Hector Colon-Rivera MD, MBA, MRO

10/10/2025

Call for Submissions — 2026 Lois T. Flaherty Best Paper & Best Poster Awards!

The American Society for Adolescent Psychiatry is thrilled to announce the annual Lois T. Flaherty Best Paper Award and the Best Poster Session Award Competitions for 2026 — an exciting opportunity for residents, fellows, and medical students to share their innovative work and gain national recognition in the field of adolescent and young adult psychiatry.

🌟 Why Participate?
💰 Cash Awards: Winners receive a monetary prize to support professional growth.
🎤 Presentation Opportunity: Showcase your work at our 2026 Annual Meeting, held virtually in conjunction with the APA Annual Meeting in San Francisco.
🏅 Recognition: Earn national visibility and prestige for your contributions to adolescent psychiatry.

👩⚕️ Who’s Eligible?
Open to residents, fellows, and medical students—ASAP membership is not required to apply!

💡 Membership Benefits
Your first year of membership is free, and future years come at a 75% discount—plus you’ll receive:
🧠 A subscription to our Journal of Adolescent Psychiatry (a $195 value)
🎟️ Discounts on events and training opportunities
🌐 Access to a community of leaders in adolescent psychiatry

📅 Submission Details:
Stay tuned for submission deadlines and guidelines on our website — or contact us directly to learn how to submit your paper or poster!

Let’s celebrate the next generation of leaders in adolescent psychiatry.


https://www.adolescentpsychiatry.org/membership

10/06/2025

Su***de Rates Among Gen Z Adults Are Rising – What the Data Show

A new Stateline analysis (10/2) of federal death statistics highlights a concerning trend:
For Gen Z adults, su***de is taking more lives now than it did for millennials at the same age.

📊 Key Findings:

Sharp Increase: The rise in su***des among Gen Z has been significant, with 85% of the increase concentrated among Black and Hispanic men, many living in Southern and Midwestern states.

Recent Data: In just the first two months of this year, the CDC reported 1,148 Gen Z su***des.

Cause of Death Rankings:

Su***de is now the #2 cause of death for young Hispanics, surpassing homicide.

For young Asians, it has become the #1 cause of death, overtaking accidents.

Disproportionate Impact: Black and Hispanic men account for 822 of the 965 additional deaths in this rise.

💡 Why the Increase?
Researchers suggest multiple overlapping factors:

The impact of social media and cyberbullying, with Gen Z being the first generation fully raised online.

Economic stress and uncertainty about the future.

Cultural barriers to seeking help for depression and mental health challenges.

For Gen Z adults, the oldest of whom are now reaching their late 20s, su***de is taking more lives than 10 years ago when millennials were the same age.

10/01/2025

New Research Alert

HealthDay (9/30, Neff) highlights a recent study published in Addiction showing that older adults—particularly Gen X women—face high rates of ultra-processed food addiction.

🔹 Key findings:

21% of women and 10% of men in Gen X and late Baby Boomers met criteria for addiction to ultra-processed foods (fast food, sugary drinks, packaged snacks).

Men with fair or poor mental health were 4x more likely to meet the criteria, while women were nearly 3x more likely.

Feelings of isolation increased the risk by more than three times for both men and women.

Researchers point to the 1980s marketing of “diet” ultra-processed foods to women, which were formulated with addictive nutrient profiles, as a possible driver of this trend.

This study reminds us of the profound connection between nutrition, mental health, and social well-being, underscoring the importance of public health strategies that address all three.

https://www.healthday.com/health-news/nutrition/gen-x-older-adults-show-high-rates-of-ultra-processed-food-addiction

09/30/2025

Scrolling for Answers: When Distress Meets the Social Media Maze

PRMS is proud to feature Dr. Hector A. Colón-Rivera, MD, MBA, FAPA as our guest blogger this month. In his new piece, Dr. Colón-Rivera explores how teens use social media to cope with loneliness and stress and how these platforms can sometimes deepen feelings of isolation rather than relieve them.

From digital red flags to the risks of AI-powered chatbots, Dr. Colón-Rivera sheds light on the unique challenges adolescents face online. He also shares practical strategies for parents, educators, and clinicians to help young people navigate the online world safely while building healthier support systems offline.

🔗 Read the full blog here: https://www.prms.com/prms-blog/articles/2025/september/scrolling-for-answers-when-distress-meets-the-social-media-maze/

As President of the Society for Adolescent Psychiatry (ASAP), Dr. Colón-Rivera continues to advocate for adolescent mental health, highlighting the urgent need for trusted resources and connected systems of care.

Together, we can help teens find clarity in the maze, hope in their struggles, and real-world pathways to support.

09/29/2025

🚨 Telehealth at Risk: The Policy Cliff Is Near 🚨

On September 30, 2025, critical federal telehealth flexibilities—first enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic, are set to expire without Congressional action.

What’s at stake?
⚠️ Medicare reimbursement for telehealth visits at home may end
⚠️ Hospital-at-Home programs could be disrupted
⚠️ FQHCs & RHCs may lose telehealth eligibility after December 2025
⚠️ Prescribing rules and provider eligibility could tighten

This “telehealth policy cliff” threatens to roll back years of progress in expanding access, especially for rural, underserved, and justice-involved communities.

Providers, patients, and advocates: now is the time to prepare and raise your voice.

✅ Assess the impact on your patients
✅ Communicate clearly with staff and patients
✅ Explore contingency plans

Telehealth has proven to be safe, effective, and essential. Let’s not move backward.

Learn more and access tools for planning here: https://telehealthresourcecenter.org/resources/the-telehealth-policy-cliff-preparing-for-october-1-2025/

Photo credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/chad_k/3767365155https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/ (no changes were made) Introduction Without Congressional action, key telehealth flexibilities that were first put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic will expire on September 30, 2025. These...

09/24/2025

The day is here!! Today.

The first-ever RMTAC Wellness Summit - Stronger Together: Seasons of Strength. This FREE virtual conference brings together providers, leaders, and community builders for a powerful day of learning, reflection, and shared strength. Join us Today. Link below!

In a time of shifting policies, emerging challenges, and evolving needs, the 2025 RMTAC Wellness Summit brings together behavioral health professionals from across the nation. Our goal is to build resilience and strengthen community ties, empowering providers who support refugees, migrants, newcomer...

09/23/2025

Fact Checking Matters: Autism, Science, and Public Trust

Yesterday, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) released a statement in response to the White House’s announcement on autism.

The APA reminded us of something crucial:
✅ Vaccines do not cause autism. This claim has been thoroughly discredited in peer-reviewed studies.
✅ Autism is complex. It cannot be reduced to a handful of studies or simplified causation narratives.
✅ Acetaminophen, when used as directed during pregnancy, is safe. Treatment decisions should always be made in consultation with patients and their doctors.
✅ Leucovorin (folinic acid) is not a recommended treatment for autism. More research is needed before considering it an evidence-based intervention.
✅ Autism spectrum disorders represent neurodiversity. The absolute priority should be expanding access to care and investing in research that improves long-term outcomes.

In an era where misinformation spreads faster than facts, this serves as a reminder of why evidence-based communication is crucial. Health care decisions should be guided by science, not speculation.

As clinicians, researchers, advocates, and community members, we all share a role in promoting trust, accuracy, and compassion regarding autism and neurodiversity.

https://www.psychiatry.org/News-room/News-Releases/APA-Statement-on-White-House-Announcement-on-Autis

09/15/2025

It’s here!

Today marks the official release of Mateo the Wandering Balloon! 🎈💙❤️🇵🇷

This story isn’t just for children; it’s a book for families, classrooms, and communities to enjoy together. Full of positive reinforcers, cultural pride, and vibrant illustrations, Mateo celebrates curiosity, resilience, and the beauty of our heritage.

Launching on the first day of Hispanic Heritage Month makes this release even more meaningful. Through Mateo’s journey, young readers (and the young at heart) can see themselves reflected in stories of adventure, belonging, and culture.

📖 Available now, for kids, parents, and anyone who believes in the power of storytelling to connect generations.

Join us in celebrating this milestone. Let’s lift Mateo high and let him inspire children everywhere to dream, explore, and be proud of who they are.

09/10/2025

Join us for an open conversation on the mental health treatment and support of refugees and migrants.

This is your chance to ask questions, share insights, and suggest topics you’d like to see addressed, from trauma care and cultural adaptation to access to services and community-based solutions.

Ask me anything about refugee and migrant behavioral health, your voice and your questions will guide the discussion.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RMTACOfficeHours

09/09/2025

Just Wow!!

As President of the American Society for Adolescent Psychiatry (ASAP), I am encouraged by the CDC’s new Free Mind campaign, developed in collaboration with youth to highlight the critical connection between substance use and mental health.

This initiative provides information tailored for adolescents ages 12–17 and offers valuable resources for parents, caregivers, and health care professionals to begin these essential conversations.

As , Director of the CDC’s National Center for Injury and Control, shared, the campaign was built by first listening to young people, their perceptions, experiences, and needs shaped the messaging and strategies. The goal is clear and urgent: to prevent drug overdoses by addressing the intersection of mental health and substance use early and authentically.

At ASAP, we stand ready to amplify this message within our of psychiatrists, patients, and families. Together, we can create stronger pathways for prevention, dialogue, and support that reflect the voices of the very we serve.

09/09/2025

Statement on the Make Our Children Healthy Again Report

The U.S. is facing an unprecedented youth mental health crisis. The American Psychiatric Association urges that the report’s recommendations be guided by rigorous science, evidence-based care, and the expertise of psychiatrists.

Every child deserves access to effective, research-backed solutions that safeguard their mental health and well-being.

Read more: https://www.psychiatry.org/news-room/news-releases/apa-statement-on-the-make-our-children-healthy-aga

The United States is facing an unprecedented mental health crisis in children and adolescents. Today’s Make Our Children Healthy Again report leaves a considerable amount of latitude in how each of the recommendations will be implemented. It is imperative that additional resources are directed tow...

09/04/2025

In AA and NA, people often introduce themselves by saying “Soy adicto” or “I am an addict.” Within those groups, this phrase functions as a shared ritual of humility and accountability. But outside of that context, phrases like “Eres mucho más que tu adicción” can feel stigmatizing because they still define the person in relation to their illness. A more empowering approach is to use person-first language that emphasizes resilience, identity, and strengths beyond the struggle.

I love the intention but not the approach

What others think?

Let’s keep the momentum