The novel coronavirus is forcing people to stay home, hurting the economy, and making many feel uncertain. Some psychologists are concerned about the negative impact this could be having on mental health.

In Indiana, lawmakers, hospital administrators and parents are raising concern over the way children on Medicaid receive mental health treatment. They say state policy creates a revolving door situation, which can be costly and dangerous.

A bill up for passage in the Senate this week would require schools, beginning in 2021, to have a relationship with a mental health care provider before getting school safety dollars.

The sharpest dividing line between Democrats and Republicans in the 2020 session is becoming clearer: how to spend excess state surplus dollars.

The Indiana Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) announced the federal approval of a Medicaid waiver that will pay for inpatient stays for Hoosiers diagnosed with serious mental illness.

The 46,000-square-foot facility will combine currently separate primary care and mental health clinics in Terre Haute.

In rural areas, access to mental health services can be limited, sometimes even more so for teens and children. Orleans, in southern Indiana, is using technology to help bridge this gap.

The county's juvenile court will collaborate with Valparaiso-based Great Lakes Labs to offer self-styled pharmacogenetic tests to youths in the criminal justice system.

Last year, the Iowa State Education Association and Please Pass the Love surveyed nearly 400 Iowa public and private schools, and found that less than half list mental health resources on their websites.

A growing number of states are requiring schools to conduct active shooter drills. In the last two years, eight states either passed or updated laws that mandate drills, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.