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SD public defense duties shift from counties to state; SCOTUS appears skeptical of restricting government communications with social media companies; Trump lawyers say he can't make bond; new scholarships aim to connect class of 2024 to high-demand jobs.

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The SCOTUS weighs government influence on social media, and who groups like the NRA can do business with. Biden signs an executive order to advance women's health research and the White House tells Israel it's responsible for the Gaza humanitarian crisis.

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Midwest regenerative farmers are rethinking chicken production, Medicare Advantage is squeezing the finances of rural hospitals and California's extreme swing from floods to drought has some thinking it's time to turn rural farm parcels into floodplains.

“Shark Tank” Battle to Bring Health Care to Low-Income Neighborhoods

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Monday, October 14, 2019   

ARLINGTON, Va. — A unique competition is being held this week for healthcare entrepreneurs with ideas for getting underserved communities better health solutions. This Thursday, October 17, nine business leaders will compete for thousands of dollars of EmPOWERED To Serve Business Accelerator grants from the American Heart Association.

One competitor, Andrew Suggs, is CEO of the Baltimore company Live Chair. They developed and support an app that aims to improve the health of African-American men by training their trusted barbers to check clients for common ailments.

"Initially, Live Chair is targeting hypertension, but in the future we plan to tackle other chronic diseases like diabetes, CVD or COPD,” Suggs said. “Our mission is to transform the barber shop into the hub of health for black men."

The event will begin at 6:30 Thursday evening at the National Museum of African American Culture and History in Washington, D.C. Anyone can view the competition online at empoweredtoserve.org, and can participate by voting for their fan favorite.

Other businesses in the competition include a company making a wearable device to help people manage their diabetes and a grocery store located within a subsidized housing complex - the first in the nation. Rhonda Ford-Chatmon, vice president of volunteers with the American Heart Association, said the goal is to promote innovators developing wellness programs that tackle challenging problems in low-income neighborhoods.

"What we've seen is the people in the communities know what they need to do to solve their issues. We just need to help them get the resources they need to do so,” Ford-Chatmon said.

Studies show health is a major concern in many low-income neighborhoods that lack easy access to health care and wellness programs. According to a 2015 Urban Institute report, low-income adults in the U.S. have higher rates of heart disease, diabetes, stroke and other chronic disorders than wealthier Americans.

Disclosure: American Heart Association Mid Atlantic Affiliate contributes to our fund for reporting on Health Issues, Hunger/Food/Nutrition, Poverty Issues, Smoking Prevention. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.


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