Statewide: Finding help for kids in crisis

Experts are seeing a spike in young people threatening to harm themselves and others. Some struggle with severe developmental disabilities. The problem has worsened during the pandemic with treatment facilities at capacity and short on staff. We have a report.

And we examine the history of religious exemptions to vaccines. Those stores and more on this episode of Statewide.

* John Jurgens tells us about wireless emergency alerts and how they can bring early warning of severe weather.

* WNIJ's Peter Medlin reports on statistics that show, during the last school year, one in five Illinois students was chronically absent.

* Susie An and Sarah Karp tells us about families desperate to get help for their children with mental health and behavioral issues.

* Lauren Chapman of Side Effects Public Media delves into the history of religious exemptions to vaccines and the consequences.

* Christine Herman talks with a data scientist from Civis Analytics about a survey on messaging about vaccine safety.

* Farah Yousry examines the way scientific information spreads and how the public is getting involved.

* Caroline Kubzansky reports on a new law allowing midwives to once again practice legally in Illinois.

* Harvest Public Media's Jonathon Ahl finds out about how the ag industry is looking at ways to reduce its carbon footprint.

* WBEZ's Patrick Smith reports on a new law to prohibit police from lying to young suspects during interrogations.

* Esther Yoon Ji-Kang has details on a study about the health impacts on Black youth who have interactions with police.