One of the strongest tools for suicide prevention is often overlooked. It’s not medicine, therapy, or crisis prevention. It’s economic policy. 2nd piece in my @kffhealthnews.org series on suicide prevention. Published with @washingtonpost.com www.washingtonpost.com/health/2026/...

Trump's national drug control strategy sets lofty public health goals, but the administration’s own funding cuts and policies affecting insurance will make them difficult to achieve. Several people I interviewed used the term "cognitive dissonance." kffhealthnews.org/public-healt...

When Natural Disasters Strike, Another Crisis Hits Those Recovering From Opioid Addiction via @arjonesreports @kffhealthnews kffhealthnews.org/public-healt...

Someone in America dies by suicide every 11 minutes. Some experts, like @sspencerthomas.bsky.social, say treating mental illness isn’t enough. We must fix the “broken things in our communities." First piece in my series on suicide prevention for @kffhealthnews.org kffhealthnews.org/mental-healt...

UPDATE: People relying on Medicaid in Montana might gain access to doula support in pregnancy after all. The state is once again working to add doula services to its Medicaid coverage. That comes after recent reporting that a budget deficit had stalled those plans.

Last fall, I was told about a burgeoning world of apps offering AI therapy. I took a look: all over the app store, there are products for kids as young as 4. Many seem to use your data for advertising. What's it mean to have AI therapy? For @kffhealthnews.org: kffhealthnews.org/news/article...

Excited to share that I'll be moderating a keynote session at the National Opioid Settlement Conference this summer in Denver! Talking to some of the smartest people I know about transparency and accountability with these billions of dollars. More info: whova.com/web/VkcVEXGG...

Can a $5,500 device delivering electrical pulses to the brain offer a new route to addiction recovery? The device maker thinks so. But researchers say marketing is outpacing evidence - a trend with companies trying to capitalize on opioid settlement money. kffhealthnews.org/news/article...

Pennsylvania families stress need for grief support programs for drug-related loss via @whyy whyy.org/articles/pen...

NEW: Most of the Medicaid cuts passed by congressional Republicans last year don't take effect until after the midterms, but the Trump's signature law is already squeezing state Medicaid programs. In Idaho, one service on the possible chopping block is home care for people with disabilities.

Hi — new to BlueSky! I’m a journalist covering how health policy and systems impact people. Lately I’ve reported on federal cuts hitting a rural bioscience hub, a town recovering from meth, and a man who said he had to break Medicaid rules. Based in Montana, I write for both 📰 and 📻

You can read (and listen) to my original story here: kffhealthnews.org/news/article...

Thank you Alana Schreiber & @wwno.org for inviting me to talk about Dr. Elyse Stevens, her patients, and what a New Orleans hospital system's treatment of them says about the future of addiction medicine www.wwno.org/show/louisia...

Any journalists interested in covering mental health should consider applying for the Rosalynn Carter fellowship! Speaking as a former fellow and now advisor, the benefits are great - financial support, training, guidance. mentalhealthjournalism.org

Honored and grateful to receive ASAM's media award this year for reporting that "that improves the public's understanding of addiction, treatment, recovery, or the profession of addiction medicine."

After a trip to New Orleans last year, I could not get this place out of my mind. It's so many things at once. An abandoned Family Dollar, a community center, a free thrift store, a medical clinic, a punk concert venue. I tried to recreate my visit: veritenews.org/2026/01/07/f...

Excellent piece from @aneripattani.bsky.social . I am honored to know Elyse and to have worked beside her - it is no exaggeration when I say that this is been a huge and terrible loss the community. There are real, human lives affected when politics get in the way of evidence-based care.

I thought I understood a lot about addiction medicine, having reported on it for nearly a decade. Then I worked on this story. Article & radio versions here via @kffhealthnews.org & @npr.org: kffhealthnews.org/news/article...

@aneripattani.bsky.social on the battle for the future of addiction medicine: kffhealthnews.org/news/article...

Great reporting by @priscillatotiya.bsky.social @elpasomatters.bsky.social on how the county, city, and local hospital are using their opioid settlement funds... including $411k spent on demolishing an old strip club building elpasomatters.org/2025/12/01/e...

For over two years, the city of Bangor, ME, has been in the throes of a serious HIV outbreak. @aneripattani.bsky.social discusses the challenges of tracking transmission and treating those infected, and how harm reduction measures could turn the tide. podcast.publichealth.jhu.edu/981-maines-l...

I got to discuss how opioid settlement money is being spent (hint: sock hops and mixed martial arts demos) in my home state of Connecticut on a podcast from the state! Listen here: www.podbean.com/eas/pb-6i4rt...

Missouri auditor recommends better oversight for opioid settlement spending after First Alert 4 reporting www.firstalert4.com/2025/11/13/m...

🔔 When Trump posted a video of budget director Russell Vought as the grim reaper, public health workers recognized a kernel of truth. My latest piece @kffhealthnews.org couldn't be more important. Art by the incredible @oonazenda.bsky.social 🧵 kffhealthnews.org/news/article...

I got to speak with @cbsnews.com about a recent investigation by @kffhealthnews.org @johnshopkinssph.bsky.social & @shatterproofhq.bsky.social into how states & localities are spending billions in opioid settlements. Hint: The words tasers, drones, & sock hop come up. www.cbsnews.com/video/invest...

🧵Is opioid settlement $ living up to its promise? @kffhealthnews.org @johnshopkinssph.bsky.social & @shatterproofhq.bsky.social built a database showing 10,500+ ways it was spent—or not—last year, from treatment & housing to police drones & a drug awareness magician kffhealthnews.org/news/article...

Great project from @bakerinstitute.bsky.social tracking how the 21 largest local govts in Texas are spending their opioid settlement money. These localities have no reporting requirements, so researchers are filling a critical gap in public knowledge here. rice1.osn.mghpcc.org/crc-ssl/Opio...

Mississippi Today opens 'black box' of opioid settlement spending mississippitoday.org/2025/09/15/b...

A New England state is battling the largest HIV outbreak in its history. The local factors that shaped it can shed light on what to expect from Trump’s policies on homelessness and drug use. @kffhealthnews.org kffhealthnews.org/news/article... kffhealthnews.org/news/article...

Independent rural hospitals are increasingly joining networks that share resources and bargaining power. The goal is to save money and improve patient care without losing their independence by joining a large health system. Reporting from Bowman, ND: kffhealthnews.org/news/article...

I'm excited to be a part of the @who.int Africa Region's webinar this Wednesday discussing key solutions any country can implement for #WorldSuicidePreventionDay. I'll be presenting on how media and journalists can play a role. It's free for all. Please join. Zoom: lnkd.in/gAmTW8aM

Goliath vs David: UnitedHealth Group's multibillion dollar PBM (Optum Rx) is suing 5 KY counties (one as small as 8,000 residents) to try to force them out of national opioid lawsuits against the company. @kffhealthnews.org @statesnewsroom.com @kentuckylantern.com kentuckylantern.com/2025/08/19/g...

🧵Billions in opioid settlement💰is meant to help curb addiction—but what happens if it’s misspent? Some advocates say state attorneys general should be paying closer attention. Until they do, a crowdsourced database tracking potential misuse could help. kffhealthnews.org/news/article...

More construction workers die by suicide than die by work-related injuries. A little known federal agency was leading research and programs to address the crisis. Now, most of its staff has been cut. My latest for @kffhealthnews.org & @cbsnews.com.web.brid.gy kffhealthnews.org/news/article...

There's very little oversight on how local govts nationwide are spending billions in opioid settlement money. This newly released report from @njcomptroller.bsky.social is a rare exception. The office found the town of Irvington "wasted" $600k+ on "awareness concerts." www.nj.gov/comptroller/...

“Workplace mental health is one of the most underappreciated yet critical areas we could intervene on,” said a former NIOSH worker. “We were just starting to get some strong support from all the players involved...This administration has blown that apart.” kffhealthnews.org/news/article...

Great reporting out of West Virginia - by great student journalists - about where opioid settlement money is going in a state that's long been considered the epicenter of the opioid and overdose crisis.

🚨My latest: I’ve been talking with HIV activists since Trump took office. Their organizing is rooted in pivotal social movements in America: AIDS to civil rights. My reporting started in a Black church in the Mississippi Delta. It was the perfect place to begin. kffhealthnews.org/news/article...

Tons of great stories in here — guarantee you’ll get some ideas! Great working on this with @edmahon.bsky.social and @aneripattani.bsky.social

I was honored to join @nabarund.bsky.social‬ & Keli McLoyd on ‪@the1a.org‬ this week to discuss what's behind the recent decline in overdose deaths, how federal cuts affect addiction services & the latest opioid settlement news, including Purdue Pharm: the1a.org/segments/why...

For months, the Trump admin has been discussing canceling the national suicide lifeline 988's press 3 option, which offers specialized services for LGBTQ+ ppl. Now it's happening. @trevorproject.bsky.social says they got a stop work order effective July 17 www.thetrevorproject.org/blog/trump-a...

Thanks WAMU for inviting me to speak about opioid settlement money - how it's being spent in DC and how that compares to national trends. wamu.org/story/25/05/...

‪Very excited to present @IRE_NICAR next month with @edmahon.bsky.social‬ & Drew Hawkins! We'll be sharing 60 rapid-fire ideas for stories on opioid settlement money & public health topics in 60 minutes. You'll walk away with inspiration for quick turns, features & investigations.

What does Trump’s early budget proposal say about the 988 crisis hotline, suicide prevention & programs to address addiction? My latest for @kffhealthnews.org with notes from @afspnational.bsky.social, @drugpolicyorg.bsky.social, ‪@paulnestadt.bsky.social kffhealthnews.org/news/article...

Of the $4.4m in opioid settlement funds Houston has received so far, over $500k has been spent on naloxone, opioid-simulating goggles, embroidered sweaters, computer gear, legal settlements & personnel, @houstonlanding.bsky.social found via public record requests houstonlanding.org/amid-hundred...

Louisiana receives millions a year in opioid settlement funds, but audit says there's no oversight www.nola.com/news/healthc...

Update: Trump admin asks to pause the lawsuit while it reconsiders mental health parity regulations, potentially rescinding or modifying them, per court filing. In the meantime they won't enforce parts of the rule that went into effect this year. litigationtracker.law.georgetown.edu/wp-content/u...

I know "mental health parity" sounds wonky. Add an industry lawsuit and many ppl are ready to tune out. But this is important. At stake is ppl's ability to afford therapy & medications for depression, anxiety, addiction, eating disorders, autism & more. kffhealthnews.org/news/article...

“You're never going to get #MAHA if you don't integrate mental health," says Patrick Kennedy. Will Trump's agenda align with #mentalhealth parity? kffhealthnews.org/news/article...

NEW: The last time Missouri's Medicaid program was strapped for cash: - 100,000 people lost their health insurance, - credit card debt went up, - debt in collections increased. Now, Republicans in Congress are considering cuts that would big even bigger and hit every state. My latest 👇