Editorial: The city s kids are in crisis
Our view
Last week four Jacksonville teenagers were charged with murder, and the city’s largest high school had a racially charged walkout that resulted in enhanced security measures at all the high schools.
That was just one week. The rest of the year hasn’t been much better for Jacksonville’s kids.
Their lives have already been turned upside down by the coronavirus, which has disrupted their educations and their social networks as well as threatens their health. For some, whose parents have lost work, it has threatened the stability of their personal lives.
Sheryl Johnson lost her son when he was 22 after a long battle with depression and anxiety. Author: Heather Crawford Updated: 11:38 PM EST January 14, 2021
JACKSONVILLE, Fla Close to one in five Duval County high school students attempted suicide, according to the 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey. That was before the pandemic. Since the arrival of COVID-19, there s been a drastic increase in pediatric emergency behavioral health admissions at Wolfson children s hospital. What we re seeing on the pediatric side is a 300% increase in pediatric emergency behavioral health admissions at Wolfson Children s. We have seen an uptick in young adults as well, as far as needing behavioral health care and mental health service, Dr. Terrie Andrews, Administrator of Behavioral Health at Baptist and Wolfson Children s Hospital said. Our new patient appointments are up by 25%. Our call volume to our outpatient offices is up by 40%.
Alex Newman died at 22 after a tortuous battle with anxiety and depression. His parents, Sheryl and Todd Johnson of Jacksonville, are now working with the Baptist Health Foundation to establish a behavioral health program to help other struggling youth and young adults. Watching a loved one suffer from mental illness is one of the most frustrating, angering and helpless experiences. The fact that it is most often done in secret makes the struggle nearly impossible, the Johnsons said in a joint statement. We want young adults to be able to go to Baptist Health and be put in the hands of someone that will give them the knowledge to deal with this illness. If we can do that, we ll have done what we set out to do, they said.
Baptist Health Madisonville starts 2nd round of COVID-19 vaccinations
Baptist Health Madisonville starts 2nd round of COVID-19 vaccinations By 14 News Staff and Tanner Holbrook | January 7, 2021 at 11:59 AM CST - Updated January 7 at 7:27 PM
MADISONVILLE, Ky. (WFIE) - Baptist Health Madisonville, one of the first Kentucky hospitals to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, started its second round of vaccinations Thursday.
Health officials say that over 100 healthcare workers were scheduled to get their second shot on Thursday.
14 News got the chance to be inside their clinic as several got those shots.
Cameron Edwards, Baptist Health Foundation’s Business Development manager, was at the clinic getting his second dose.
Samuel Mayo, 4, prefers to be called Sammy and will tell you so.
He just started pre-kindergarten and loves learning, the color green, pizza and building things. He is smart and has a tender heart, according to his mother, Meagan Mayo.
His brother, Barrett, 2, known as Bear, goes full speed ahead in all things. He loves the color orange, hot dogs and driving his toy tractor. He is silly and fun to be around, his mother said.
But the Jacksonville siblings also have a few things in common: a love of dinosaurs and a birth defect called sagittal craniosynostosis where the skull bones fuse prematurely before the baby s brain is fully formed. The condition can run in families.