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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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Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center hosted a virtual event about the state of mental health in the LGBTQ community. -
People without a permanent place to stay should "enjoy the same rights as the rest of us who have a house," Allentown Commission on Homelessness chair Abigail Goldfarb said.
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Take a look at stories throughout the week of which we are most proud, had a profound impact on readers or that you might want to look at again.
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Talking to children about their mental health can be challenging for parents. During Mental Health Awareness Month, educators are sharing how they address the topic with kids.
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A panel of young people, ranging from middle-school-aged to college, shared their thoughts on mental health and health care in a conference organized by Lehigh Valley Reilly Children's Hospital. They all had one thing in common — direct experience.
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The Palmer Recovery Center is the site of a free trauma-informed yoga class every Wednesday evening at 5:30 p.m. The class helps veterans with their mental health struggles.
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The U.S. surgeon general issued a public health advisory about loneliness, isolation and lack of connection. The health consequences are enormous — equivalent by some estimates to smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
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Lehigh Valley Mental Health Awareness Walk offers the public education and resources. Behavioral health needs are growing.
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The $25,000 fund, offered by Lehigh and Northampton counties, will be used to support the schools' Aevidum program.
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On July 1, the Girls on the Run Lehigh Valley and Pocono chapters will merge.
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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.
