USA: call for more help for stressed parents

Written by David Fletcher 29 Aug 2024
USA: call for more help for stressed parents

Vivek Murthy, the US surgeon general, has issued a public health advisory addressing the growing mental health challenges faced by parents due to modern stresses. He is urging government bodies, businesses, and community organisations to bolster support for parents and caregivers. Among his key recommendations are expanded funding for parental support, the establishment of a national paid family and medical leave programme, ensuring paid sick leave, and increasing access to affordable mental health care for caregivers. Improving parents' mental health is crucial for addressing the broader youth mental health crisis. He also calls for employers to provide stress management training and for healthcare providers to screen parents for mental health conditions. He says that 48% of the nearly 63 million parents and caregivers in the USA report feeling overwhelmed and lonely, particularly single parents.

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