Mental Health Good News

Stories about people and organizations making a difference for mental health — and fighting the stigma around mental health

A vending machine carrying naloxone and xylazine test strips sits in an outdoor courtyard at Father Joe's Villages of San Diego

San Diego vending machines aim to curb 'tranq' overdoses in homeless shelters

Along with offering naloxone, these vending machines provide life-saving test strips, in an effort to decrease accidental overdoses.

A discarded needle sits on a city street

A large majority of homeless people in California are not actually illicit drug users, study finds

The study, published in JAMA last month, examined the relationship between homelessness and substance use.

A photo collage of a tiny home pallet, an offshore drill in the middle of the ocean, a pile of children's books spread out on a shelf, a river and trees, and a 3D-printed inflammable home

Good News This Week: February 22, 2025 - Homes, Ramps, & Rinks

Your weekly roundup of the best good news worth celebrating...

Three book covers side-by-side: The Language of Kindness, The Kindness Method, and Be Kind

5 books about kindness that inspire compassion and empathy

This short list of books — spanning memoirs, biographies, and self-help journals — inspires empathy and compassion.

New tiny home 'recovery village' designed to promote sobriety in homeless residents

The low-barrier community will provide shelter to residents for up to 24 months as they work to maintain sobriety.

A group of people stand outside of a former Days Inn hotel, which is being converted into an establishment called The Monarch Apartments for people facing chronic homelessness

Former Days Inn given new life as housing project for homeless folks: 'We can get 40 people off the street at one time'

The facility will have 24-hour on-site supportive services.

A mockup of the Watt Service Center and Safe Stay facility in Sacramento, California

California establishes 'innovative' new homeless campus: 'Heck of a lot cheaper than letting someone stay unsheltered'

The new Safe Stay campus will include 225 cabins, 75 emergency respite beds, health services, job training, and more.

Governor Tim Walz hugs his daughter, Hope at the Democratic National Convention.

Tim Walz's daughter, Hope Walz: On getting through Inauguration Day, building community & going outside

Hope Walz gives an exclusive interview, sharing advice for staying optimistic, clues into her future, and heartfelt stories about her dad.

A photo collage of a tooth x-ray and a person writing a note to a friend

Good News This Week: December 28, 2024 - Dentists, Dogs, & Gifts

Your weekly roundup of the best good news worth celebrating...

A trio of students looking down at their phone in a school hallway.

Minnesota is banning phones in classrooms, and this club is helping teens with the transition

Minnesota joined seven other states in enacting a state-wide policy that restricts phone use in classrooms. This nonprofit is helping teens get off their screens.

An illustration of people saying hello to each other, planting a tree, and sharing food.

A friendship expert’s advice for building community: 'How can I show up better for you?'

We need to beat social isolation and come together. Danielle Bayard Jackson teaches us how.

On the left, a pill bottle that reads "color therapy." On the right, a box with pills labeled, "Love," "Pride," and "Be Original."

A pharmacy in the UK is trying an alternative form of mental health care, by way of 'capsules' of poetry

Customers suffering from “broken hearts” and “existential angst” are given poems by Mary Oliver and Derek Walcott in lieu of a traditional prescriptions.