Mental Health

An effort to require Arkansas schools to survey students on mental health and substance abuse failed in the state legislature yesterday. House Bill 1755, by Democratic state Rep. Tara Shephard, would have required all schools to participate in the annual Arkansas Prevention Needs Assessment Survey.

On today's show, we take another trip to the Ozarks at Large archives.

Isolation and togetherness were among the subjects of a gathering and conversation at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, featuring former Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, documentarian Nicholas Ma and musician Yo Yo Ma.

Loneliness can affect any of us in multiple ways. On today's show, we hear from former Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, documentarian Nicholas Ma and musician Yo Yo Ma about loneliness and unity. We also celebrate Fayetteville's oldest operating elementary school. Plus, the varied world of orchids.

Reporter Sophia Nourani speaks with the president of Arkansas Center for Health Improvement. This nonpartisan health consulting organization recently published the Arkansas Acute Behavioral Events Dashboard, a tool meant to provide health providers and insurers with a way to see the state of mental health in Arkansas.

The Writer’s Colony at Dairy Hollow in Eureka Springs is once again offering a fellowship opportunity titled “Real People, Real Struggles, Real Stories”, a two-week residency meant to provide space for the selected writer to express their experiences with mental health.

A new tool is designed to give health providers and insurers a deeper look at mental health in Arkansas. On today's show, we hear that the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement has a new Arkansas Acute Behavioral Events Dashboard. Also, a winter storm has area meteorologists working overtime, including Walmart’s in-house meteorologist. Plus, water resource groups are thinking about drinking water for a northwest Arkansas that has one million people.

The Arkansas Crisis Center in Bentonville is launching a new text-to-chat helpline, expanding local coverage and becoming the first to offer this service alongside their phone helpline.

The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences is hosting a first-of-its-kind conference for northwest Arkansas dedicated to raising awareness and understanding relating to schizophrenia.

A conference in Fayetteville today will focus on better understanding schizophrenia. On today's show, we host a conversation about expanding our collective understanding of psychosis and schizophrenia. Reporter Sophia Nourani also visits the newly revamped Multicultural Center at the University of Arkansas. Plus, we note the Year of the Snake as the Lunar New Year arrives.