In an editorial, the Washington Post (8/31) praises the “wide-ranging mental health strategy” unveiled by Hillary Clinton this week, calling it “one of the most consequential announcements of her campaign,” and argues that, “unlike much of what she has proposed this election season, it has a real chance of becoming law.”

The Post says that while all sides are not “in perfect agreement” on the issue, and the question of “where the funding for it would come from” is a “major hurdle,” Clinton’s “focus on the issue is warranted and welcome,” and if she is elected, “it might do some real-world good.”

Related Links:

— “Clinton just made a very important announcement — and hardly anyone is talking about it,” Editorial Board, Washington Post, August 31, 2016.

The AP (8/31, Stobbe) reports, “Marijuana use is becoming more accepted among US adults as states loosen pot laws,” researchers found after analyzing survey results from “more than a half million US adults.”

The CBS News (8/31, Welch) website reports, “The trend comes as a growing number of states are changing laws to legalize medical, and to a lesser extent, recreational marijuana, which may be playing a role in” how the public perceives the drug. The findings were published online Aug. 31 in The Lancet Psychiatry.

Related Links:

— “More U.S. adults use pot as laws, attitudes shift,” ASHLEY WELCH, CBS News, August 31, 2016.

NPR (8/31, Anderson, Cardoza) reports in the first part of its NPR Ed series on mental health in schools that “up to one in five kids living in the US shows signs or symptoms of a mental health disorder in a given year.” What’s more, “nearly 80 percent who need mental health services won’t get them.” According to experts, “schools could play a role in identifying students with problems and helping them succeed.” Unfortunately, “many schools are not prepared” to take on this role.

Related Links:

— “Mental Health In Schools: A Hidden Crisis Affecting Millions Of Students,” MEG ANDERSON and KAVITHA CARDOZA, National Public Radio, August 31, 2016.

TIME (8/31, Rhodan) reports that “young adulthood is a critical period for mental health,” and students heading off to college may end up facing “a pending mental health crisis.” The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration has found that 75% “of mental illnesses are onset by age 24 and 43.8 million adults, about one in five, experienced a mental illness in 2012.”

But, “the experiences students and parents have in dealing with mental illness can vary greatly from campus to campus, making it important for people to gain knowledge about what to expect, and what to look out for, imperative.” On Aug. 31, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, in partnership with the Jed Foundation, “released a guidebook for students and parents that outlines warning signs for mental illness, resources available to students, and information parents need to know about getting access to their children’s health information.”

Related Links:

— “Why College Is a Risky Time for Students’ Mental Health,” Maya Rhodan, Time, August 31, 2016.

The AP (8/29, Thomas) reports that on Monday, Hillary Clinton unveiled “a comprehensive plan to address millions of Americans coping with mental illness, pointing to the need to fully integrate mental health services into the nation’s health care system.” The proposal seeks to ensure that Americans need “no longer separate mental health from physical health in terms of access, care and quality of treatment.” In addition, it aims “to enforce mental health parity laws and provide training to law enforcement officers to deal with people grappling with mental health problems while prioritizing treatment over jail for low-level offenders.”

Psychiatric News (8/29) reports the American Psychiatric Association applauded Clinton’s proposed comprehensive mental healthcare plan. APA president Maria A. Oquendo, MD, stated, “We welcome the attention Clinton is giving to mental health, an issue that affects Americans from all walks of life.” Dr. Oquendo added, “Our mental health system needs to be discussed this election season. Americans deserve to know how the candidates plan to address this important issue.”

Related Links:

— “APA Applauds Mental Health Plan Unveiled Today by Hillary Clinton,” Psychiatric News, August 29, 2016.