Insights

This three part series will be looking into mental health care among black communities within the U.S. Focusing on access, stigmas and cultural views toward mental health.

A leading researcher on the ways in which doctors talk to parents about vaccines has a new suggestion for how we might boost immunization rates. Drawing on the theory of nudges, Dr. Douglas Opel suggests parents should have to "opt-out" of vaccinating their kids rather than "opt-in."

Every state has some agency that oversees the licensing of physicians. And in those files are dozens of stories you should be writing about. Here's how to start using licensing and discipline records to find story leads and strengthen your reporting.

With high rates of many mental illnesses and not much money to treat them, are the rural counties of far-northern California destined for meager mental health services? What's lacking in these systems, and - perhaps more importantly - how did ones in similar areas overcome the same problems?

At La Clínica de la Raza in Northern California, the surge of new Medicaid enrollees has made it difficult for the clinic to meet the demand for care. But the need to make the most of limited resources has also led the organization to adopt new innovations, such as the "morning huddle."

Don't forget to submit your application to attend the Association of Health Care Journalists conference as one of their fellows. Additionally, USC Annenberg National Health Journalism Fellowship wants to see your work by April 2.

Even after Obamacare, millions of people still don't have health coverage in California. How are these remaining uninsured going to be taken care of? That question has yet to be answered, but the debate around the issue -- which is tricky politically and financially -- is bound to be contentious.

I am reporting a story for the Point Reyes Light on how breast cancer researchers create non-existent cancer clusters from California to Long Island. The story is supported by Fund for Investigative Journalism. We have launched a Kickstarter campaign that explains the nutgraph of the investigation.

Valentine's Day is over, but questions over lead and other heavy metals in chocolate and candy are still around. And while "cocoa puff stories" are the norm around this time of year, some excellent reporting is keeping the spotlight on this bittersweet issue.