New England Newspaper & Press Association

With warming weather, tick season tends to be at its peak in June and July across much of the country, and this year ER visits for tick bites have been higher than usual in many parts of the country. SciLine’s next briefing will focus on ticks, tick-borne diseases, and the latest science on how changing environmental conditions are affecting tick populations and disease risk across the United States. Experts will discuss:

• Where and when people are most likely to encounter ticks;
• What prevention and control strategies are most effective;
• What’s important to know about Lyme disease and other tick-borne infections, including challenges in diagnosis and treatment and long-term health effects; and
• What is causing the growing concern over tick-related red-meat allergy.

  Three panelists will participate in a moderated discussion followed by reporter questions, on the record, and the final 15 minutes of reporter Q&A will be reserved for questions and responses in Spanish.

Visual storytelling is more than an aesthetic choice—it’s a strategic tool for building trust, deepening community connection, and growing audiences. In this interactive webinar, we’ll explore how nonprofit newsrooms can use visuals to strengthen audience engagement and support growth, even with limited staff and budgets. Attendees will leave with practical ideas for integrating visual storytelling into their audience development efforts. The session includes a presentation/discussion followed by audience Q&A.

Mental health and substance abuse is such a daunting focus area for health journalists, it can be tricky to know where to find sources, stats, and story leads.

Join the National Press Club Journalism Institute at noon ET on Tuesday, July 21, for a webinar on covering mental health as a public health issue.

The Institute will be joined by Katie O’Connor, a senior staff writer at Psychiatric News, who will share tips and tools for covering mental health-related advocacy and public policy.

She’ll explain the ins and outs of SAMHSA (the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration), the agency through which the federal government funds mental health and substance use programs — which has been in flux under the current administration.

O’Connor will explore where to find relevant datasets for mental health reporting and offer advice for covering high-level clinical studies. She’ll also share her best tips for finding expert sources when covering public health.

This program is part of the NPCJI’s monthly webinar series produced through its Public Health Reporting Fellowship. In partnership with the Common Health Coalition, the fellowship offers training and financial support for mid-career journalists to complete reporting projects focused on the intersection of public health policy and health care delivery.