mental health

LOS ANGELES—Tombot, a robotics company, announced the close—and oversubscription—of its $6.1 million Series A funding round.

Tombot’s flagship product, Jennie the robotic puppy, was designed specifically to treat the behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) and other health issues.

ST. PAUL, Minnesota—High school senior Joshua Yang understands sacrifice. When he was midway through 10th grade, his mom survived a terrible car crash. But her body developed tremors, and she lost mobility. After countless appointments, doctors diagnosed her with Parkinson’s disease, saying it was likely triggered by brain injuries sustained in the wreck.

At 15, Yang, an aspiring baseball player and member of his school’s debate team, took on a new role: his mother’s caregiver.

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina—Caring.com, a senior living referral service and a site for care reviews, published the results of its 2025 Senior Mental Health Study. The study, based on a survey of more than 4,000 Americans aged 65 or older, found that one in three seniors have a clinical diagnosis of anxiety or depression.

WASHINGTON—Senators John Barrasso (R-WY) and Chris Coons (D-DE) introduced the Expanding Seniors Access to Mental Health Services Act (S 1797), a bipartisan bill that would make mental health services provided by clinical social workers more available to Medicare beneficiaries.

CHICAGO—Help at Home, a provider of in-home personal care services, announced it has been named by Newsweek as one of America's Greatest Workplaces for Mental Well-Being 2025. The company said this recognition underscores its 50-year commitment to "caring for its care workforce" culture.

WASHINGTON—The Foundation for Social Connection Action Network (F4SCAN), a national advocacy and community organization dedicated to advancing policies and initiatives strengthening social ties and combatting social isolation and loneliness, announced a sweeping 2025-2027 policy roadmap to combat social isolation and loneliness.

WASHINGTON—Senator Rick Scott, chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, and Senator Tina Smith announced the reintroduction of the Social Engagement and Network Initiatives for Older Relief (SENIOR) Act to address senior loneliness. Across the country, a growing number of senior citizens are suffering from mental and physical health issues, largely driven by an epidemic of loneliness.

BRONX, New York—Essen Health Care is thrilled to unveil its latest initiative aimed at providing crucial assistance to individuals grappling with mental illness in our community. The new initiative, the Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT) Health Home Care Coordination Program, established under Kendra's Law, is for those who need essential mental health services.

SCOTTSDALE, Arizona—Executive Home Care, a provider of in-home care services, emphasizes the importance of mental health in senior care during Mental Health Awareness Month. As the aging population grows, mental health issues among seniors, such as depression, anxiety and cognitive decline, have become increasingly prevalent. Executive Home Care is committed to supporting senior mental health through comprehensive in-homecare services, the company said. 

BRITISH COLUMBIA, Canada—ComForCare, a franchised provider of in-home caregiving services, announced its inclusion in the 2023 Best Workplaces for Mental Wellness list by Great Place to Work in Canada.

WATERLOO, Iowa—VGM Group, Inc. recently announced that the entire team in its human resources department has achieved Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) certification. MHFA is a program of the National Council for Mental Wellbeing. Similar to physical First Aid and CPR, MHFA helps people assist someone experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis until professional assistance is obtained or the crisis is resolved.

SEATTLE (September 29, 2022)—Rippl, a mental health company focused on caring for seniors with dementia and other neurocognitive conditions, launched with $32 million in seed round funding led by ARCH Venture Partners and General Catalyst. The round also includes investment from GV, F-Prime Capital, and Mass General Brigham Ventures.

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama (December 9, 2021)–Home health care workers often suffer from poorer physical and mental health, when compared with similar low-wage frontline workers, according to new research by Weill Cornell Medicine. 

By Rachel Bluth, via Kaiser Health News August 11, 2020

California lawmakers are barreling toward an end-of-month deadline to pass or kill bills amid the biggest public health crisis the state has faced in a century.