Mental Heath

A shortage of psychiatrists is forcing teens in crisis into crowded emergency rooms and inpatient centers as anxiety and depression surge; "the constant answer was wait, wait and wait."

When parents cannot find treatment for their children, or cannot afford the available treatment, their last resort may be refusing to pick up their children from a hospital. This sparks a call to social services — which sometimes is the only way to get the needed care.

For the past two months, WFAE has been exploring the crisis brewing in North Carolina’s mental health system. That includes a shortage of state hospital beds.

It’s not always easy to ask for help — especially when it comes to mental health. Finding the right counselor, getting an appointment, paying for care and added stigma can be overwhelming. And for people with jobs like firefighters, EMTs or police officers, that stigma can be debilitating.

Mike Collins and our panel of guests take a look at the fractured state of mental health care in North Carolina, its impact and how we got here. Get a preview of "Fractured," the new WFAE/PBS "Frontline" series.

Mental health advocates hope the new hotline will make it easier to get support if you're in crisis or helping someone who is. Here's how it works and what could stand in its way.

Beginning Saturday, people in mental health crises can dial 988 to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The hope is this new number will be easier to remember and provide faster access to trained crisis counselors.

Private equity firms have been buying up and building out autism therapy clinics. Why?

The coronavirus has affected people in many ways this past year and according to reports, there has been an increase of people suffering from mental health issues. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 41% of people nationwide have experienced depression and anxiety this year — compared to only 11% a year ago. We talked to a few people in Charlotte to hear how they are doing and coping.

Patrick Skluzacek suffered from PTSD-related nightmares, which were ruining his life. His son, Tyler, created a smartwatch application to disrupt them. The app recently won FDA approval.