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Jay Bradley/LehighValleyNews.comDespite not being approved for human consumption, veterinary tranquilizers are infiltrating the illicit drug supply in Pennsylvania. Harm reduction specialists and health care professionals say these overdoses can't be approached solely with naloxone, the opioid overdose reversal drug. -
Makenzie Christman/LehighValleyNews.comXylazine, an animal-grade tranquilizer that's not approved for human use, has taken Pennsylvania's illicit drug supply by storm. Known on the streets as "tranq," it accounted for almost 1 in 4 overdose deaths in Pennsylvania by 2023. Last year in Lehigh County, it was a contributing cause of death in 20 of the 112 deadly overdoses, or 17.9 percent of cases.
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Those who have served in the Lehigh Valley living with pulmonary fibrosis and other lung conditions now have a support group. It was created by the Wescoe Foundation for Pulmonary Fibrosis, an organization founded by Jennifer Wescoe in honor of her late father, Ron, who served as a marine. -
The next two Wednesdays in June, Ott will be hosting "Breathe Easy" Lunchtime Plant Therapy workshops at A Little Bit of Local at ArtsWalk, 21 N. Seventh St. in Allentown.
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The third annual Revolutions for Inclusion Bike Ride raises money for the Easter Pennsylvania Down Syndrome Center. A local father's memory lives on through the third annual fundraising event.
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State Rep. Mike Schlossberg, D-Lehigh, is the architect of a bill that would allocate $100 million of federal American Rescue Plan funding for mental health programs. It passed the House last week and is under state Senate consideration.
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The smoke may be clearing, but anxiety from the eerie event may stick with us. A Lehigh Valley therapist has some ways to get past the uneasy feelings left behind after this week's smoke-filled skies.
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Allentown school board is considering whether Raub Middle School would benefit from a $1.2 million grant where several community groups would work with at-risk middle school students over two years, under a proposed plan.
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The bill, spearheaded by state Rep. Mike Schlossberg, would dedicate American Rescue Plan money to training mental health care providers, creating more suicide prevention programs and supporting specialty courts.
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The 21st Century program is to help students with academic support and art and music enrichment.
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Loneliness, isolation and social disconnect are a public health crisis in the United States. Brittany Sweeney hosts a community conversation to examine the factors that contribute to isolation — and what we can do to avoid it.
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A housing facility for inmates with severe mental illness is now open in Northampton County. The Shiloh Restoration Center will have 8-beds and provide mental and behavioral health support.
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A plan to build a 144-bed behavioral health facility is in the works, as Lehigh Valley Health Network and United Health Services partner up. The goal is to address a growing need in the valley.
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Lehigh County will be funding free walk-in mental health services administered by KidsPeace.
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A mom is releasing a book hoping to give hope to other parents following her infant’s cancer journey in the Lehigh Valley. Shari Ann Almeida’s daughter Dakota was diagnosed with leukemia at 6-months-old.
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Doctors say Buffalo Bills' safety Damar Hamlin is awake. But for viewers, watching his collapse on live TV could be leaving a lasting impact. A local psychologist says collective trauma can make people anxious.
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Wolf said his request is “a critical step to allow the General Assembly to focus their work on this important, and potentially life-saving, task.”
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A group of people battling breast cancer and survivors came together for a clean makeup class. The classes are offered through Breast Cancer Support Services.
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Holiday spirit is soaring, but so is the spread of different illnesses. A Local doctor offer ways to stay holly and jolly over this time of year.
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Dozens of students say a 6-year-old horse named Pippa lifted their spirits. Organizers tout the health and psychological benefits of equine therapy.
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The Community Connections Partnership joins social workers from the city's Health Bureau with police officers to connect people who need help with social services. The police chief says the program has been successful, but the idea is not universally popular.
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A new resource for children with autism and their families opened in Bethlehem Township. The clinic offers evaluations that can lead to a diagnosis and treatment programs.
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Construction company Moyer Construction LLC is proposing a sober house at 3599 Broadway in South Whitehall Township, next to Cetronia Elementary School.
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According to new data from the Lehigh Valley Justice Institute, higher than ever numbers of suicide attempts and mental health issues among middle and high school students now exist. The group says data showed one in nine Pennsylvania teenagers attempted suicide in 2021, and two in five were depressed.
