A Recap of This Week’s Top News – July 28, 2023

Changes to policy, scientific discovery, and expert recommendations and opinions all have the power to rapidly influence the landscape of a sector. Whether you’re a leader at a non-profit, a member of a university’s marketing department, or a stakeholder for a public health agency, being informed about the latest industry happenings can be the difference between exceeding and falling short of organizational goals. At Hager Sharp, our experts vigorously scan media coverage to identify areas of opportunity. And now, with the introduction of the Sharp Round-Up, you too can review what we consider to be some of the top news of the week.

Below you will find a compilation of news spanning the health and education, labor, and economy sectors. This list includes mainstream, DC-focused, and trade publication coverage from Saturday, July 22, to Friday, July 28. Let these clips serve as a resource when developing thoughtful strategies and use them to further foster organizational innovation and adaptability.

Here’s what you need to know.

Mainstream News:

• The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline turned one this week. Since being launched, approximately 4 million calls, chats, and texts have been made. While the high call volume alarms the nation of a bigger mental health crisis, officials welcomed the hotline’s ability to put people in need with someone who could help them.

Education News:

• Social-Emotional Learning (SEL), a learning style that prioritizes emotion regulation and empathy, has grown common across the United States. Although the learning style faced backlash from Montana Rep. Lola Sheldon-Galloway early this year, most schools still use SEL in the classroom, according to an EdWeek article.
• This week, the Department of Education launched a civil rights investigation into one of America’s most elite schools. The investigation will look into Harvard University’s treatment of legacy status as an admission consideration.
• A new article by AP News explores the negative effect that the pandemic had on learning for students experiencing homelessness. During the pandemic shutdown, some schools lost track of families experiencing homelessness, meaning that many students weren’t receiving resources they may have needed.

Health News:

• Recent research says that 1 in 6 children in the United States didn’t finish their routine vaccine schedule. According to the report, children from lower-income households and rented homes, as well as non-Hispanic Black children, were at greater risk of not finishing their series.
• A USA Today story explored the link between depression and dementia in middle-aged adults. The article revealed that being diagnosed with depression more than doubles the risk of dementia later in life. While the link between the two is evident, the article explains that behavior changes as a result of depression, like decreased exercise, drug use, or diet, could be the driving factor behind the link.
• According to CNN, at least half of the United States is at risk of a “heat health emergency” this week. The scorching temperatures across the nation have led city officials to open cooling centers to allow residents to cool off and avoid heat-related injuries.