Search Results for "mental health"

30% of Gulf War Veterans Still Experience Harmful Nervous System Illness


Gulf War Illness

In August 1990, former President George H.W. Bush began Operation Desert Storm in response to the Iraqi invasion and occupation of Kuwait. More than 650,000 U.S. military personnel would join the Gulf War over the next year before this Middle Eastern conflict formally ended on July 31, 1991. Sadly, Gulf War illness continues to affect 30% of those veterans today, decades later. While there is a limited understanding of this sickness, researchers are making strides to discover how to help affected soldiers, according to Jorge M. Serrador, an associate professor at Rutgers Medical School and a scientist at the New Jersey War Related Illness and Injury Study Center. "Although it's been more than 25 years since the conflict, we still do not understand the underlying cause of these ...

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Action Pack: Start ‘Handle With Care’ to Support Kids Exposed to Trauma!


Handle With Care police school trauma

YOU. ARE. AWESOME. You care about supporting kids who suffer trauma ... this Action Pack can help you do just that! Our team at Salud America!, led by Dr. Amelie Ramirez of UT Health San Antonio, is excited you're taking this big step to start a "Handle With Care" program in your area. Handle with Care enables police to notify schools when they encounter children at a traumatic scene, so schools can provide support right away. This Action Pack, built with help from Andrea Darr of the West Virginia Center for Children’s Justice, has 5 steps to help you start Handle With Care from starting the conversation, to crafting a notification system and program, to sharing your results! Before You Start... Check out these customizable materials: 💬 Handle With Care: FAQs. What is ...

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3 Ways Oregon Legislators are Addressing the Housing Crisis in Their State


little girl eating and watching TV

For nearly 100 years, it has been illegal to build anything other than detached, single-family homes on most residential land. As a result, many cities are facing a housing affordability and stability crisis which disproportionately displaces Latinos and low-income communities of color, contributing to disparities in health and wealth. That’s why advocates across the country are pushing for rent control and more inclusive zoning laws — and it’s working in Oregon (13.3% Latino). This year, Oregon passed Senate Bill 608 and House Bill 2001. These laws include three major policy changes: Banning no-cause evictions, passing state-wide rent control, and legalizing duplexes. Affordable Housing Crisis As access to affordable housing diminishes across the nation, Americans are ...

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Is Bad Building Design Giving You a Headache (Literally)?


VOCs TILT

We already know that artificial lighting and thermal comfort can influence health. Worse, these aspects of building design, such as indoor air quality, can trigger Toxicant-Induced Loss of Tolerance (TILT) — when chemical exposure brings about fatigue, headaches, and other ailments. Moving in the direction of wellness-centered architecture could have long-lasting impacts on public health and reduction of TILT, according to Dr. Claudia Miller, an environmental health professor and leader of the Hoffman TILT program at UT Health San Antonio. “Although buildings are where we spend more than 90% of our time, strategies to promote the health and well-being of the occupants are not always a major consideration during design,” Miller told the American Institute of Architects ...

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New Law in Nevada Requires Police Send Notice to Schools if Student Exposed to Trauma



Children exposed to traumatic events can struggle to focus, learn, and thrive in school. In the aftermath of a traumatic event, the school setting might potentially buffer or aggravate the negative effects of toxic stress. Worse, school personnel often have no idea what kind of internal wounds their students bring to class, thus are not prepared to act as buffers. That’s why Nevada’s (29% Latino) state government recently passed Senate Bill 80, a state law requiring the establishment of the Handle with Care program. What is Handle With Care? Handle With Care is a West Virginia Center for Children’s Justice’s program promotes communication and collaboration with police, schools, and mental health leaders to help children who’ve experienced trauma. It enables local ...

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5 Reasons to Attend ‘Advancing the Science of Cancer in Latinos’ Conference


Latino Cancer Conference 2020 in San Antonio UT Health

In the next 20 years, Latinos are expected to face a 142% rise in cancer rates. Cancer is the top cause of premature death among Latinos. Latinos have higher rates than their peers for many cancers. Latinos also experience cancer differently—from genetics to the environment to healthcare access. This Latino cancer crisis is especially alarming given the growing Latino population. That's why, in 2018, Dr. Amelie Ramirez of Salud America! at UT Health San Antonio hosted the 1st-ever “Advancing the Science of Cancer in Latinos” conference. Now Ramirez is bringing back the conference on Feb. 26-28, 2020 in San Antonio! “We are excited to again bring together the brightest scientists, clinicians, advocates, policy leaders, and students to share what they're learned ...

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Can Churches Help With the Affordable Housing Crisis?


Church Latino Housing

Many U.S. churches are taking dedicated action to assist those in need of affordable housing by building developments on their properties. "There's so much land owned by houses of worship anywhere you go in the country," David Bowers of Enterprise Community Partners, a nonprofit focused on housing solutions, said in a speech at the World Economic Forum (WEF). Churches and religious institutions are among the country’s largest landowners. Many of them have additional unused land or adjacent sites that are suitable for development. The current lack of affordable housing in America has substantial implications for many Latinos and dramatically impacts their quality of life. Religious Institutions' Role Places of worship usually offer a variety of amenities that make them ideal ...

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New Affordable Housing Bill Aims to Add 1.9M Units Nationwide


Affordable Housing for Seniors- A Reality Check

A bipartisan effort led by Senators and Representatives alike proposes a new plan to help solve America's widespread lack of access to homeownership. The Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act of 2019, also known as the Low Income Housing Tax Credit, would expand and strengthen the Affordable Housing Tax Credit. Senator Maria Cantwell introduced the bill on the Senate floor last week, urging fellow-legislators to act in this issue. "We know that this challenge of moving forward on affordable housing is something that is a bipartisan issue," Cantwell, one of the bill's sponsors, said. "The tax credit has had bipartisan support for many years in the United States Congress. We just need to put the pedal to the metal and provide more of the tax credit so we can get more ...

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Latino Kids Face Chronic Skin Condition Disparities


hispanic kid skin face swimming summer water

A skin disease is harming the health of children — and causing them to fall behind in their education. Latino and black children are more likely than white children to miss school due to eczema, according to researchers are the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine. "Most people don't realize the serious impact eczema can have on a person's life, and our research shows minorities may be disproportionately affected," said the study's senior author Dr. Junko Takeshita, assistant professor of dermatology and epidemiology, according to Penn Medicine News. What is Eczema? Eczema, or atopic dermatitis (AD), is a common inflammatory disease that causes red and itchy skin. It affects 30 million Americans, including up to 20% of all children, according to the ...

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