Another Possible Reason for the Rise in Youth Mental Health Issues
Ben points out that the Child Tax Credit was expanded to assist poor families with pandemic-related economic hardships in 2021.
The rate of childhood poverty dropped to historic lows.
Then it went away. And, well, what else would you expect?
According to NPR, “…A year ago, child poverty hit a historic low of 5.2%. The latest figures [a year after the child tax credits expired] put it at 12.4%, the same as the overall poverty rate. The surge happened as record inflation was rising and a lot of pandemic relief was running out, but Census officials and other experts say a key was the child tax credit.”
Some Research on Loneliness and Mental Health
Overall though, this is more evidence of how much our mental health suffers when we do not feel part of a community. We all can play a role in making sure our community is embracing people who need that social connection.
Shared Links (weekly) August 20, 2023
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Loneliness in adulthood tied to accelerated brain aging, new research reveals
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Hardest Parts of Bipolar Disorder– I don’t talk about Bipolar often, because I don’t have Bipolar, and I’d rather link to people with lived experience, like this.
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The Role Of Therapy In Overcoming Childhood Neglect And Trauma
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Talking about mental health at home: What do you wish your parents knew?