Owen Racer is a freelance journalist who has traversed a multitude of the country’s regions on varying beats. His reporting is currently focused on mental health. owenracer.com
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Community Care
Capital Region nonprofits help Black communities access mental health care
The nonprofit Sacramento Juneteenth promotes health and wellness through educational programs at local schools. One of its current focuses is mental health care, especially for the Capital Region’s Black community. It’s one of several local nonprofits picking up the slack for Black mental health care.
Graduating Into a New Life
Education and job training programs ease the reentry process for formerly incarcerated Californians
State prison yards may not look much like college quads. But some activists and educators want to bring a piece of the collegiate experience to incarcerated people in California, allowing them to earn degrees and job training behind prison walls — and potentially reducing their likelihood of returning to prison after their release.
Local Organizations Support Mental Health Among Afghan Youth
The intergenerational trauma that young Afghan refugees inherit is compounded by legislation that could determine their stateside fate
Refugee youth often bring traumatic lived experiences, known as adverse childhood experiences, raising the demand for U.S.-based mental health services. A network of support groups has formed to provide culturally sensitive care and catch those falling through the cracks.
A Push for School-Based Mental Health
Ratcheted up by the pandemic, students’ mental health has become an important focus in schools
Schools and universities in the Capital Region have taken an array of approaches to assure mental health is one of the many pillars a student’s education addresses.