter’s attention in her “It Ought to ...

By Dianne Anderson High-profile suicides are weighing heavy on the community, among the most recent Ian Alexander Jr., and the presumed suicide of lawyer and former Miss USA Cheslie Kryst. Kryst, also an entertainment reporter, was just 30 years old. She had often interviewed other television stars on mental health issues, and had spoken openly ...

By Antonio Ray Harvey California Black Media Gov. Gavin Newsom says his administration is emphasizing combating drug addiction and mental illness as part of the state’s multi-year plan to solve California’s homelessness crisis – the worst in the country. Newsom says focusing on those health needs of unhoused people is a component of his ongoing ...

By Charlene Muhammad California Black Media The Covid-19 pandemic is taking a heavy toll on the health, finances, and mobility of people around the world, affecting almost everyone on the planet. Youth, in particular, have been experiencing an uptick in mental health cases, including depression, in a trend U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy is calling ...

By Dianne Anderson Living in perpetual crisis mode from one traffic stop to the next, and other killings of innocent Black men, is taking a toll. The most recent data available from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health Resource Center showed suicide as the second leading cause of death ...

Sierra High School Honored for Counseling Program Since students across the San Bernardino City Unified School District (SBCUSD) returned to in-person learning in August, it’s become evident that the extended COVID-related lockdowns and social distancing during the 2020–2021 school year had an impact on all aspects of youth development, including mental health. The CDC (Centers ...

By Dianne Anderson By now, most Americans may be noticing the COVID-19 vaccine works better than imagined against the highly contagious Delta variant, which is probably why some of the staunchest anti-vaxxers are rethinking the fourth wave of the surge. Half of America, about 180 million are now fully vaccinated, but the question remains where ...

By Dianne Anderson Long before Black healthcare was trending, Phyllis Clark was literally on a roll taking mobile units packed with doctors and nurses to do on-site vital testing, diabetes and cancer screenings, helping the community rise above the inequalities. Hundreds flocked to her events, and families brought stacks of hard copy information and resources ...

By Dianne Anderson War is no joke, but the battle of the war within has provided some fodder for Tyrome “Mac Rome” Thompson to get through the dark places of his past. It’s also where he’s learned to laugh in the face of adversity, and try to lighten the load for others. Thompson volunteers with ...

By Dianne Anderson Everything going on lately is enough to make a grown man cry, which is something that Marty Sellers specifically looks for when connecting with his clients. The chaos and confusion of the past four years have left many in the community emotionally spent, now the one year anniversary of the George Floyd ...