A New 911, This One For Mental Health, 988 Debuts

A man in white lab coat and tie.


With a new infusion of federal money, The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is getting an upgrade with its own short number, 988.  That will reduce interventions by armed law enforcement and reliance on emergency rooms, and ultimately help keep more people alive.  There are growing concerns that the hotline, which is already badly overloaded, will not be able to keep up with demand.  Hopefully, the government cash infusion will be able to address this with more staffing.

 

Free N95 Masks Coming Soon To A Drugstore Near You

A man wearing a mask with yellow warning tape around his mouth.


The Biden administration is expected to begin distributing a whopping 400 million free N95 masks to Americans all over the country.  The masks are coming from the Strategic National Stockpile and will be distributed via local pharmacies and community health centers.  The number of masks being distributed comprise about half of our National Stockpile.

 

Highway Deaths Up, But Not For Seniors

An older woman with a gray hair sitting in front of trees.


The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) had expected deaths to decline because the number of miles driven by Americans was down 13.2% in 2020, but that turned out not to be the case.  There were 38,680 traffic fatalities last year, up 7.2% last year, the biggest rate of increase since 2007.  However, those 65 and older saw a 9% decline in traffic fatalities, due in large part to seniors staying at home more due to COVID-19.

Happy Veterans Day : Government Issues A Gift Of National Parks


Happy Veterans Day! Starting today, those who have served in the US armed forces, as well as Gold Star families, will have free access to national parks for life according to a report in The New York Times.