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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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Showstoppers Boxing Club teaches youth how to box and stay out of trouble. That’s why Promise Neighborhoods of the Lehigh Valley has uplifted the boxing club as an anti-violence initiative. -
There’s an intangible soon heading overseas in a couple hundred care packages: the comfort of knowing someone out there is thinking of you during the holidays.
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A new fellowship soon will be offered to doctors at St. Luke's University Health Network to tie addiction and mental health services together more closely.
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People in Florida are picking up the pieces of their lives as not one but two hurricanes batter the coast in as many weeks. Red Cross volunteers from the Lehigh Valley continue to lend a helping hand.
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Lehigh County Coroner Dan Buglio urges, 'Keep a close watch on family and friends' following seven suicides in 11 days.
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A new mental health clinic in Bethlehem is acknowledging World Mental Health Day by letting people know about their services.
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The Crime Victims Council of the Lehigh Valley offers mental health counseling to victims of sexual assault, domestic violence and robbery. They also work with the families of murder victims.
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The next phase of construction is under way on a new Lehigh Valley behavioral health hospital as the last steel beam was placed Tuesday. The new facility will have 144 beds.
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The Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission hosted a community forum on discrimination and other issues at the Allentown Public Library on Monday night.
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State Rep. Mike Schlossberg and mental health experts advocated for an increased investment in school-based health clinics at a news conference at Hays Elementary School in Allentown on Friday.
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A new report is warning that “job-related stress” could affect the supply of teachers across the country. The report began with a survey of public school teachers nationwide last winter.
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The shooting at a Wawa in Upper Macungie Township this week may leave some in the Lehigh Valley feeling on edge and scared. An Allentown truck driver died and the suspected shooter took his own life.
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It’s a taboo topic with serious consequences: Across the country, the suicide rate has risen more than 33% in the last decade, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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Research in a growing scientific field called ecotherapy at Harvard University shows activities like walking in the woods can help reduce stress, anxiety and depression. Even a few minutes outside can do the trick.
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The popularity of internet-based gambling in Pennsylvania has taken off as the pandemic caused casinos to shutdown. But online gambling addiction may be rising as well.
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Mental health conditions continue to skyrocket during the pandemic, leaving many feeling hopeless. But a Lehigh Valley psychiatrist says there are ways to combat the mental health crisis.
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The Lehigh Valley Zoo is hosting an anti-valentines fundraiser that might help you get some closure.
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U.S. Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA) has brought forward two bills that would provide training to help police officers in dealing with individuals with mental illness as well as enacting a program to help reduce calls to 911 in non-emergency situations.
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The United Way of the Great Lehigh Valley offering workshops for educators to deal with the stresses of remote learning
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This weekend, a community group in Allentown is hosting a special relief drive for residents in need. The event offers residents home-cooked meals, clothes, toiletries and more.
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Every year, 2,000 Pennsylvanians die by suicide. That’s according to the nonprofit Prevent Suicide PA. In Northampton County, training sessions are helping community members learn how to save lives through what’s called the QPR model.
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For 34 years, Russell Valentini, the man Allentown knows as Rooster, has been the one person families could turn to. When landlords locked them out, when shelters were full and when there was no cash left to pay for dinner.
