Mental Health News

WLVR's Megan Frank talks with journalists Brittany Sweeney and Jay Bradley.

The Allentown Police Department and public officials are again looking at launching a pilot program to change the city’s response to mental health emergencies.

Lehigh Valley Health Network and Lehigh County Drug & Alcohol are training high school and college students for medical careers. The program aims at bringing more support to the community to make it a safer place to live.

An art show centered around mental health and disabilities is opening in an unlikely place. Midnight Gallery is in the showroom of Vollux Autowerks, a car repair and diagnostics shop in Lehigh County.

Students, who college officials said are a demographic experiencing an "epidemic" of mental health issues, say they're excited for the new space and see its potential.

A group of firefighters dressed as superheroes to brighten the day of pediatric patients at St. Luke's University Health Network. The group is called Humble Heroes of the Fire Department of the City of New York.

Allentown School District is giving its high school students access to ‘Counslr,’ an app that provides 24-hour text-based sessions with licensed counselors to schools and businesses.

Listen to the Dissonance: Songs & Conversations About Mental Health will be at 2 p.m. Feb. 4 (doors and vendors open at 1:30) in the Charles Brown Icehouse, 56 River St., Bethlehem. Offered by Your Next Favorite Band podcast, the show will offer interviews and solo performances by five regional performers, then a songwriter roundtable with all the participating artists.

Getting physical and mental health in check is a popular new year resolution. Lehigh Valley health leaders are explaining how they plan to accomplish their goals for 2024.

Lawmakers in Harrisburg passed nearly three dozen laws last week in a final burst of action as they held their last voting session of the year.

The Bethlehem Area School District has added a new position to address the social and emotional needs of students and staff. The move comes as schools bring kids back to full-time in-person learning this fall.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The Lehigh Valley Zoo is hosting an anti-valentines fundraiser that might help you get some closure.

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.

The United Way of the Great Lehigh Valley offering workshops for educators to deal with the stresses of remote learning

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.

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.