Connecticut Collaborative News Today

Sen. Chris Murphy is touting federal legislation to combat loneliness as a coalition of groups in CT seek to rebuild social connections.

This hour, we hear about efforts where we live to address loneliness and isolation after the "epidemic" was highlighted by U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy in a recent advisory.

Nearly one in five people in the U.S. live with a mental illness, according to the National Institute of Mental Health - but a new program underway in Colorados third largest city is helping people recover faster, by keeping patients engaged in their own treatment. Amber Olson - clinical director and psychologist at Aurora Mental Health and Recovery - said the program, which tracks a patients progress in real time, allows providers to make adjustments when treatment is not working. ...

Concerns about loneliness among older people arent going away. But an annual grant program for community-level projects could bring more Minnesotans, young and old, together. Groups such as AARP have said a growing body of research links being alone with negative health outcomes. ...

A Connecticut group is working to reduce the growing trend of loneliness. The Connecticut Collaborative to End Loneliness, a part of For All Ages, is a group of public and private organizations aimed at reducing loneliness and isolation across the state. A 2021 study found 24% of Connecticuts senior population is widowed, which can contribute to loneliness. ...