By Rachel Besharat Mann, Wesleyan University and Gravity Goldberg, Wesleyan University

The U.S. educational landscape has been drastically transformed since the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered school campuses five years ago.

Access to high-quality teachers and curriculum developed by teachers is shrinking, for example. Likewise, there has been a loss of emotional support for students and a decline in the school use of technology and social media.

As education scholars focused on literacy practices in schools, here are five ways we believe the COVID-19 pandemic – and the rapid shift to remote learning and back – has transformed education:

1. Teachers are leaving, and those staying are stressed

At the start of the 2024-2025 school year, 82% of U.S. public schools had teaching vacancies.

Schools have tried to adapt by expanding class sizes and hiring substitute teachers. They have also increased use of video conferencing to Zoom teachers into classrooms.

Teacher retention has been a problem for at least a decade. But after the pandemic, there was an increase in the number of teachers who considered leaving the profession earlier than expected.

When teachers leave, often in the middle of the school year, it can require their colleagues to step in and cover extra classes. This means teachers who stay are overworked and possibly not teaching in their area of certification.

This, in turn, leads to burnout. It also increases the likelihood that students will not have highly qualified teachers in some hard-to-fill positions like physical science and English.

2. Increase in scripted curriculum

As of fall 2024, 40 states and Washington had passed science of reading laws, which mandate evidence-based reading instruction rooted in phonics and other foundational skills.

While the laws don’t necessarily lead to scripted curriculum, most states have chosen to mandate reading programs that require teachers to adhere to strict pacing. They also instruct teachers not to deviate from the teachers’ manual.

Many of these reading programs came under scrutiny by curricular evaluators from New York University in 2022. They found the most common elementary reading programs were culturally destructive or culturally insufficient – meaning they reinforce stereotypes and portray people of color in inferior and destructive ways that reinforce stereotypes.

This leaves teachers to try to navigate the mandated curriculum alongside the needs of their students, many of whom are culturally and linguistically diverse. They either have to ignore the mandated script or ignore their students. Neither method allows teachers to be effective.

When teachers are positioned as implementers of curriculum instead of professionals who can be trusted to make decisions, it can lead to student disengagement and a lack of student responsiveness.

This form of de-professionalization is a leading cause of teacher shortages. Teachers are most effective, research shows, when they feel a sense of agency, something that is undermined by scripted teaching.

3. Improvements in teen mental health, but there’s more to do

Many of the narratives surrounding adolescent mental health, particularly since the pandemic, paint a doomscape of mindless social media use and isolation.

However, data published in 2024 shows improvements in teen reports of persistent sadness and hopelessness. Though the trend is promising in terms of mental health, in-school incidences of violence and bullying rose in 2021-22, and many teens report feeling unsafe at school.

Other reports have shown an increase in feelings of loneliness and isolation among teens since the pandemic.

4. Crackdown on students’ technology use in schools

COVID-19 prompted schools to make an abrupt switch to educational technology, and many schools have kept many of these policies in place.

For example, Google Classroom and other learning management systems are commonly used in many schools, particularly in middle school and high school.

These platforms can help parents engage with their children’s coursework. That facilitates conversations and parental awareness.

But this reliance on screens has also come under fire for privacy issues – the sharing of personal information and sensitive photos – and increasing screen time.

And with academia’s use of technology on the rise, cellphone usage has also increased among U.S. teens, garnering support for school cellphone bans.

But banning these devices in schools may not help teens, as smartphone use is nearly universal in the U.S. Teens need support from educators to support them as they learn to navigate the complex digital world safely, efficiently and with balance.

In light of data surrounding adolescent mental health and online isolation – and the potential for connection through digital spaces – it’s also important that teens are aware of positive support networks that are available online.

Though these spaces can provide social supports, it is important for teens to understand the strengths and limitations of technology and receive authentic guidance from adults that a technology ban may prohibit.

5. Students and adults need social emotional support

Students returned to in-person schooling with a mix of skill levels and with a variety of social and emotional needs.

Social and emotional learning includes self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relational skills and decision-making.

These skills are vital for academic success and social relationships.

Teachers reported higher student needs for social and emotional learning after they returned to in-person instruction.

While some of this social and emotional teaching came under fire from lawmakers and parents, this was due to confusion about what it actually entailed. These skills do not constitute a set of values or beliefs that parents may not agree with. Rather, they allow students to self-regulate and navigate social situations by explicitly teaching students about feelings and behaviors.

One area where students may need support is with cognitive flexibility, or the ability to adapt to current situations and keep an open mind. Classroom instruction that engages students in varied tasks and authentic teaching strategies rooted in real-life scenarios can strengthen this ability in students.

Besides allowing students to be engaged members of a school community, cognitive flexibility is important because it supports the skill development that is part of many state English language arts and social studies standards.

Social and emotional learning and cognitive flexibility are key components that allow students to learn.

Due to vague or confusing state policies, many schools have stopped teaching social and emotional learning skills, or minimized their use.

This, coupled with teacher stress and burnout, means that both adults and children in schools are often not getting their social and emotional needs met.

Message of mistrust

While we described five shifts since the start of the pandemic, the overall trend in K-12 schools is one of mistrust.

We feel that the message – from districts, state legislators and parents – is that teachers cannot be trusted to make choices.

This represents a massive shift. During the initial phase of the COVID-19 lockdown, teachers were revered and thanked for their service.

We believe in teacher autonomy and professionalism, and we hope this list can help Americans reflect on the direction of the past five years. If society wants a different outcome in the next five years, it starts with trust.

This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Rachel Besharat Mann, Wesleyan University and Gravity Goldberg, Wesleyan University

Read more:

• America is becoming a nation of homebodies
• Long COVID puzzle pieces are falling into place – the picture is unsettling
• Anti-LGBTQ+ policies harm the health of not only LGBTQ+ people, but all Americans

The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Feature Image: Students sit in pop-up tents during wind ensemble class at Wenatchee High School on Feb. 26, 2021 in Wenatchee, Wash.. David Ryder/Getty Images

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Alvin F. Poussaint, a psychiatrist who provided medical care to Civil Rights activists in 1960s Mississippi and later became a national authority on the effects of racism on Black mental health, died last week at his home in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. He was 90. His wife, Dr. Tina Young Poussaint, confirmed his death.

Born May 15, 1934, in East Harlem, New York City, Poussaint graduated from Stuyvesant High School before earning a bachelor’s degree from Columbia College in 1956 and a medical degree from Cornell University in 1960. He completed his residency at the University of California, Los Angeles Neuropsychiatric Institute, where he was chief resident from 1964 to 1965.

Driven by the fight for racial equality, Poussaint served as the southern field director for the Medical Committee for Human Rights from 1965 to 1967, providing care to Civil Rights workers in Mississippi and working to desegregate hospitals throughout the South. He later joined the faculty at Tufts University Medical School, where he directed a psychiatric program in a low-income housing development. In 1969, Poussaint began teaching at Harvard Medical School, ultimately serving as a professor of psychiatry and the faculty associate dean for student affairs.

Poussaint’s research spanned topics such as grief, parenting, violence, and the experiences of children from interracial families. His 1972 book, Why Blacks Kill Blacks, examined how systemic racism affects Black psychological development. He also co-authored Raising Black Children and Lay My Burden Down: Suicide and the Mental Health Crisis Among African Americans, highlighting issues often overlooked in mainstream mental health discussions.

Beyond academia, Poussaint became a prominent cultural advisor. From 1984 to 1993, he worked as a consultant for The Cosby Show and its spinoff, A Different World. His role was to ensure that the programs portrayed Black families in a positive and realistic light, free from harmful stereotypes. While often cited as the inspiration for the character of Dr. Cliff Huxtable, Poussaint denied the claim but acknowledged his influence on the show’s direction. “I don’t rewrite,” he told The Philadelphia Daily News in 1985. “But I indicate what makes sense, what’s off, what’s too inconsistent with reality.”

His collaboration with Bill Cosby extended to co-writing the 2007 book, “Come On, People: On the Path from Victims to Victors” and contributing the introduction and afterword to Cosby’s best-selling book “Fatherhood.” Although Poussaint worked closely with Cosby on various projects, there is no evidence he was aware of the allegations that later emerged against the entertainer.

A firm believer in addressing racism’s profound psychological impact, Poussaint was known for challenging conventional views. In a 1999 opinion piece, he wrote, “It’s time for the American Psychiatric Association to designate extreme racism as a mental health problem. Otherwise, racists will continue to fall through the cracks of the mental health system, and we can expect more of them to act out their deadly delusions.”

Poussaint’s influence extended into politics, serving as Massachusetts co-chairman for Reverend Jesse Jackson’s 1984 presidential campaign. Over his career, he received numerous awards and honorary degrees, including a New England Emmy for Outstanding Children’s Special in 1997 for his work on Willoughby’s Wonders. He was a member of several organizations, including the American Psychiatric Association, the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, and Sigma Pi Phi fraternity.

Poussaint is survived by his wife, Dr. Tina Young Poussaint, and their children.

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By Kim Sheffield-Chang

As winter’s last shadows recede and the first hints of spring emerge, a time-honored tradition begins to take shape across American homes: spring cleaning. While it may involve scrubbing corners, organizing closets, and clearing the accumulation of winter’s dust and clutter from your home, Blueprint, a therapist-enablement technology platform, explains how research has revealed that your physical environment is deeply connected to your mental state, and that this annual ritual is doing more than just making your home sparkle. What if spring cleaning is actually a powerful tool for emotional renewal, psychological reset, and creating space for personal growth? 

The psychology of decluttering

A clean space isn’t just about aesthetics—it’s about creating mental clarity. Modern psychological research reveals a connection between our physical environment and mental well-being. A comprehensive study by the National Stress Institute found that 87% of Americans experience reduced stress levels in organized living spaces.

This isn’t mere coincidence—it’s a deeply ingrained psychological response. To better understand the underlying science, Vivian Chung Easton, a mental health clinician at Blueprint, explains that cleaning triggers a cascade of positive neurochemical reactions. The phenomenon behind this is fascinating. Dopamine—the brain’s feel-good neurotransmitter—increases by 47% during and after cleaning activities. It’s like a natural mood boost, triggered by the simple act of putting things in order. Additionally, levels of cortisol, a hormone associated with stress, are reduced during and after cleaning, and organized spaces are found to correlate with a 55% reduction in anxiety symptoms. The science is clear: Tidying up can physically make you feel better. 

Letting go: more than just cleaning

Research demonstrates that decluttering is more than a physical act—it’s a form of emotional processing. By methodically evaluating and releasing physical items, individuals engage in a form of psychological catharsis. For instance, you tend to keep things that have sentimental value. So while that item may not have a role in your life anymore, it evokes an emotion that you want to remember, so you treasure those items. Let’s talk about what that means. Think about that shoebox full of old mementos or a sweatshirt from a relationship long ended. Keeping it might mean holding onto past pain. Letting it go could symbolize your readiness to move forward. Every item you own carries a story, an emotional weight. That stack of unread books, the kitchen gadget purchased during an optimistic New Year’s resolution, baby clothes—each represents more than its physical form. They are repositories of memories, expectations, and sometimes, unresolved emotions. 

But this doesn’t mean you should just toss things out. It’s not about erasing memories, but about choosing which ones continue to shape your present. When you systematically declutter, you’re doing more than organizing: You’re processing memories, releasing attachments, and creating psychological and emotional space for growth. The results of groundbreaking longitudinal research by Christina Leclerc and Elizabeth Kensinger offers a strategic approach. Their studies show a 76% success rate in emotional processing through systematic item evaluation, with participants reporting increased psychological flexibility.

The key is intentionality—asking yourself not just “do I need this?” but “what emotional weight does this carry?”

The effects of considering each item goes beyond emotional processing: 62% of individuals reported significant emotional relief after deliberately discarding items with complex emotional associations. In short, this isn’t about ruthless elimination but about mindful selection. Choosing which memories and attachments continue to serve your present self can better make space for future growth.

Practical strategies for emotional (and actual) decluttering

Transforming spring cleaning from a mundane chore into a meaningful psychological intervention requires intentionality. Below, Easton shares some evidence-based strategies.  

• Systematic evaluation: When looking for a place to start decluttering, it can feel overwhelming to look at a pile of your things and instantly know what stays and what goes. It’s helpful to break down the task of decluttering into smaller, more manageable components – the first of which is establishing categories to place your items. Create these categories—keep, maybe, donate, discard—with emotional awareness so you can begin sorting through your things. Beyond categories, you don’t have to evaluate all your items at once, you can take things step-by-step and perhaps take on a closet one day, and a junk drawer the next. 
• Asking yourself the right questions: Approach each item as a conscious choice. Ask yourself “does this support my current and future self?” rather than “do I need this?” If you can easily think of the ways that an item supports you, then it’s a keep. However, if you’re struggling with that, it can go in the “maybe” category, which you can revisit with the same questions later. When evaluating things for donation, ask yourself whether the item may bring greater value to someone else’s life than your own. When donating, you’re giving the item another chance at helping those around us. 
• Mindful processing: Allow yourself to feel the emotions that surface. Acknowledge memories without becoming trapped by them. Recognize that letting go isn’t erasure but evolution. If you truly want to declutter, one thing you can do is keep the items that you consider sentimental, and revisit them in a few months to see if they still hold that value. Chances are that the things that had sentimental value at the time will have faded. However, the items that have true, deep meaning will continue to have value, and you should continue to keep them. 
• Create a ritual for closure: As you sort and evaluate your items, there may be some things that you want to let go of, but are unsure how. It can be helpful to take a moment to appreciate and mourn the loss of an item. For example, you can spend some time recalling the fond memories you associate with the item, and maybe take a picture of it with your new memories. Closure can be an important part of letting things go, so take your time. 

Beyond clean: long-term mental health benefits 

As we inch toward spring, it can be helpful to see your cleaning as more than a seasonal chore. It can be an opportunity for emotional maintenance, a chance to create external order that reflects—and can help create—internal peace.The most encouraging finding? The emotional benefits of a regular ritual of cleaning and organizing aren’t fleeting. Longitudinal studies tracking participants six months post-decluttering revealed sustained psychological improvements for 53% of individuals. What’s more, orderly environments correlated with a 39% increase in overall life satisfaction.

Spring cleaning isn’t just about tidiness: It’s real, lasting change sparked by something as simple as reorganizing your space. It’s an opportunity for emotional maintenance, a ritualistic process of letting go and making space to support your internal growth, resilience, and emotional well-being. 

So as you’re sorting through any clutter this spring, take time to consider each item you touch. Honor the memories, but also recognize your capacity for change. Your physical space is a reflection of your inner world—and by consciously curating that space, you’re actively participating in your own psychological renewal. The boxes are waiting. The memories are ready to be processed. Your emotional reset button is within reach.

This story was produced by Blueprint and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.

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By Rachel Noerdlinger, RNoerdlinger@actumllc.com

New York, NY – National CARES Mentoring Movement, founded as Essence CARES by its CEO, Susan L. Taylor, best-selling author, renowned journalist and Essence Magazine’s Editor-in-Chief Emerita, will hold its milestone 10th Anniversary For The Love of Our Children Galaat the historic Edison Ballroom in the heart of New York City’s vibrant theater district. Emmy Award-winning and multi-hyphenate entertainer Sherri Shepherd, returns to host the elegant evening of deep intention–to demonstrate that transformation is possible, and we have all we need to secure our precious young.

“As we gather for our 10th Gala, we stand in both deep gratitude–and an even deeper commitment,” shared Susan L. Taylor. “We could not have grown our work and programming without the generosity of those who support us. But with depression and Black child suicide at epidemic levels, our work must not only be sustained, but grown. Our children have to know that we love them and that we are unwilling to lose them.”

The Gala’s esteemed North Star Award will be presented to award-winning actress, producer, and mental health advocate Taraji P. Henson; mentor and philanthropist Tina Knowles; social justice hero, member of NYC’s Council District 9 and the celebrated Exonerated Five, Dr. Yusef Salaam; and renowned author, attorney, spiritual teacher and television personality, Dr. Iyanla Vanzant. With special performances by America’s Got Talent star, JourneyyandHip-Hop legend Doug E. Fresh, the Gala promises to be an unforgettable night!

Funds raised will help support and help grow National CARES’ trauma-healing programming at an extraordinarily urgent moment. Its evidence-and-curriculum-based initiatives have been found by independent evaluators to be exceptionally effective tools in countering the life-shredding harms of poverty, violence and social isolation that have contributed to the breathstealing 144 percent rise in Black child suicide—the highest amongst all children, some of whom are thankfully seeing a drop in the tragedy.

Stunningly, there is no national response to this heart-shattering experience-–which is one we know we can solve.Most suicides are driven by depression, which is one of the most treatable and manageable mental health illnesses. The driving mission of National CARES has always been to ensure that every child has the opportunities and skills they need to not simply live but thrive. The March 6th Gala is immensely proud to pay tribute to this year’s honorees, presenting each with the North Star Award for their healing work—seen and unseen. In different forums and cities and space, each one has been holding open their arms and hearts for our young ones, and then walking the walk…for the love of our children.

Since its founding nearly 20 years ago, National CARES has recruited, trained and placed some 250,000 mentors in its own programs in schools, communities and detention centers across America, and  supported its partners like Big Brothers, Big Sisters and Boys and Girls Clubs of America who are in need of African American mentors. Working in collaboration has allowed the organization to serve more than 300,000 youngsters.

For the Love of Our Children Gala was first presented in January of 2016. Some of the luminaries who have participated in our annual For the Love of Our Children Gala or invested in our work include President Barack Obama • First Lady Michelle Obama • Oprah Winfrey • Alicia Keys • Maxwell, • Jon Baptiste • Common  • LaTanya Richardson Jackson & Sam Jackson • Lee Daniels • Tamron Hall • and Robert F. Smith. It’s cherished late, great friends include Harry Belafonte. Dr. Maya Angelou and Cicely Tyson. 

For more information about the National CARES Mentoring Movement and Gala Tickets or Sponsorships can be found at www.caresmentoring.org.

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By Joseph Cimpian, New York University and Mollie McQuillan, University of Wisconsin-Madison

The alarming national rise in suicidal thoughts and behaviors among teenage girls has made headlines recently. Experts point to social media, cyberbullying and COVID-19 as potential new sources of stress for teenagers.

However, a well-known source of stress that now affects more teenagers compared with a decade ago has been overlooked in explanations for this increase – stress related to sexual identity.

As scholars focused on education policy, we conducted research showing that the increase in suicidal thoughts and behaviors corresponds with a dramatic rise in the number of female high school students who identify as LGBQ – lesbian, gay, bisexual or questioning.

A double bind for LGBQ teens

While some LGBQ youth are growing up in supportive environments, our findings suggest that an increasing number may be experiencing a double bind – a communication dilemma in which a person receives two or more mutually conflicting messages.

Many LGBQ youth may believe it’s safe to “come out” due to greater access to information and the increased visibility of LGBQ people in U.S. society. But coming out earlier in life could expose them to discrimination and social stress in their schools, families and communities.

This stress related to sexual orientation can contribute to a greater prevalence of mental health concerns, including suicide.

We analyzed national data from over 44,000 U.S. high school students who took the Youth Risk Behavior Survey in 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2021. We did this to understand these parallel national trends of rising suicide risk and rising LGBQ identification among teens.

Between 2015 and 2021, the percentage of high school girls identifying as LGBQ jumped from 15% to 34%. During this same period, all females who reported they thought about suicide increased from 23% to 29%. Creating a plan to commit suicide rose from 19% to 23%.

But looking at the data more closely reveals something crucial: Girls who identified as LGBQ consistently reported much higher rates of thinking about, planning and attempting suicide.

In 2021, about 48% of LGBQ females considered suicide, compared with roughly 20% of heterosexual females. When we accounted for this difference statistically, we found the overall rise in female suicidal thoughts and behaviors were explained by more students identifying as LGBQ.

Meanwhile, the percentage of male students identifying as LGBQ increased only slightly, from 6% in 2015 to 9% in 2021, with similar smaller changes in suicidal thoughts and behaviors.

Why more students may be identifying as LGBQ

The increase in LGBQ identification among more female students in the past decade likely indicates greater access to information and social acceptance. It may also reflect the greater visibility of LGBQ people, including in popular media and leadership roles, which may help young people better understand and label their own identity.

Today’s teenagers, regardless of sexual orientation, have more language and representation to help them make sense of their experiences than previous generations did. Some teens have supportive parents and attend schools that are supportive of their sexual orientation.

However, identifying as LGBQ may still come with significant challenges for many youth.

Research has consistently shown that LGBQ youth face unique stressors. They include discrimination, rejection by family members and friends and bullying and harassment.

Studies incorporating several generations of LGBQ people over the past 50 years find that, despite more societal acceptance, LGBTQ+ people born in the 1990s reported stressors at least as high as older generations born in the 1950s-80s. And younger generations reported the highest rate of suicide attempts.

Our findings highlight a critical point. The rising rates of suicidal thoughts and behaviors among all teenage girls cannot be understood in isolation from their social context and identities. While more young people feel able to openly identify as LGBQ, many still face substantial challenges that can affect their mental health.

We believe this understanding has important implications for how we address the crisis. Simply implementing general suicide prevention programs may not be enough. Experts may need to craft targeted support that addresses the specific challenges and pressures faced by LGBQ youth.

The need for supportive school environments

Schools play a crucial role in supporting student well-being.

However, states such as Indiana, Florida and Iowa have recently restricted resources and support for LGBQ and trans students.

Since 2021, legislators in at least 24 states have attempted to pass similar laws.

Other states, such as Montana, Tennessee and Arizona, don’t outright ban this curriculum. But they severely restrict how educators can discuss sexual orientation and gender identity by adding additional burdens on educators, including parental notification requirements.

The Trump Administration, meanwhile, has started to roll back earlier federal efforts to protect LGBQ and trans students and recently deleted the Youth Risk Behavior Survey data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website.

Our research suggests this approach could be dangerous.

If we want to address rising suicidal thoughts and behaviors among teenage girls, we need to understand and support LGBQ youth better.

Rather than reducing support, schools, parents and youth advocates could maintain and expand their resources to support LGBQ youth. This includes efforts to create safe and affirming school environments, and training staff and teachers to support LGBQ students effectively.

This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Joseph Cimpian, New York University and Mollie McQuillan, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Read more:

• Russia’s shrinking world: The war in Ukraine and Moscow’s global reach
• How to help teen girls’ mental health struggles – 6 research-based strategies for parents, teachers and friends
• Surgeon general’s call for warning labels on social media underscores concerns for teen mental health

Joseph Cimpian receives funding from the Institute of Education Sciences, the National Science Foundation, and the Spencer Foundation.

Dr. McQuillan has been hired by the ACLU to provide expert testimony in court cases. Dr. McQuillan has also received funding from the Spencer Foundation, Institute of Education Sciences, and the Wisconsin Partnership Project.

Feature Image: In 2021, about 48% of LGBQ females considered suicide, compared with roughly 20% of heterosexual females, data shows. bymuratdeniz/iStock/Getty Images Plus

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By Philip Kim, Marketing & Communications Manager  

Columbus, OH – The Ohio State Bar Foundation (OSBF) is proud to announce funding for its Fall 2024 Grants Cycle, awarding $549,118 to 12 nonprofit organizations dedicated to improving access to justice, enhancing civic engagement, and addressing key legal issues in communities across Ohio. 

“The grants in this round of funding reflect the Foundation’s commitment to ensuring justice in every corner of our state,” said Sarah Skow, OSBF Board President. “We are proud to support these impactful projects through our grant funding. By investing in these organizations, these awards strengthen the legal system and the individuals it serves.”

Central Region 

Central Ohio Workers Center, $19,550  

• Project Title: Summits for Racial Justice 
• Description: Targeted events addressing racial and systemic discrimination against BIPOC workers in the workplace. 
• Counties Served: Franklin, Fairfield, Hocking 

The Ohio State University Foundation, $63,832 

• Project Title: JusticeTech Program Research Initiative: Leveraging Data and Community Insights to Transform Eviction Processes 
• Description: Enhancing eviction prevention tools through law students’ hands-on learning and real-world data integration. Focuses on improving accessibility and effectiveness for the public.
• Counties Served: Franklin 

Northeast Region 

Catholic Charities Corporation, $35,000 

• Project Title: Legal Assistance for Unaccompanied Minor Children 
• Description: Protecting children’s rights by providing legal representation in immigration proceedings to help navigate the complex immigration process. 
• Counties Served: Cuyahoga, Lake, Mahoning 

Portage County Juvenile Court, $24,000

• Project Title: Pre-Adjudicatory Child Protection Mediation 
• Description: Implementing a mediation program to improve outcomes for families and reduce time to permanency for children in abuse, neglect, and dependency cases. 
• Counties Served: Portage 

Northwest Region 

Crime Victim Services, $15,000 

• Project Title: Victim Offender Dialogue 
• Description: Revitalizing a dialogue program aiming for healing, accountability, restitution, and justice system improvement.
• Counties Served: Allen, Putnam 

Central & Northeast Regions 

Frederick Douglass Project for Justice, $50,000 

• Project Title: Ohio Prison Visitation Program 
• Description: Strengthening the Prison Visitation Program in Pickaway Correctional Institution and the Northeast Reintegration Center while expanding to other facilities in Ohio. Facilitates open dialogues to humanize incarcerated participants and support successful reentry into society. 
• Counties Served: Pickaway, Cuyahoga

Statewide Initiatives

Health Policy Institute of Ohio. $35,000 

• Project Title: Exploring the Mental Health & Well-Being of System-Involved Children & Youth 
• Description: Developing a policy brief focused on the mental health and well-being of children involved in the juvenile justice system and other systems. Highlights treatment access challenges and potential policy changes. 

Law & Leadership Institute, $160,000 

• Project Title: Diversity in Leadership Fellowship
• Description: Empowering law students and pre-law students to explore diversity in the legal profession while mentoring high school students from underserved areas. 

Mid-Ohio Psychological Services, $35,000 

• Project Title: MOPS Ethics, Legal & Diversity Training Expansion 
• Description: Expanding a training program for Ohio mental health professionals with a focus on system-based advocacy. Provides continuing education hours for legal system collaboration. 

Ohio Legal Help, $25,000 

• Project Title: Driving Justice: A Digital Guided Interview for Restoring Drivers’ Licenses in Ohio 
• Description: Providing Ohioans with suspended driver’s licenses action plans to navigate reinstatement processes, including fee reduction eligibility screening. 

Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA), $20,625 

• Project Title: Racial Equity 101 Facilitator Training 
• Description: Developing a “Train-the-Facilitator” program to help organizations deliver racial justice education. Focuses on systemic racism in housing, policing, and the legal system. 

Ohio Victim Witness Association (OVWA), $66,111 

• Project Title: Enhancing Access to Justice for Ohio’s Homicide Co-Victims 
• Description: Educating courts, prosecutors, victim advocates, and support groups on legal rights and resources for co-victims of homicide. 

If you’d like to learn more about any of the grantees, connect with one of the organizations directly, or know more about the OSBF’s grantmaking process, contact OSBF’s Grants Manager Michelle Hendricks at MHendricks@OSBF.org. The deadline for the 2025 Spring Grants Cycle is February 15, 2025. Click here for more information or to apply.

About the Ohio State Bar Foundation:   

The Ohio State Bar Foundation (OSBF) is a 501(c)(3) grantmaking organization and the largest bar foundation in the U.S. Through our grants and programs, the OSBF promotes philanthropy and encourages service to create a more just and equitable legal system for all Ohioans. Since 1992, the Ohio State Bar Foundation has awarded over $17 million in grants statewide. The OSBF also hosts an annual statewide awards program to recognize attorneys who give back to their communities through service, as well as a Fellows program, featuring a group of attorneys who give their time, talent, and treasure to advance the OSBF’s mission.  

For more information about the Ohio State Bar Foundation, please visit www.OSBF.org.

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By Yalda T. Uhls, University of California, Los Angeles

After many years of partisan politics, increasingly divisive language, finger-pointing and inflammatory speech have contributed to an environment of fear and uncertainty, affecting not just political dynamics but also the priorities and perceptions of young people.

As a developmental psychologist who studies the intersection of media and adolescent mental health, and as a mother of two Gen Z kids, I have seen firsthand how external societal factors can profoundly shape young people’s emotional well-being.

This was brought into sharp relief through the results of a recent survey my colleagues and I conducted with 1,644 young people across the U.S., ages 10 to 24. The study was not designed as a political poll but rather as a window into what truly matters to adolescents. We asked participants to rate the importance of 14 personal goals. These included classic teenage desires such as “being popular,” “having fun” and “being kind.”

None of these ranked as the top priority. Instead, the No. 1 answer was “to be safe.”

What was once taken for granted

The findings are both illuminating and heartbreaking. As a teenager, I did countless unsafe things. My peers and I didn’t dwell on harm; we chased fun and freedom.

Whereas previous generations may have taken safety for granted, today’s youth are growing up in an era of compounded crises — school shootings, a worsening climate crisis, financial uncertainty and the lingering trauma of a global pandemic. Even though our research did not pinpoint the specific causes of adolescent fears, the constant exposure to crises, amplified by social media, likely plays a significant role in fostering a pervasive sense of worry.

Despite data showing that many aspects of life are safer now than in previous generations, young people just don’t feel it. Their perception of danger is further shaped by events like the recent fires that devastated Los Angeles, reinforcing a belief that danger, possibly caused by global crises like climate change, lurks everywhere.

This shift in perspective has profound implications for the future of this generation and those to come.

Especially vulnerable time

Adolescence, like early childhood, is a pivotal period for brain development. Young people are particularly sensitive to their surroundings as their brains evaluate the environment to prepare them for independence.

This developmental stage – when the capacity to regulate emotions and critically assess information is still maturing – makes them especially vulnerable to enduring impacts.

Studies show that adolescents are more likely to overestimate risks and struggle to put threats in context. This makes them particularly vulnerable to fear-driven messaging prevalent in both traditional and social media, which is further amplified by political rhetoric and blame-shifting. This vulnerability has implications for their mental health, as prolonged exposure to fear and uncertainty has been linked to increased rates of anxiety, depression and even physical health issues.

So when the media that Gen Z consumes are dominated by fear – be it through headlines, social media posts, political rhetoric or even storylines in movies and TV – it could shape their worldview in ways that may reverberate for generations to come.

Enduring generational impact

Historical events have long been shown to shape the worldview of entire generations.

For instance, the Great Depression primarily impacted the daily lives of the Silent Generation, those born between 1928 and 1945. Moreover, its long-term effects on financial attitudes and security concerns echoed into the Baby Boomer generation, influencing how those born between 1946 and 1964 approached money, stability and risk throughout their lives.

Similarly, today’s adolescents, growing up amid a series of compounded global crises, will likely carry the imprint of this period of heightened fear and uncertainty well into adulthood. This formative experience could shape their mental health, decision-making and even their collective identity and values for decades to come.

In addition, feelings of insecurity and instability can make people more responsive to fear-based messaging, which could potentially influence their political and social choices. In an era marked by the rise of authoritarian governments, this susceptibility could have far-reaching implications because fear often drives individuals to prioritize immediate safety over moral or ideological ideals.

As such, these dynamics may profoundly shape how this generation engages with the world, the causes they champion and the leaders they choose to follow.

Room for optimism?

Interestingly, “being kind” was rated No. 2 in our survey, irrespective of other demographics. While safety dominates their priorities, adolescents still value qualities that foster connection and community.

This finding indicates a duality in their aspirations: While they feel a pervasive sense of danger, they also recognize the importance of interpersonal relationships and emotional well-being.

Our findings are a call to look at the broader societal context shaping adolescent development. For instance, the rise in school-based safety drills, while intended to provide a sense of preparedness, may unintentionally reinforce feelings of insecurity. Similarly, the apocalyptic narrative around climate change may create a sense of powerlessness that could further compound their fears and leave them wanting to bury their heads in the sand.

Understanding how these perceptions are formed and their implications for mental health, decision-making and behavior is essential for parents, storytellers, policymakers and researchers.

I believe we must also consider how societal systems contribute to the pervasive sense of uncertainty and fear among youth. Further research can help untangle the complex relationship between external stressors, media consumption and youth well-being, shedding light on how to best support adolescents during this formative stage of life.

This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Yalda T. Uhls, University of California, Los Angeles

Read more:

• Norman Lear’s ’70s TV comedies brought people together to confront issues in a way Gen Z would appreciate
• Gen Zers and millennials are still big fans of books – even if they don’t call themselves ‘readers’
• Gen Z heads home: How to navigate the evolving parent-child relationship as kids become adults

Yalda T. Uhls does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Feature Image: Asked to rate the importance of 14 personal goals, Gen Z reported ‘to be safe’ as the top goal. Darya Komarova/Getty Images

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By Josh Chapin, Miami University

Oxford, OH—Anedra Million ’97, ’01 M.Ed., the 2024 Mrs. Ohio, will serve as ambassador for Ohio’s School-Based Center of Excellence for Prevention and Early Intervention.

Anedra Million ’97, ’01 M.Ed. is committed to amplifying student voices, whether that is through social emotional learning, mental health initiatives, or drug and alcohol abuse and prevention programs.

Million, a teacher at Highview Sixth Grade Center in Middletown, uses her platform as Mrs. Ohio to share those principles. Soon, she’ll be using another platform — as the ambassador for Ohio’s School-Based Center of Excellence for Prevention and Early Intervention.

The partnership is a natural one, said Cricket Meehan, executive director of the center, which is based in Miami University’s Department of Psychology.

“Dr. Million’s enthusiasm for this very important work is inspiring,” Meehan said. “It aligns with our vision and mission perfectly.”

Staff, faculty, graduate and undergraduate students, and community partners at the School-Based Center of Excellence for Prevention and Early Intervention work to build confidence, competency, and innovation in school-based prevention and early intervention.

One priority for the center is to build collaborative relationships with schools and community agencies in an effort to address the mental health and school success of children and adolescents through promoting expanded mental health programs and services.

Million received both bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Miami before completing her Ph.D. In 2024, she was crowned Mrs. Ohio and later earned runner-up status at the Mrs. America competition in August.

The performance was historic. Million was the first Mrs. Ohio to finish in the top two at Mrs. America in nearly 30 years. Should the current Mrs. America win the Jan. 30 Mrs. World Pageant in Las Vegas, Million will be named the new Mrs. America.

“As a first-generation college student and the first in my family to graduate with a doctorate degree, I am grateful for the educational foundation that Miami University has gifted me,” Million said. “I have continued to take all that Miami has given me throughout my nearly three decades as an educator. I am most looking forward to amplifying the causes of mental health, social emotional learning, and student voice.”

As part of Million’s new role, she hopes to implement a statewide Mental Health Awareness Day, as well as potentially a week that is dedicated to mental health for school districts across Ohio. Another of Million’s goals is embedding more mental health and social emotional learning programs in school districts, both statewide and nationwide.

Million also plans to advocate for a Student Voice Day where students can champion causes important to them, as well as continuing to support drug and alcohol prevention programs.

“It is so important for students to understand the importance of making informed choices that will impact their today and their tomorrow,” Million said.

“I want to amplify student voices and the importance of students being at the heart of education.”

“We’ve never had an opportunity like this before to bring our message to groups of people who will be very excited about connecting with Dr. Million,” Meehan said. “There are young people who will be very inspired by her and her message and adults who we can reach in different ways. It will be very exciting to see how this grows.”

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By Ashley Bradford, Georgia Institute of Technology

In states where both medical and recreational marijuana are legal, fewer patients are filling prescriptions for medications used to treat anxiety. That is the key finding of my recent study, published in the journal JAMA Network Open.

I am an applied policy researcher who studies the economics of risky behaviors and substance use within the United States. My collaborators and I wanted to understand how medical and recreational marijuana laws and marijuana dispensary openings have affected the rate at which patients fill prescriptions for anti-anxiety medications among people who have private medical insurance.

These include:

• Benzodiazepines, which work by increasing the level of gamma-aminobutyric acid, or GABA, a neurotransmitter that elicits a calming effect by reducing activity in the nervous system. This category includes the depressants Valium, Xanax and Ativan, among others.
• Antipsychotics, a class of drug that addresses psychosis symptoms in a variety of ways.
• Antidepressants, which relieve symptoms of depression by affecting neurotransmitters such as serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine. The most well-known example of these is selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors, or SSRIs.

We also included barbiturates, which are sedatives, and sleep medications – sometimes called “Z-drugs” – both of which are used to treat insomnia. In contrast to the other three categories, we did not estimate any policy impacts for either of these types of drugs.

We find consistent evidence that increased marijuana access is associated with reductions in benzodiazepine prescription fills. “Fills” refer to the number of prescriptions being picked up by patients, rather than the number of prescriptions doctors write. This is based on calculating the rate of individual patients who filled a prescription in a state, the average days of supply per prescription fill, and average prescription fills per patient.

Notably, we found that not all state policies led to similar changes in prescription fill patterns.

Why it matters

In 2021, nearly 23% of the adult U.S. population reported having a diagnosable mental health disorder. Yet only 65.4% of those individuals reported receiving treatment within the past year. This lack of treatment can exacerbate current mental health disorders, leading to increased risk for additional chronic conditions.

Marijuana access introduces an alternative treatment to traditional prescription medication that may provide easier access for some patients. Many state medical laws allow patients with mental health disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, to use medical cannabis, while recreational laws expand access to all adults.

Our findings have important implications for insurance systems, prescribers, policymakers and patients. Benzodiazepine use, like opioid use, can be dangerous for patients, especially when the two classes of drugs are used together. Given the high level of opioid poisonings that also involve benzodiazepines – in 2020, they made up 14% of total opioid overdose deaths – our findings offer insights into potential substitution with marijuana for medications where misuse is plausible.

What still isn’t known

Our research does not clarify whether the changes in dispensing patterns led to measurable changes in patient outcomes.

There is some evidence that marijuana acts as an effective anxiety treatment. If this is the case, moving away from benzodiazepine use – which is associated with significant negative side effects – toward marijuana use may improve patient outcomes.

This finding is critical given that about 5% of the U.S. population is prescribed benzodiazepines. Substituting marijuana has the potential to result in fewer negative side effects nationwide, but it’s not yet clear if marijuana will be equally effective at treating anxiety.

Our study also found evidence of a slight – albeit somewhat less significant – increase in antipsychotic and antidepressant dispensing. But it’s not clear yet whether marijuana access, particularly recreational access, increases rates of psychotic disorders and depression.

While we found that, overall, marijuana access led to increased antidepressant and antipsychotic fills, some individual states saw decreases.

There is a lot of variation in the details of state marijuana laws, and it’s possible that some of those details are leading to these meaningful differences in outcomes. I believe this difference in outcomes from state to state is an important finding for policymakers who may want to tailor their laws toward specific goals.

The Research Brief is a short take on interesting academic work.

This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Ashley Bradford, Georgia Institute of Technology

Read more:

• Cannabis legalization has led to a boom in potent forms of the drug that present new hazards for adolescents
• Mounting research points to health harms from cannabis, THC and CBD use during pregnancy, adolescence and other periods of rapid development
• How cannabis and psilocybin might help some of the 50 million Americans who are experiencing chronic pain

Ashley Bradford has previously received funding from the NIH and the Georgia Institute of Technology for work unrelated to the current brief. 

Feature Image: New research suggests that in some states, medicinal cannabis use could be leading to a reduction in the use of anxiety medications. Olena Ruban/Moment via Getty Images

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By Michael Varnum & Ian Hohm

What comes to mind when you think about winter? Snowflakes? Mittens? Reindeer? In much of the Northern Hemisphere, winter means colder temperatures, shorter days and year-end holidays.

Along with these changes, a growing body of research in psychology and related fields suggests that winter also brings some profound changes in how people think, feel and behave.

While it’s one thing to identify seasonal tendencies in the population, it’s much trickier to try to untangle why they exist. Some of winter’s effects have been tied to cultural norms and practices, while others likely reflect our bodies’ innate biological responses to changing meteorological and ecological conditions. The natural and cultural changes that come with winter often occur simultaneously, making it challenging to tease apart the causes underlying these seasonal swings.

With our colleagues Alexandra Wormley and Mark Schaller, we recently conducted an extensive survey of these findings.

Wintertime blues and a long winter’s nap

Do you find yourself feeling down in the winter months? You’re not alone. As the days grow shorter, the American Psychiatric Association estimates that about 5% of Americans will experience a form of depression known as seasonal affective disorder, or SAD.

People experiencing SAD tend to have feelings of hopelessness, decreased motivation to take part in activities they generally enjoy, and lethargy. Even those who don’t meet the clinical threshold for this disorder may see increases in anxiety and depressive symptoms; in fact, some estimates suggest more than 40% of Americans experience these symptoms to some degree in the winter months.

Scientists link SAD and more general increases in depression in the winter to decreased exposure to sunlight, which leads to lower levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin. Consistent with the idea that sunlight plays a key role, SAD tends to be more common in more northern regions of the world, like Scandinavia and Alaska, where the days are shortest and the winters longest.

Humans, special as we may be, are not unique in showing some of these seasonally linked changes. For instance, our primate relative the Rhesus macaque shows seasonal declines in mood.

Some scientists have noted that SAD shows many parallels to hibernation – the long snooze during which brown bears, ground squirrels and many other species turn down their metabolism and skip out on the worst of winter. Seasonal affective disorder may have its roots in adaptations that conserve energy at a time of year when food was typically scarce and when lower temperatures pose greater energetic demands on the body.

Winter is well known as a time of year when many people put on a few extra pounds. Research suggests that diets are at their worst, and waistlines at their largest, during the winter. In fact, a recent review of studies on this topic found that average weight gains around the holiday season are around 1 to 3 pounds (0.5 to 1.3 kilograms), though those who are overweight or obese tend to gain more.

There’s likely more going on with year-end weight gain than just overindulgence in abundant holiday treats. In our ancestral past, in many places, winter meant that food became more scarce. Wintertime reductions in exercise and increases in how much and what people eat may have been an evolutionary adaptation to this scarcity. If the ancestors who had these reactions to colder, winter environments were at an advantage, evolutionary processes would make sure the adaptations were passed on to their descendants, coded into our genes.

Sex, generosity and focus

Beyond these winter-related shifts in mood and waistlines, the season brings with it a number of other changes in how people think and interact with others.

One less discussed seasonal effect is that people seem to get friskier in the winter months. Researchers know this from analyses of condom sales, sexually transmitted disease rates and internet searches for pornography and prostitution, all of which show biannual cycles, peaking in the late summer and then in the winter months. Data on birth rates also shows that in the United States and other countries in the Northern Hemisphere, babies are more likely to be conceived in the winter months than at other times of the year.

Although this phenomenon is widely observed, the reason for its existence is unclear. Researchers have suggested many explanations, including health advantages for infants born in late summer, when food may historically have been more plentiful, changes in sex hormones altering libido, desires for intimacy motivated by the holiday season, and simply increased opportunities to engage in sex. However, changes in sexual opportunities are likely not the whole story, given that winter brings not just increased sexual behaviors, but greater desire and interest in sex as well.

Winter boosts more than sex drive. Studies find that during this time of year, people may have an easier time paying attention at school or work. Neuroscientists in Belgium found that performance on tasks measuring sustained attention was best during the wintertime. Research suggests that seasonal changes in levels of serotonin and dopamine driven by less exposure to daylight may help explain shifts in cognitive function during winter. Again, there are parallels with other animals – for instance, African striped mice navigate mazes better during winter.

And there may also be a kernel of truth to the idea of a generous Christmas spirit. In countries where the holiday is widely celebrated, rates of charitable giving tend to show a sizable increase around this time of year. And people become more generous tippers, leaving about 4% more for waitstaff during the holiday season. This tendency is likely not due to snowy surroundings or darker days, but instead a response to the altruistic values associated with winter holidays that encourage behaviors like generosity.

People change with the seasons

Like many other animals, we too are seasonal creatures. In the winter, people eat more, move less and mate more. You may feel a bit more glum, while also being kinder to others and having an easier time paying attention. As psychologists and other scientists research these kinds of seasonal effects, it may turn out that the ones we know about so far are only the tip of the iceberg.

This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Michael Varnum, Arizona State University and Ian Hohm, University of British Columbia

Read more:

• ‘Tis the season for conception
• Nearly 20% of the cultural differences between societies boil down to ecological factors – new research
• Shorter days affect the mood of millions of Americans – a nutritional neuroscientist offers tips on how to avoid the winter blues

Michael Varnum has received past grant funding from the National Science Foundation and the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation.

Ian Hohm does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Feature Image: Short winter days can influence your brain chemistry. Schon/Moment via Getty Images

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