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And happy May 1st! On this day in 1956, the polio vaccine developed by Jonas Salk was made available to the public.

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Today’s question: What percentage of the world’s population lives on less than $5 per day?

News

Algorithms in child welfare

Did you know that algorithms are now being used to help social workers determine whether children are being neglected?

One of the counties experimenting with algorithms in child welfare is Allegheny County in Pittsburgh. But they are not alone. Other cities including Los Angeles and ones across Colorado and Oregon have also joined the movement. Yet these algorithms are not without their fair share of controversy.

On one hand, critics argue that these algorithms worsen racial disparities. For example, the Allegheny algorithm flagged more Black children for “mandatory” neglect investigation when compared to white children. It was also found that social workers disagreed with the results of the algorithm about a third of the time.

On the other hand, proponents argue that the research is still “hypothetical”, that social workers can override the algorithm, and that these algorithm can be of tremendous benefit to social workers in child welfare, who often find themselves overwhelmed, understaffed, and overworked.

Other social work-related news

• Where the guaranteed income movement is going next

• UCF faculty offers teletherapy sessions to Ukrainian mental health professionals

• ‘It’s life or death’: The mental health crisis among U.S. teens

Research

Marijuana and psychosis

In 1996, California became the first state to legalize medical marijuana. Since then, medical marijuana has been legalized in 39 states, while recreational marijuana use has been legalized in 18 states.

One of the problems associated with the legalization of Mary-Jane is the presence of new products which have extremely high doses of THC, the compound in Marijuana responsible for the “high”. And unfortunately, research has shown that there is a link between THC and psychosis, a mental disorder characterized by a disconnection from reality.

20 years ago, the THC content in a joint was around 5%. Today, the THC levels in a joint may be at 85% or more. Teenagers are particularly at risk because of the fact that their brains are still developing. Solutions are being explored and include labeling Marijuana products with CAUTION messages and limiting high-potency products by putting a cap on the potency level.

Other reads on research

• Brain scans may reveal a lot about mental illness, but not until studies get bigger

• Fewer mental health experts available in historically redlined areas

• Researchers map heat inequities in Knoxville

Reads on policy

• The Florida Department of Health issued new guidelines for the treatment of gender dysphoria in children and adolescents which recommended that gender transitions “should not be a treatment option” and that anyone under age 18 should not be “prescribed puberty blockers or hormone therapy”. This has resulted in strong reactions

• The Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that victims of discrimination may not sue if the only harm was emotional distress. The case concerned Jane Cummings, a deaf Texan woman, who sued Premier Rehab Keller, a physical therapy facility, for their refusal to provide her with a sign language interpreter during her rehab appointments

Cool Jobs 😎

• Tall Poppy protects the world's businesses and individuals against online harassment, threats, and abuse. The company is looking for someone with a high degree of empathy and an interest in tech! https://boards.greenhouse.io/tallpoppy/jobs/5097080003

• Binti is using technology to reinvent child welfare. They have many open roles: https://binti.com/careers/

• Propel helps low-income Americans improve their financial health! They are also hiring for many roles: https://boards.greenhouse.io/propel

Answer: 40% of the world lives on less than $5 per day.

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