Local 12: Gun violence and mental health
Two recent fatal shootings in the Cincinnati area have reportedly involved individuals struggling with mental health issues, highlighting the ongoing mental health crisis.
Maria Espinola, PsyD, assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, told Local 12 News the pandemic has only made the mental health crisis worse due to a lack of access to care. Some waitlists have grown to more than 1,000 people with patients waiting months to be seen, she said.
“When someone has been dealing with mental health issues for a long time, not being able to access care can exacerbate their symptomatology,” Espinola said.
Featured photo at top courtesy of Unsplash.
Related Stories
Love it or raze it?
February 20, 2026
An architectural magazine covered the demolition of UC's Crosley Tower.
Social media linked to student loneliness
February 20, 2026
Inside Higher Education highlighted a new study by the University of Cincinnati that found that college students across the country who spent more time on social media reported feeling more loneliness.
Before the medals: The science behind training for freezing mountain air
February 19, 2026
From freezing temperatures to thin mountain air, University of Cincinnati exercise physiologist Christopher Kotarsky, PhD, explained how cold and altitude impact Olympic performance in a recent WLWT-TV/Ch. 5 news report.