mental health

Fifteen former residents of Change Academy at Lake of the Ozarks say they were physically assaulted by staff, and some say they were sexually abused by other residents a youth residential treatment center in Missouri that takes in children from across the country.

Federal mortality data reveals a 16% decrease in so-called “deaths of despair” caused by alcohol, drugs and suicide, but cuts to public health infrastructure may make it challenging for the trend to continue.

Schools around the Kansas City metro are working to connect families with food, housing and other resources to make sure kids have the support they need until they return to class in the fall. Here's where to find free meals, mental health support and more.

When Congress ended pandemic-era free lunches for public schools in 2022, student meal debt skyrocketed in Kansas. One Wichita-area 6th grader launched her own fundraiser to tackle students’ lunch tabs at her school district. Plus: "Cow goggles" are allowing farmers to see through bovine eyes, and potentially improve animal welfare.

Many women struggling to get pregnant also experience depression and anxiety – often without support. After their own personal experiences, two local mental health providers founded The Village Fertility Co. to support the psychological and emotional wellbeing of women experiencing infertility.

A nonprofit program in Kansas City believes songwriting can help teens through mental health challenges. We'll stop by Rebel Song Academy to hear how students are finding their calm through music.

Since 2017, the nonprofit Rebel Song Academy has been found to help adolescents deal with a variety of mental health challenges by having them study composition and perform music together.

A new study from the University of Missouri-Kansas City reveals that people are actually speaking fewer words each day — and the loss is even greater among people under 25 years old. But engaging in small, everyday conversations can help strengthen connections and improve communication skills over time.

Bills have been introduced to add a 65-cent monthly charge on phone bills to create a permanent source of state funding for the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

Missouri veterans and first-responders would be able to possess "magic mushrooms" if they’re enrolled in a study and it's administered by a facilitator. Despite overwhelming support for the idea in past years, Thursday marks the first time the Missouri House has sent the bill on to the Senate.

More and more Missourians are waiting in jail for services from the state’s mental health department, which has a backlog of more than 500 people with stalled cases. Hear what mental health directors are telling state lawmakers.

A Senate committee heard testimony Wednesday on legislation that would require watermarks on AI-generated content and target chatbots that provide mental health advice.