Specialized suicide prevention resources tailored to men, women, LGBTQ+ individuals and youth are making mental health support more accessible. With insight from longtime crisis counselor Tina Field, this guide highlights key national hotlines and tips from organizations helping to save lives through empathy and connection.
Category: Health
Posted inHealth
‘I’m important too’: The role of self-care in postpartum healing
Postpartum recovery isn’t about going back to who you were before motherhood—it’s about rediscovering yourself through intentional self-care. In this article, a mother and a doula share honest reflections on how rest, movement, boundaries, and self-compassion shape healing after birth.
Posted inINTERNATIONAL
Ghanaian nonprofit steps up in the fight against sickle cell
While early diagnosis and treatment of sickle cell disease are standard in the United States, many children in Ghana are not diagnosed until serious complications arise. The International Sickle Cell Centre in Accra is working to change that through education, advocacy, and support for families facing stigma, financial hardship and limited medical access.
Posted inHealth
Experts urge families to seek genetic counseling early
Early genetic counseling gives families crucial information and support, turning uncertainty about rare diseases into informed decisions, community connections and hope for their children’s health and future.
Posted inHealth
Licensed but locked out: Why Vilissa Thompson built her own path in disability advocacy
Vilissa Thompson was on track to become a therapist, but after realizing the social work field wasn’t built for wheelchair users like herself, she took a different route. Now, as founder of Ramp Your Voice, she’s creating space for Black disabled women and femmes to be heard, supported and politically empowered.
Posted inHealth
Thousands of patients insured by UnitedHealthcare cut off from in-network care at Johns Hopkins Medicine
Following eight months of failed negotiations, Johns Hopkins Medicine will no longer be covered as “in-network” for patients with insurance through UnitedHealthcare. This leaves thousands of patients in Maryland, D.C., and Virginia potentially facing higher costs or reduced coverage.
Posted inMental Health
Family counseling: A look at how mental health professionals are healing generational trauma
By Mekhi AbbottSpecial to the AFROmabbott@afro.com Therapists are emphasizing the importance of family therapy in order to address the generational trauma that exists in the family tree. Black families specifically can benefit through group therapy given the history of complicated dynamics that may be present in certain households. “Family counseling is very important because it […]
Posted inBaltimore News
Black families push past barriers to save lives through swimming and water safety
Barriers like cost, access, and generational fear continue to prevent many Black youth from learning how to swim, contributing to a disproportionately high rate of drowning deaths. Through programs like Baltimore’s 4M Swim Club, families are working to change the narrative—embracing water safety, building confidence, and developing a new generation of Black swimmers and lifeguards.
Posted inBaltimore News
Young Successful Leaders Incorporated to Receive $50,000 Huddle Up for Health Grant from CareFirst and Baltimore Ravens
CareFirst and the Baltimore Ravens have awarded Young Successful Leaders Inc. (YSLI) a $50,000 grant to expand its mental health, violence prevention and youth development programs in Baltimore.
Posted inLiving
Under one roof: How Black families are reclaiming a generational way of life
Multigenerational living is on the rise in the US, particularly among Black families, providing shared care, economic support, and cultural continuity, while also offering emotional comfort and financial relief.
Posted inDMV News
5 Washingtonians spotlight beloved Black-owned businesses
By Nyame-Kye KondoSpecial to the AFRO The AFRO had the pleasure of catching up with some Washingtonians as they went about their daily lives. We asked five individuals to name their favorite Black-owned businesses in the area and their answers reflected both the shared culture and varied interests of the African-American community. Dezhane Moore – […]
Posted inCommentary
Where’s the class for grief? Why schools must make healing mandatory
By Kanika Cousine In March 2025, 16-year-old Sincere Jazmin was fatally shot while seated at a bus stop in Jamaica, Queens, after stepping off his school bus. According to the New York Post, he ran into a nearby deli before collapsing and dying on-site. Just days later, a 16-year-old student at Lansdowne High School in […]