Support Our Work

Please donate so we can continue our work to reduce the stigma of psychiatric illness, encourage research, and support educational activities for behavioral health professionals and the public. Ways you can donate and help are on our Support and Donations page. Thank you!

More Info

Latest News Around the Web

Smartphone App May Reduce Depressive Symptoms, Improve Self-Esteem In Patients With Intellectual Disabilities, Study Finds

The American Journal of Managed Care (10/9, Steinzor) reports a study found that “a self-guided smartphone app designed for individuals with intellectual disabilities (IDs) significantly reduced depressive symptoms and improved self-esteem and quality of life.” For the study, adults with IDs and depressive symptoms “were randomly assigned to either an intervention group using a self-help smartphone app or a waiting list control group. The app was based primarily on cognitive behavioral therapy techniques. Both groups continued receiving their usual care, which could include psychosocial support and general health services.” In intention-to-treat analyses, researchers observed that “participants in the intervention group experienced a greater reduction in depressive symptoms compared with the control group. The intervention group also showed significant improvements in quality of life and self-esteem, with the latter demonstrating a large effect size. Of the 99 participants enrolled, 92 completed the postintervention assessment, and participants reported high satisfaction with the app.” The study was published in JAMA Network Open.

Related Links:

— “Smartphone App Reduces Depression in Adults With Intellectual Disabilities,”Pearl Steinzor, The American Journal of Managed Care , October 9, 2025

Cannabis Use Increased Among Patients With Psychosis Since States Began Legalizing It For Recreational Use, Study Finds

MedPage Today (10/8, Firth) reports a study found that “cannabis use increased among people with psychosis after states legalized the substance for recreational use.” Researchers observed that “in states where recreational cannabis was legalized, 30-day cannabis use increased by 9.53 percentage points among people with psychosis.” This increase “was well above the 3.3-percentage point increase in past-month cannabis use among the general population observed in a recent study. Sensitivity analyses in the current study showed no significant increase in cannabis use before cannabis retail outlets opened. Weekly use did not significantly change.” The study was published in JAMA Psychiatry.

Related Links:

— MedPage Today (requires login and subscription)

New York City Sues Social Media Companies For Allegedly Fueling Youth Mental Health Crisis

Reuters (10/8, Stempel) reports New York City on Wednesday “filed a new lawsuit accusing Facebook, Google, Snapchat, TikTok and other online platforms of fueling a mental health crisis among children by addicting them to social media.” The complaint filed in “Manhattan federal court seeks damages from Facebook and Instagram owner Meta Platforms, Google and YouTube owner Alphabet, Snapchat owner Snap and TikTok owner ByteDance. It accuses the defendants of gross negligence and causing a public nuisance.” The suit alleges the companies designed their platforms to “exploit the psychology and neurophysiology of youth,” and drive compulsive use in pursuit of profit. According to Reuters, NYC “joined other governments, school districts and individuals pursuing approximately 2,050 similar lawsuits, in nationwide litigation in the Oakland, California, federal court.”

Related Links:

— “New York City sues social media companies for allegedly addicting children,”Jonathan Stempel, Reuters, October 8, 2025

Older Adults Living With HIV Are Prescribed Opioids At Higher Rate And Are More Likely To Develop Opioid Use Disorder, Research Finds

Managed Healthcare Executive (10/7, Lutton) reports, “Older adults living with HIV are prescribed opioids at a higher rate and are more likely to develop opioid use disorder when compared with the general population, according to” research. Investigators “analyzed prescription and medical records of more than 650,000 Medicare beneficiaries with Part D coverage between 2008 and 2021.” The researchers “found that more than 1 in 3 (35%) of older adults with HIV received at least one opioid prescription per year during this time, while 28% of older adults without HIV received at least one opioid prescription per year.” Meanwhile, “5% of people with HIV received overlapping opioid prescriptions for more than 7 consecutive days, while only 4% of people without HIV did.” Additionally, “people living with HIV were…more likely to receive prescriptions greater than 120 mg (3%) than people without HIV (2%).” The findings were published in The Lancet Primary Care.

Related Links:

— “Opioid Prescriptions, Addiction More Common in Older HIV Patients,”Logan Lutton, Managed Healthcare Executive, October 7, 2025

Overeating A Sign Of Early Mental Health Problems Among Preschooler Girls

Managed Healthcare Executive (10/7, Cox) reports, “All-cause mortality rates are more than three-fold higher in patients with schizophrenia, including a three-fold increased risk of death from Type 2 diabetes and a two-fold increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease,” but research “published in JAMA Psychiatry provides strong evidence that semaglutide, a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) that is given once a week, may help control metabolic risk factors in patients who are at high risk.” Investigators “evaluated semaglutide in adults with schizophrenia and prediabetes who” had overweight or obesity “and who were prescribed second-generation antipsychotics.” The investigators “found that semaglutide significantly improved both glycemic control and body weight.” Meanwhile, “from a quality-of-life standpoint, semaglutide substantially enhanced physical quality of life.”

Related Links:

— “Semaglutide as a Dual Solution for Psychiatric and Metabolic Care,” Andrew Cox, Managed Healthcare Executive, October 7, 2025

Foundation News

Schuster to Receive Anti-Stigma Advocacy Award

Janice Lynch Schuster will be awarded the 2020 Maryland Foundation for Psychiatry (MFP) Anti-Stigma Advocacy Prize for her op-ed, “People are not defined by their diseases” in the October 14, 2019 Baltimore Sun. The MFP Board unanimously felt that her article very effectively portrayed not only how hurtful stigma can be, but that health care providers themselves may be the culprits thoughtlessly participating in stigmatizing people – particularly when people are abusing drugs. Her statement inspires others to seek and give help, and to reframe substance abuse as a disease that must be treated scientifically and empathically.

The Anti-Stigma Advocacy Award, which carries a $500 prize, will be formally presented at the Maryland Psychiatric Society annual meeting on October 8.

The Foundation established this annual prize for a worthy piece published in a major newspaper (preferably local or regional) that accomplishes one or more of the following:
Shares with the public their experience with mental illness in themselves, a family
member, or simply in the community.
Helps others to overcome their inability to talk about mental illness or their own mental
illness.
Imparts particularly insightful observations on the general subject of mental illness.

Click here for information about past winners.

New Radio Ad Explores Racial Inequities and Mental Health in Current Crises

Institutional and structural racism are major factors in these times of pandemic and civil unrest. The African American community is particularly hit hard by the coronavirus, police brutality, and the economic burdens that come with them. The ad explains how there is hope and help available.

Racial Inequities and Current Crises in AmericaRacial Inequities and Current Crises in America, MP3, 712KB

You can listen to the ad using the player in the upper right of the website’s homepage. All past public service spots are also available for listening or to download on our Radio Advertisements page.

The Foundation Strongly Condemns All Forms of Racism

A Message from the Maryland Foundation for Psychiatry Board of Directors:

The Maryland Foundation for Psychiatry strongly condemns all forms of racism.  The Foundation calls on all Americans and all levels of government to actively oppose racism, and all related violence and brutality. The Foundation recognizes that there are wide disparities in treatment of mental illness and access to care related to race. Consistent with our mission to fight stigma associated with mental illness and to promote awareness and access to care for all individuals regardless of race, the Foundation pledges to support programs which combat racism.

The Maryland Foundation for Psychiatry stands in solidarity with the agendas of the American Psychiatric Association, Maryland Psychiatric Society, and the Black Psychiatrists of America.  We endorse the following action items outlined by the Black Psychiatrists of America:

• Declare racism a public health problem and establish national goals for addressing this as a health equity issue. Give priority to addressing the issues of health care disparities including the mental health needs of historically marginalized communities across the US.
 
• Provide adequate funding for the clinical care, training, and research needed to eliminate health disparities and require racism impact statements for all government funded services and research. 
 
• Establish a governmental multidisciplinary and ethnically diverse commission with representatives from the major health care professional associations in medicine, nursing, psychiatry, public health, psychology, social work, etc., and the faith-based community to provide recommendations to Congress regarding policies on how best to improve the health and well-being of our nation’s Black citizens.
 
• Declare “Civic Mental Health” a national priority and incorporate it into the educational curriculum from K-college, as well as in the training of local, state and national officials, law enforcement, and the criminal justice system. 
 
• Establish police community review boards with power to take action in areas of police misconduct pending formal review by the appropriate authorities. This will offer a level of empowerment when communities feel they have a voice that can be heard. 
 
• Assure adequate insurance coverage for mental disorders and emotional distress that are the outgrowth of racism, police brutality, discrimination of all kinds and violence. 

The Maryland Psychiatric Society has also put out a statement on their website.

The American Psychiatric Association (APA) also condemns racism and has published their statement, too.

New Radio Ad Explores Mental Health in the Wake of the Coronavirus

A recent poll shows that more than half the people in the United States are feeling extremely worried by the coronavirus. They find they aren’t sleeping properly, are distracted, or being driven into depression. The ad explains how there is hope and help available.

The Coronavirus and Your State of MindThe Coronavirus and Your State of Mind, MP3, 721KB

You can listen to the ad using the player in the upper right of the website’s homepage. All past public service spots are also available for listening or to download on our Radio Advertisements page.