Health - Marblehead Current

21 Sep

Marblehead Rotary funds new mindfulness program in elementary schools

Leigh BlanderEducation, Health, Local News

The Marblehead Rotary Club is donating $16,000 to bring a new mindfulness program to the Brown and Glover elementary schools, aimed at giving younger students tools to manage stress, practice kindness and build emotional resilience. Starting in October, mindfulness educator Jean Skaane will “guide our youngest learners (grades K through 3) in weekly lessons focused on core skills of self-awareness, purpose, empathy, collaboration, agency and adaptability, which complement their learning through our Wayfinder curriculum,” according to Assistant Superintendent Julia Ferreira. “Data will be collected to…

21 Sep

NEWS IN BRIEF: Household hazardous waste, Fall Fair, Marbleshred

Leigh BlanderHealth, Local News, Municipal Matters, News in brief

The Current accepts News in Brief submissions of 150-200 words at info@marbleheadnews.org. Household Hazardous Waste CollectionThe Marblehead Health Department has scheduled the next Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day on Wednesday, Oct. 7, 4-7 p.m. at the Transfer Station.There is a long list of items that may be disposed of that evening, including oil-based paint, antifreeze, lighter fluid and furniture polish. For the full list, visit marbleheadma.gov/2026-october-household-hazardous-waste-day. Free parenting classesThe Board of Health is sponsoring a series of parenting classes, including a new prenatal program that…

20 Sep

Marblehead to again turn pink for Ellie Fund

Leigh BlanderHealth, Top Stories

When Marblehead resident Jillian French-Vitet was diagnosed with breast cancer in May 2024, the news brought not only the shock of a cancer diagnosis but worries about how her family would manage financially while she underwent treatment. French-Vitet had just started a new job and didn’t qualify for paid leave. She knew she’d be out of work for at least eight weeks after surgery. And she was sending a kid off to college. “It was a lot, it was a lot,” she said. Then, a…

15 Sep

Board weighs flu, COVID guidance; four businesses fined for flavored nicotine products

Leigh BlanderHealth, Top Stories

With flu season approaching, Board of Health member Dr. Amanda Ritvo urged residents Monday to get vaccinated against influenza and outlined new state guidance for COVID-19 shots, saying September and October are the preferred months for flu vaccination. Ritvo, speaking at the board’s Sept. 14 meeting, said the Massachusetts Department of Public Health is recommending annual flu vaccination for everyone 6 months and older. The latest COVID-19 vaccine for the 2026-27 season should also be available to anyone 6 months and older, with stronger recommendations…

14 Sep

This Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, help is available

Marblehead Counseling CenterCommunity Resources, Education, Health, Local News

September is national Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, and Marblehead Counseling Center wants to remind residents of the many resources available for individuals and families who are struggling. “Suicide prevention actually starts before a mental health crisis,” according to Gregg Mulford, LMHC clinical director at the center. “This is a great time to learn about warning signs, and connect people to vital mental health resources.” Mulford says many factors may increase the risk for suicide, including underlying mental health issues such as depression. But suicide risk…

14 Sep

Marblehead Counseling Center ready to rock with first concert fundraiser

Leigh BlanderCommunity Resources, Entertainment, Health, Local News

Marblehead Counseling Center is turning up the volume on its fundraising efforts with its first rock ’n’ roll benefit, set for Oct. 1 at the new Swampscott Center for the Performing Arts. “Swamp-Stock: Rock the Night!” will run 6 to 11 p.m. and feature several North Shore bands, including B-Side Hustle, Lois Lane and the Daily Planets, The Merj, Glass Harbor and Funbucket. There will also be light appetizers and a cash bar. The Performing Arts Center, located in the former Hawthorne by the Sea…

09 Sep

Health board unanimously censures McMahon for his conduct

Leigh BlanderHealth, Top Stories

The Board of Health voted unanimously Wednesday night to censure member Tom McMahon over his conduct during a heated exchange with resident Ryan Wilson at an Aug. 24 meeting, formally putting the board’s disapproval of his behavior on the record. The vote came after a tense, 90-minute discussion during which McMahon acknowledged that he should not have repeatedly interrupted Wilson but declined to apologize directly to him, even as Wilson sat in the audience. “I'm apologizing to my board members,” McMahon said. At the beginning…

08 Sep

Household Hazardous Waste Day set at Transfer Station

Leigh BlanderEnvironment, Health, Local News

The Marblehead Health Department has scheduled the next Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day on Wednesday, Oct. 7, 4-7 p.m. at the Transfer Station. There's a long list of items that be disposed that evening, including oil-based paint, anti-freeze, lighter fluid and furniture polish. Check out the full list HERE.

08 Sep

September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month: New ideas on causes, prevention

Marblehead Counseling CenterColumns, Community Resources, Health, Nonprofit corner, Opinion

Suicide claims about 50,000 lives each year in the United States, nearly double the homicide rate. According to the most recent full-year statistics from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, another 2.2 million people attempted suicide in 2024, 14.3 million adults seriously thought about suicide, and 4.6 million planned a suicide attempt. Worldwide, approximately 720,000 people take their own life each year. For the past 18 years, September has been Suicide Prevention Awareness Month in the U.S., coinciding with World Suicide Prevention Day…

04 Sep

Health board to address concerns after McMahon’s heated exchange with resident

Leigh BlanderHealth, Top Stories

The Board of Health has called a meeting for Wednesday, Sept. 9, to discuss a heated exchange involving member Tom McMahon at its Aug. 24 meeting. McMahon repeatedly interrupted and raised his voice at resident Ryan Wilson, who was addressing the board during public comment. Wilson, who has two children at Marblehead High School and works in market research, challenged both the board’s interpretation of youth drinking data and its focus on alcohol. The most recent Marblehead High School Youth Risk Behavior Survey shows underage…