Master social worker Loren Lapow's Maui Hero Project offers adventure-based counseling to support mental health for teens affected by the Maui wildfires two years ago. The program combines disaster preparedness and outdoor activities, providing a unique approach to mental health that has become crucial for reaching reluctant youths.

Child care should be treated as a human right rather than a market commodity, write Anna McPhatter and Antoine Lovell, dean and associate professor, respectively, at the Morgan State University School of Social Work. The US lags other countries in child care spending, and affordable care is crucial for housing stability and economic mobility, particularly for low-income families. "[T]his is not some radical transformation -- it should be commonplace," they assert.

Immigrant students in Oakland are increasingly absent from schools amid heightened immigration enforcement and fears of deportation, says Daniel Espana, a clinical social worker. The district provides support such as legal services and necessities while trying to stretch its budget as far as possible. The students he works with are "here to pursue a new life and an education, but they experience a lot of barriers in that process," says Espana.

Patients who have autoimmune conditions and chronic inflammation face double the risk of mental health disorders including depression, anxiety and bipolar disorder compared with the general population, a study in BMJ Mental Health found. The research, based on data from more than 1.5 million participants in the UK, highlights the need for regular mental health screenings and tailored therapies.

Cuyahoga County, Ohio, has banned conversion therapy for minors and vulnerable adults, prompting state Sen. Nickie Antonio to push for a similar statewide ban. Antonio, the first openly gay member of the Ohio General Assembly, has introduced Senate Bill 71 to prohibit licensed health care professionals from engaging in conversion therapy for minors, but the bill faces significant opposition in the Republican-majority legislature.

Delaware's DTRN360, developed with Bamboo Health, connects behavioral health care providers and enhances care coordination using real-time communication and integrated workflows. Massachusetts' Behavioral Health Treatment and Referral Platform, created with PointClickCare, streamlines referrals and standardizes admissions information, and it has helped reduce the number of patients boarding in hospitals by 59% since 2022.

Personality traits such as openness, conscientiousness, extroversion, agreeableness and emotional stability play a significant role in leadership success, according to Eva Asselmann, a professor at HMU Health and Medical University, who emphasizes that while there is no single best personality type, self-awareness and adaptability can enhance a person's overall skills. Asselmann offers exercises to help people stay authentic while developing personality traits, such as setting boundaries if they are too agreeable and practicing speaking last if they are always talking first.

When your boss or team doesn't seem to understand you, see it as an opportunity to uncover new knowledge and share your perspective instead of as an obstacle, write Karin Hurt and David Dye from Let's Grow Leaders. Whether it's with your team, your immediate boss or higher leadership, Hurt and Dye offer several ways to start the conversation.

Forget your to-do list and make a list of items you should stop doing instead, writes Naphtali Hoff, an executive coach, who recommends focusing on tasks you can delegate, eliminate or automate. "Eliminating tasks that drain you or are outside your strengths protects your energy for the work only you can do," Hoff writes.