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Legislators in New York are taking a look at the state of mental health care for children. The state Assembly plans to hold a public hearing in Buffalo on Friday focusing on the availability of services specifically in western New York. Lawmakers on the panel conducting the hearing plan to examine an ongoing effort to consolidate and merge state mental health programs. They'll also look at the impact of the potential closure of the Western New York Children's Psychiatric Center. (5/29)

In an effort to ease chronic overcrowding of hospital psychiatric wards, the state will add 150 pediatric mental health beds in the next three years as part of an unprecedented expansion of services for children with mental illnesses. (Serres, 5/28)

Suicide prevention programs: $449,000. Mental health crisis services: $8.57 million. Text for Life: $1 million. Respite care for families of children with mental illness: $847,0000. It’s been a banner year for mental health advocates at the Minnesota Legislature, with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle voting to support mental health initiatives with over $46 million in new funding. (Steiner, 5/27)

Women in every age group in the United States were more likely than men to have serious mental health problems, according to federal health statistics released Thursday. The report from the National Center for Health Statistics, part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, also found that more than one-fourth of people age 65 or older who are afflicted with these mental health problems have difficulty feeding, bathing and dressing themselves. (Sun, 5/28)

When Demi Lovato was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, she was actually relieved. “Growing up, I felt very, very depressed,” she said. “Even though I was playing concerts and living out my dream, I couldn’t tell you why I was upset.” Lovato is sharing her story and encouraging others to do the same through Be Vocal: Speak Up For Mental Health, an initiative launched Thursday by a pharmaceutical company, the National Alliance on Mental Illness and other mental-health advocacy groups. Its aim is to improve treatment options at all levels and erase the stigma around mental illnesses. (Cohen, 5/28)