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Credit: Chris Allen / Black Voice News

California lawmakers to consider social media warning labels The big idea: The California State Assembly will consider A.B. 56, a new bill that would mandate mental health warning labels on social media platforms if passed, Black Voice News reports.Key context: Attorney General Rob Bonta and Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan are pushing the bill forward to address how social media affects adolescents. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy has explained the possible harm for young people spending too much time on these platforms. His repeated advisories played a role in the landmark Australian social media ban for anyone under 16, which passed in November.The stakes: Dr. Murthy described the dangers further in a New York Times essay this June. He noted how frequent engagement with social media can change “the developing brain in the amygdala (important for emotional learning and behavior) and the prefrontal cortex (important for impulse control, emotional regulation, and moderating social behavior), and could increase sensitivity to social rewards and punishments.”More from Black Voice News →

Credit: Watch the Yard

Zeta Phi Beta joins Hazing Prevention NetworkGood news: Zeta Phi Beta, a sorority founded at HBCU Howard University, has joined the Hazing Prevention Network. It is the first sorority in the National Pan-Hellenic Council to do so, according to Watch the Yard.Fine print: The partnership will support the launch of a new anti-hazing curriculum and certification, as well as supplement current programs focused on creating an inclusive environment for new members. Hazing practices can include embarrassment, harassment, mental abuse, and physical attacks, leading to serious injuries and even death for students. From the source: “I am proud of Zeta’s trailblazing efforts to eradicate pledging and hazing,” said Dr. Stacie NC Grant, Zeta Phi Beta’s International President and CEO. “Our ‘Finer Women Don’t Haze’ programming, internal structure, and innovative approaches to ensure safety … make Zeta the leader in this space.”More from Watch the Yard →

Credit: Pixabay

No more ACA for Dreamers in 19 statesThe big idea: Those who are eligible for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program — set up in 2012 to protect people brought to the United States as children without immigration papers — were given access to health care through the Affordable Care Act for the first time during the Biden administration. Now, North Dakota Federal Judge Daniel Traynor has ruled in favor of 19 states that fought back against the rule, India Currents reports.The stakes: For these individuals — who are also known as Dreamers’ — the ruling could end their health coverage under ACA plans in the following states: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia.Looking ahead: It is unclear what will happen to Dreamers’ coverage that has already started or is starting early next year. The federal government has estimated that roughly 100,000 people in the program who are uninsured may enroll for coverage this winter. No other states are impacted by the ruling, and some have even filed a brief in support of keeping the rule. Meanwhile, the Biden administration may appeal the decision — but a final ruling could be delayed into President-elect Donald Trump’s term.More from India Currents →

Highlighting the innovators transforminghealth outcomes in our communities

The story: Advocates in Maryland have won a $44 million dollar settlement to improve Baltimore sidewalks, after a study revealed only 1.3% of 37,000 curb ramps complied with Americans with Disabilities Act standards, Baltimore Beat explains.At the center: Janice Jackson, executive director of disability peer counseling group Women Embracing Abilities Now, joined the lawsuit with other wheelchair users. Her testimony was a key piece of the victory. →Credit: Mahlon Meyer