Recovery Update

A Santa Fe jury on March 24 found Meta willfully violated New Mexico's consumer protection laws and ordered the social media giant to pay $375 million in damages to the state. The decision came just one day after the conclusion of the seven-week trial spurred by New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez's 2023 lawsuit alleging that Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, along with WhatsApp, violated New Mexico's consumer protection laws and misled the public on the risks for teen users' mental health and the levels of sexual exploitation.

Toksook Bay, Alaska, youth joined advocates at the Alaska State Capitol as survivors of suicide loss to raise awareness for suicide prevention, and urge state support for funding mental health services, including the state's 988 crisis line.

Gov. Greg Abbott has announced new funding aimed at expanding mental health care across Texas, including in Austin. The state is awarding $555,555 each to the University of Texas at Austin and eight other institutions as part of a $5 million grant program supporting forensic psychiatry training.

Federal Medicaid cuts could exact a heavy toll on psychiatric units at hospitals across the country, many of which are already struggling to keep their doors open but provide essential mental health care to people who need it.

What teens eat might matter more for their mental health than previously thought. A sweeping review of nearly 20 studies found that healthier diets are often linked to fewer depressive symptoms, while poor eating habits may go hand in hand with greater psychological distress. Interestingly, focusing on whole dietary patterns — not just individual nutrients — showed more consistent benefits, suggesting that overall eating habits could play a meaningful role during this critical stage of brain development.