USA Today (1/8, Ungar) reports Congress has “effectively lifted the nation’s long-standing ban on federal funding for needle exchange programs,” with a measure that was “quietly tucked into the omnibus spending package signed by President Obama last month.” While Federal funds “still can’t be used for the syringes themselves,” they can be used for “expenses associated with these programs, such as staff, vans, substance use counseling, referral to treatment and outreach in at-risk communities.”

Related Links:

— “Funding ban on needle exchanges effectively lifted,” Laura Unger, USA Today, January 7, 2016.

The Huffington Post (1/8, Pittman) reports that the gender pay gap appears to affect women’s mental health, according to a study published in the journal Academia. After analyzing “information from 22,581 working adults who were 30 to 65 years old based on a nationally representative survey from 2001-2002,” then “using a ‘diagnostic interview for use by experienced interviewers without clinical training’ from the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual” to determine if participants had generalized anxiety disorder or major depressive disorder, researchers found that when women made less money than men, they had twice the likelihood for depression and four times the likelihood of general anxiety disorder.

Related Links:

— “The Pay Gap May Contribute To Women’s Anxiety And Depression,” Taylor Pittman, Huffington Post, January 7, 2016.

The Washington Post (1/6, Peterson, Fung) reports that “brain training” company Lumosity “has agreed to pay $2 million to settle charges” brought by the Federal Trade Commission. The FTC alleged the company misled consumers with claims that were not backed by scientific studies, and “failed to disclose that testimonials promoting its product were solicited through contests where consumers received prizes such as iPads or trips to San Francisco.” Jessica Rich, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, said in a news release, “Lumosity preyed on consumers’ fears about age-related cognitive decline, suggesting their games could stave off memory loss, dementia, and even Alzheimer’s disease.”Lumosity To Pay $2 Million To Settle FTC Claims.

Related Links:

— “FTC: ‘Brain training’ brand Lumosity didn’t have the research to back up its claims,” Andrea Peterson and Brian Fung, Washington Post, January 5, 2016.

Bloomberg News (1/9, Kitroeff) reported that research indicates that “some of America’s future lawyers are hiding drug, alcohol, and depression problems instead of seeking help.” Researchers came to this conclusion after surveying “more than 3,300 law students…about their drinking, drug use, and mental health.” These individuals “may be afraid to report the problems because they think that doing so would jeopardize their chances of being admitted to the bar or getting a good job after graduating, according to the” research (pdf), which was published in the Bar Examiner.

Related Links:

— “Study: Future Lawyers Are Hiding Depression and Drug and Alcohol Use,” Natalie Kitroeff, Bloomberg News, January 8, 2016.

In an opinion piece for The Hill (1/7) “Congress Blog,” Bernadette Melnyk, dean of Ohio State University’s School of Nursing, writes that “one of every four to five American adolescents has some kind of mental health challenge, many of them struggling with various levels of depression and anxiety, yet many do not receive treatment.” Melnyk also comments that an additional 15 percent of youngsters are overweight and 17 percent are obese, suggesting an “unaddressed national crisis.”

Melnyk is critical of the education system for not addressing the issue and says “we must do better recognizing what is obvious and implementing solutions that make a difference in classrooms.” She mentions an NIH-funded study that showed the benefits of teaching teens cognitive-behavioral skills.

Related Links:

— “For the mental and physical health of students,” Bernadette Melnyk, The Hill, January 6, 2016.