Daniel Calazans Foundation

02/04/2026

At the Daniel Calazans Foundation, our Board of Directors Medical Advisor, Dr. Kiki Chang, speaks powerfully about the critical interconnection between mental health, substance use, and underlying medical conditions that can mimic psychiatric illness.
Her message is clear and urgent:
We must advocate for comprehensive, whole-person evaluations before diagnoses are made and medications are prescribed.
Misdiagnosis doesn’t just delay care—it can cause harm. Families deserve answers that look at the full picture, not fragments. Ethical, accurate care saves lives.
This is not about assigning blame.
It’s about raising the standard of care.
If you work in healthcare, policy, education, or advocacy:
How are you helping ensure evaluations are thorough, integrated, and patient-centered—before treatment begins?

Misdiagnosis is more common than we imagine, leading to unnecessary and inadequate prescription protocols. Several studies indicate that people with substanc...

05/01/2025

🐘 Excuse me, please, allow me to bring the elephant to your Facebook reel.

The Trump administration has halted $1 billion for for , saying that the programs funded by a bipartisan law aimed at stemming gun violence in schools were no longer in "the best interest of the federal government."

☮️ While politics and mental health may not be your preferred topics, it's crucial to remember that as of April 30, 2025, the GUNVIOLENCEARCHIVE INC reported 92 mass shootings in the United States. This is not a distant issue, but a pressing one that demands our attention.

😥 A total of 154 people have been killed and 444 wounded in these incidents; this is a higher number than the days we have spent in 2025.
authorized the money in 2022 after a former student opened fire at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, killing 19 children and two teachers and injuring 17 others.

💪 The measure, known as the Safer Communities Act, broke a decades-long impasse between congressional and on addressing gun violence by focusing mainly on improving mental health support for students. This act is not just a policy, but a beacon of for our children's safety.

🫣 However, just as some mental health programs are starting, the Education Department canceled this week's funding.

❤️ What's reserved for corporate leaders without proper mental health support? In this present moment, how can we feel safe at work knowing that our child might be at risk at school?

💫 We think that bad things only happen to others, but it's time to reconsider this fantasy and understand that we are the others.

Please visit the Daniel Calazans Foundation LinkedIn page to learn more about our mental health. DCF is a family nonprofit providing grants for novel solutions for the substance use and su***de epidemic in the United States.

The New York Times

12/10/2024

Luigi Mangione, suspect in UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson's killing. What happened to someone with all the tools to make his dreams come true and become the next AI entrepreneur?

Luigi and his family played by books for his to have a successful career,. His family paid almost hundred of thousands of dollars for him to attend a prestigious college prep school in the East Coast, where he excelled in sports and academics, and was the valedictorian of his graduating class in 2016. In his graduation speech, Luigi said about the future: "coming up with new ideas and challenging the world around it."

Margione was among the 6% who got accepted at hashtag , one of the best Ivy League schools for engineering and computer sciences, which were his areas of interest.

Again, he excelled and was invited to join U Pern's chapter of Eta Kappa Nu, an academic honor society for electrical and computer engineering students. The society is selective, inviting only the top quarter of the junior class and the top third of the senior class in those majors for membership.

Luigi Margioni worked for several hashtag and was a data engineer for a California company before he got seriously sick. A severe back injury triggered depression and substance dependence on hashtag , which aggravated his depression, isolating him from family, friends, and work.

What happened to someone with all the tools to make his dreams come true and become the next AI entrepreneur? Luigi's story is a tragic one, representing the two-thirds (65%) of who reported experiencing at least one mental health problem in the past two years.

Luigi is a GenZer, a generation comprising 75% of the global workforce by 2025. There needs to be more reflection on the reality that affects most of the United States workforce from a realistic perspective, instead of perishable conclusions.

The is a family non-profit organization focused on the interconnection between mental health, substance use, and psychiatric conditions that mimic symptoms of psychiatric illnesses. DCF raises awareness and funds for novel treatments for mental health using VR and AI.

12/04/2024

Collective mourning is a common practice in Eastern cultures, where entire communities come together to grieve the loss of a member. Rituals and ceremonies, deeply rooted in these cultures, play a significant role in the grieving process.
In the United States, the topic of death is often a difficult one, particularly when it comes to offering support to bereaved families, especially in the case of a child's death.
The fear of the tragedy is so profound that it can lead to a reluctance to offer support or to set a time limit on support for bereaved parents or siblings.
Witnessing and offering emotional support to a bearaved family is not being exposed to a contagious condition.
Instead, it's an opportunity to serve and learn about the only inevitable life event.

12/03/2024

Daniel's mother, had a question haunting her since August 6, 2020: Where is Daniel? After creating the , she learned that all others had the same doubt, not matter their religion or education background.
She has sought answers from a diverse range of sources, including native Indigenous leaders in the Amazon, Hindu gurus, Priests, Bishops, and Shamans.
The religious and spiritual answers have been similar:
"Daniel is with God."
"Daniel is with his Ancestors."
"Daniel is with God."
"Daniel is part of the Universe".
Those answers seem far removed from how she and other bereaved mothers felt about the absence of physical presence. Patricia can feel her son embedded in my physical and emotional systems.
With the spiritual answers providing some solace but not complete understanding, Patricia felt it was time to seek a different perspective. It was time to ask scientists the question.
The scientists she turned to for answers all responded the same way: Daniel no longer exists, a conclusion that makes no sense to me.
Despite what the scientists have told her, Patricia and other bereaved families have experienced signs that suggest that consciousness, or whatever you want to call it, continues.
Patricia Calazans with Bush at a conference. Dr. Bush is a physician specializing in internal medicine, endocrinology, and hospice care. He has over 600k and, according to his bio, Applies the rigor of science, the strength of humanity, and the intelligence of nature to transform our world.
Here's what Zach told her when she asked: Where is Daniel?

12/03/2024

Daniel's mother, had a question haunting her since August 6, 2020: Where is Daniel? After creating the , she learned that all others had the same doubt, not matter their religion or education background.
She has sought answers from a diverse range of sources, including native Indigenous leaders in the Amazon, Hindu gurus, Priests, Bishops, and Shamans.
The religious and spiritual answers have been similar:
"Daniel is with God."
"Daniel is with his Ancestors."
"Daniel is with God."
"Daniel is part of the Universe".
Those answers seem far removed from how she and other bereaved mothers felt about the absence of physical presence. Patricia can feel her son embedded in my physical and emotional systems.
With the spiritual answers providing some solace but not complete understanding, Patricia felt it was time to seek a different perspective. It was time to ask scientists the question.
The scientists she turned to for answers all responded the same way: Daniel no longer exists, a conclusion that makes no sense to me.
Despite what the scientists have told her, Patricia and other bereaved families have experienced signs that suggest that consciousness, or whatever you want to call it, continues.
Patricia Calazans with Bush at a conference. Dr. Bush is a physician specializing in internal medicine, endocrinology, and hospice care.
Here's what Zach told her when she asked:
Where is Daniel?

09/12/2024

Both failed that Tuesday night comedy show. None of them addressed the most critical topics that destroyed this Nation and would destroy any other country, rich or poor.

What's the point of dedicating most of the debate to the "character and fitness" of or when life expectancy in the United States is declining?

According to December data from the , U.S. life expectancy has declined to 76.4 years, according to a study conducted last year by .

in America are dying at higher rates than their counterparts in other high-income countries due to opioids, prescription medication, and su***de. The U.S. also has among the highest maternal and infant mortality rates among upper-income countries, says the same study.

We should expect candidates running for commander in chief of the most powerful Nation in the world to address the most urgent topics that affect American citizens:
1. for all.
2. are available for low-income citizens to afford a college education.
3. for , especially -based organizations.

It will be impossible to create a strong economy, abortion, and foreign policy if our young adults, teenagers, and children are dying at unprecedented rates in. history.

08/27/2024

Three in four Gen Z Americans are putting the blame on social media for having a negative impact on their mental health.

The data by Talker Research offers compelling insights into the digital habits and emotional responses of 2,000 Gen Z social media users. In a startling revelation, 20% of Gen Zers cite Instagram and TikTok as detrimental to their well-being, followed by Facebook at 13%.

Despite these concerns, social media remains an integral part of Gen Z’s daily life. The average user spends a whopping five-and-a-half hours per day on social media apps, with 45% believing they outpace their friends in usage time. Boredom (66%), seeking laughter (59%), staying informed (49%), and keeping tabs on friends (44%) are the primary motivators for their online engagement.