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Welcome to The Census, your biweekly roundup of what matters in behavioral health care.

Today, we’re breaking down:

• The rise of the crunchy MAHA teen

• All your latest news headlines in under two minutes

(Plus, an upcoming behavioral health marketing conference)

Let’s dive in.

- Claire 

P.S. In case you missed it, I’m not Shân (I know, I’m sorry about it, too). I’m Claire—I’ve been in the background of this publication for the past few weeks, and will be taking over from my fellow nerd colleague. I’m looking forward to getting to know you all!

What we’re watching this week 

📱 Gen Z influencers are trying to “Make America Healthy Again”

Of course, health misinformation leads to distrust across all generations — but the youths have a much bigger platform to share it.

MAHA started in 2024, when HHS Secretary RJK Jr., used the slogan “Make America Healthy Again” during his presidential campaign.

Now, it’s a movement online, peddled by Gen Z influencers.

Calling themselves “crunchy teens,” these influencers are concerning because:

• They share medical misinformation as fact, encouraging impressionable viewers to “detox their lives” by ditching things like sunglasses, non-stick pans, and birth control.

• They’re trending, with accounts like @cleanlivingwithava racking up 27k+ followers on IG, and @thatcrunchygirlannika having 38k+ followers on TikTok.

• They’re teens, meaning they are, in fact, teen-aged. They are not health experts, but are disseminating information as if they are.

All of these (allegedly) health-oriented efforts come at the same time that the “Big Beautiful Bill” caused 22M to lose SNAP food benefits, slashed countless government-funded health initiatives, and will cut $1TN in healthcare spending over the next ten years.

So, even if young people enter into the MAHA pipeline with good intentions, it’s something that we need to be very wary of.

Because it will have knock-on effects for behavioral health providers, who may find themselves battling new waves of misinformation when younger patients need care.

Let’s get your news headlines. 

Catch up quick

This week’s top stories

Latest news

💰 Healthcare costs for commercial payers are expected to increase by 8.5% in 2026, citing inflation, Rx drug spending, and behavioral health services.

🤖 OpenAI investor Geoff Lewis posted a concerning video on X, prompting peers to express concern he’s experiencing a ChatGPT-related mental crisis.

🌀 Also related: a 30-year-old man was sent to hospital with “Chat-GPT psychosis,” experiencing delusions compounded by excessive chatbot use.

🏪 Patients with substance use disorder (SUD) have a 24% higher risk of unplanned hospital readmission 30 days after discharge.

🇺🇸 Colorado, California, & Montana passed privacy laws to protect brain data collected from devices like headphones and smart watches.

💻 Slingshot AI launches Ash, a generative AI therapy chatbot that’s already been beta tested by 50k users.

⚠️ The FDA sent warning letters to drug companies illegally marketing products with 7-hydroxymitragynine, which has opioid/stimulant-like effects.

🧑‍🌾 U.S. Rep Randy Feenstra introduced the Farmers First Act, proposed to improve behavioral health services in rural communities.

📉 DOGE cuts lead biotech companies to issue warnings to investors, citing “uncertainty” and “the current U.S. presidential administration” as barriers.

🩺 Behavioral health provider Deer Oaks agreed to pay $225k and integrate corrective actions after multiple PHI security failures.

🏥 Autistic adults have a higher rate of mental health hospitalizations and readmissions, with 50% having a co-occurring psychological condition.

❤️‍🩹 Republican tax bill projected to increase overdose deaths by 1000 every year, leaving 156,000 without access to addiction treatment.

😔 Demand for behavioral health care continues to outpace available professionals in Ohio, leaving 2.4M without access.

💊 Increases in ADHD prescriptions may correlate with a decrease in injury, crashes, and crime.

😊 A new outreach program aimed at Medicaid recipients with SUD shows promise, with 65% of those contacted successfully connected to care.

💖 Some good news: Melmark’s Mission Possible Gala raised $210k for adult autism services.

Looking for a behavioral health marketing conference to add to your calendar?

Join us in October at the Mental Health Marketing Conference - we can’t wait to see you there!

Funding rounds & investor moves

💸 NexPhase Capital acquired behavioral health platform Empower Community Care, further cementing private interest in the space.

🤝 Centerstone and Brightli, two major behavioral health nonprofits, will merge this November to form a $1B organization.

💼 Lyra Health, a national provider of employee benefits, acquired Bend Health, aiming to improve its pediatric and neurodiversity support.

Studies & opinion pieces

💉 No connection was found between childhood vaccination and increased risk for asthma, autism, or autoimmune diseases (study).

🦠 Probiotics may help mental health, but only as part of a comprehensive, holistic lifestyle (opinion).

🧘 Tai chi, yoga, and running may tackle insomnia better than sleeping pills (study).

🧠 Neuroimaging suggests altered functional brain organization in children with ASD, particularly in response to visual stimulation (study).

That’s it for this week! I’ll catch ya next time with more headlines.

- Claire :)

P.S. Whenever you’re ready, here’s how we can help.

• 📈 Grow your healthcare or wellness business on autopilot. Apply to work with Quantum Leads. 

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