Health Issues / Public News Service

Experts from the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities estimate up to 15 million people could lose Medicaid coverage when states review eligibility once the public health emergency ends. (Adobe Stock)

Friday, May 20, 2022

Report: States Need to Prepare for Medicaid Eligibility Review

A new report urges states to take steps to minimize Medicaid coverage loss when the state of emergency for the pandemic comes to an end. COVID …

The fatality rate for Black bike riders is 30% higher than for white bike riders, according to the League of American Bicyclists. (Adobe Stock)

Friday, May 20, 2022

Bike to Work Day: Cycling Not Just for Recreation

Today is National Bike to Work Day, and while it may sound "easier said than done," it may not be as daunting as you think. Enthusiasts said the …

In Missouri, no health insurance -- not even private policies -- can be used for abortions. Vice President Kamala Harris joined providers Thursday to discuss the next steps. (The White House)

Friday, May 20, 2022

VP Harris Joins Abortion Providers in MO to Discuss Action Plan

Vice President Kamala Harris met with abortion providers from Missouri and other restrictive states Thursday to consider ways the Biden administration…

Gwen Goodfellow is an at-home caregiver in Washington state who used hazard pay to do safer shopping for the people she cares for. (Gwen Goodfellow)

Thursday, May 19, 2022

Inflation Eroding WA Caregivers' Gains in Pandemic Hazard Pay

At the start of the pandemic, at-home caregivers in Washington state saw their wages go up with a boost from hazard pay. Two years later, inflation …

In 2020, Connecticut had 219 firearm deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Adobe Stock)

Thursday, May 19, 2022

Hartford Launches Hospital-Based Gun-Violence Intervention Program

With firearm deaths in Connecticut and across the country on the rise, a new initiative in Hartford aims to interrupt gun violence through a …

Beyond school counselors, parents and private providers, mental-health advocates urge faith-based and other community groups to provide safe spaces for kids dealing with stress and anxiety. (Adobe Stock)

Thursday, May 19, 2022

IA Mental Health Voices: The Kids Aren't All Right

As the school year winds down, education leaders are shedding light on increased mental-health demands among students, including thoughts of suicide…

If you use powdered infant formula, be aware certain Similac, Alimentum and EleCare products have been recalled and should not be used, the FDA warns. (Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, May 18, 2022

AR Social Worker Creates Resource for Finding Baby Formula Amid Shortage

The baby-formula shortage has hit families in Arkansas hard, and one Little Rock resident aims to alleviate the stress on parents by creating an …

In 2019, five Texas cities were ranked among the 20 worst connected in the United States, according to the National Digital Inclusion Alliance. (pasja1000/Pixabay)

Wednesday, May 18, 2022

Texas Broadband Expansion Plan to Debut Mid-June

An official plan to expand broadband in Texas is due out June 15, after state officials traveled near and far to collect public comments on internet …

So far, a ballot signature campaign led by Christa Eggers to legalize medical cannabis has reached Nebraska's 5%-of-voters threshold in four of the required 38 counties. (Rebecca Gratz)

Tuesday, May 17, 2022

Ballot Initiative Requirements Challenged as Unconstitutional

The American Civil Liberties Union of Nebraska has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit challenging Nebraska's requirements for voter-led initiatives …

Philadelphia lawmakers present a check for $1 million to Tracy Wood, executive director of Black Doctors Consortium. (Screenshot via Facebook Live)

Tuesday, May 17, 2022

Philadelphia Lawmakers Secure $13.8M for Health Equity

The gaps in the U.S. health care system were exposed during the COVID-19 pandemic, with racial health inequities laid bare. On Monday, Philadelphia …

Experts estimate that 1,000 children are born with hearing loss in California each year. (Michael Khachadoorian/Be Kind Studios)

Tuesday, May 17, 2022

Advocates Press CA Lawmakers to Better Fund Kids' Hearing-Aid Program

Groups fighting for children's rights say they are disappointed Gov. Gavin Newsom's May budget revision did not include more money for the Hearing …

Activities like hikes can help improve Idaho kids' mental health. (Brocreative/Adobe Stock)

HOPE Week Promotes Positive Experiences for Kids' Mental Health

May is mental health awareness month. As part of that, groups in Idaho are using HOPE Week to help kids in crisis and reduce the state's worrying …

U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz., addresses an Earth Day rally at the Arizona State Capitol. (EDF/Adriana Zehbrauskas, Moms Clean Air Force)

Monday, May 16, 2022

Environmental Groups Want Earth Day Message Heard Year-Round

Since its inception, Earth Day has been an occasion to advocate for a cleaner planet - but in 2022, climate change is bringing a higher level of …

Vaccinated pregnant women are less likely to experience still- or pre-term births than those that have not received the COVID-19 vaccine, according to the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky. (Adobe Stock)

KY Mothers-to-Be Urged to Get Vaccinated Against COVID

While many Americans have resumed normal lives after the past two years, the COVID pandemic has not gone away, especially if you have a pre-existing …

The use of peripheral catheters in patients with late-stage kidney disease costs more than $14,000 per incidence and has a high risk of actually harming patients. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, May 16, 2022

Report: Use of Low-Value Health Services High Even During Pandemic

During the first year of the global pandemic, medical consumers in Colorado received more than one million low-value healthcare services - diagnostic …

Thursday's march fell on the birthday of Florence Nightingale, who is widely considered to be the founder of modern nursing. (Adobe Stock)

WI Nurses Rally for Fairer Wages, Safe Staffing Ratios

Nurses from across Wisconsin converged on the state Capitol building Thursday, as part of a rally demanding fairer wages and safer staffing ratios as …

As of early May, the nationwide out-of-stock percentage for baby formula is 43%. (Adobe Stock)

Dos and Don'ts for SD Parents in Baby-Formula Shortage

South Dakota is among the states hardest hit by the lack of baby formula in stores. There is debate about the underlying factors, but one health …

According to the Pew Research Center, about 56% of Illinois residents believe abortion should be legal. (Adobe Stock)

Planned Parenthood of Illinois Braces for Potential Surge in Patients

As the future of abortion access is in limbo, Planned Parenthood of Illinois is preparing for a potential surge in patients from surrounding states…

In a recent survey, 69% of Minnesota nursing homes and 29% of assisted living locations placed limits on new admissions because of staffing shortages. (Adobe Stock)

MN LTC Workers: Hero Checks Help, But More Support Needed

Minnesota officials announced this week that frontline workers can likely start applying for hero checks sometime in June. As those plans take shape…

Baby formula out-of-stock rates jumped from 30% to 40% over the course of April. (279photo/Adobe Stock)

Baby Formula Shortage Hits Low-Income, Rural Communities Hard

The baby-formula shortage is hitting Michigan families hard, especially those who live in rural areas, are low-income or have kids with digestive or …

Under new surprise billing protections, patients will be able to request an independent external review of a health-care coverage decision to deny care. (Adobe Stock)

Surprise Medical Billing Protections Clear Legislature

Coloradans will have more protections against so-called surprise medical bills after the General Assembly passed House Bill 1284. Adam Fox…

Seven in 10 parents say their kids have interacted with a smartphone before age 11. (dubova/Adobe Stock)

MI Educator: Engage With Your Kids' Social Media Use

During Mental Health Awareness Month, experts, parents and health professionals are spotlighting the effects of screens and social media on young …

Jay Formick and his nursing colleagues called on people to join in a march through Oregon City today. (Jay Formick)

OR Nurses Fight for Union Contracts During National Nurses Week

It is National Nurses Week, and nurses in Oregon are celebrating with a call to complete contract negotiations. Nurses at Providence Willamette …

According to the Guttmacher Institute, 26 states are certain or likely to ban abortion if the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision in the case Roe v. Wade is overturned. (Adobe Stock)

CT Gov Signs Law Protecting Medical Providers, Patients Seeking Abortion Care

Gov. Ned Lamont and Connecticut lawmakers held a ceremonial bill signing Tuesday for a new law protecting doctors who provide and patients who seek …

Most polls show a majority of Americans think Roe v. Wade should remain in place. (Steve Rhodes/Flickr)

NY to Allocate $35 Million to Abortion Providers

Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Tuesday a new state fund for supporting abortion providers, in anticipation of the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v…

The Journal of the American Medical Association says trans youths with access to gender-affirming care are 60% less likely to have moderate to severe depression and are 73% less suicidal. (MaryBettiniBlank/Pixabay)

States Form Coalition to Counter Anti-LGBTQ Bills

New Mexico and 18 other states have announced plans to introduce legislation they say will be needed to protect transgender kids from civil and crimin…

Staff prepare to vaccinate North Carolina residents at a pop-up clinic run by the Farm Labor Organizing Committee, AFL-CIO. (Christiana Wagner/FLOC)

Mobile COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic Gears Up for Influx of NC Migrant Workers

An all-volunteer vaccine clinic run by a farmworkers' union says it's expecting an increase in demand from seasonal migrant workers who want to be vac…

Clinics in neighboring states saw an almost 800% increase in patients after Texas in 2021 banned almost all abortions after six weeks, according to Planned Parenthood. (FerencVarga/Pixabay)

Roe v. Wade: What Happens Next in Texas?

Texas took the lead among Republican states last September in making abortion illegal once a fetal heartbeat can be detected. Now, some fear the …

Participants in the Little Scandinavia program at SCI Chester will be chosen through a lottery system with the goal of creating a population that reflects the greater prison population. (Commonwealth Media Services)

PA's 'Little Scandinavia' Prison Unit to Focus on Rehabilitation

The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections has officially launched "Little Scandinavia," a unit in a state prison to focus on rehabilitation and reint…

Missouri has just one abortion clinic because of restrictions that providers see as cumbersome. (Wikimedia Commons)

MO Pro-Choice Groups Prepare to Help Patients Get Out- of-State Care

Reproductive-rights advocates in Missouri are preparing for a future without Roe v. Wade, the 1973 landmark Supreme Court decision guaranteeing the …

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in New Mexico includes one in four children being at risk of hunger, and one in six people overall. (hfcc.edu)

Letter Carriers 'Stamp Out Hunger' Campaign Returns After COVID Hiatus

Mail carriers across New Mexico are gearing-up for the "2022 Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive" this Saturday, May 14. The National Association of Letter …

<a href= — Ohio teens are 4% less likely to have used drugs in the past month than the average teen in the United States. (Prevention Action Alliance)

Ohio Youth Council: Drug, Alcohol Use is Not the Norm

Hundreds of Ohio teens join together today to bust myths about teenage substance use. The "We Are The Majority" rally promotes the fact that most …

Assuming the Supreme Court's leaked ruling overturning Roe v. Wade becomes effective this year, five decades of what many thought was "settled law" will be cast aside. (DavidMark/Pixabay)

NM Activists Want "Sanctuary" Laws for Abortion Providers

Pro-choice activists want New Mexico to follow the lead of Connecticut in providing a safe haven for abortion providers after last week's leaked draft…

Close to half of the students who responded to <a href= — Close to half of the students who responded to the Pennsylvania Youth Survey in 2021 said during the pandemic, they "played more online games with others" than they usually do. (Adobe Stock)

Parents, Advocates Voice Concerns about Social-Media Impact on Youth

It's no secret that the last two years of the pandemic have taken a toll on young people's mental health. During this Mental Health Awareness Month…

Tech Insider, Health Experts Call Social Media Growing Threat to Kids

Last year, a whistleblower lifted the curtain on how Facebook and its sister companies impact children's mental health. Now, alongside teachers and …

The firm that conducted the statewide poll in March, showing a majority of Minnesotans want to keep abortion legal, said it aligns with national poll results. (Adobe Stock)

New Poll: Most Minnesotans Want Abortion Protections

As rhetoric grows about the future of federal abortion protections, new poll results show a majority of Minnesotans don't want the state to impose a …

Hunger Action Los Angeles volunteers pack food bags for seniors impacted by the pandemic. (Frank Tamborello)

For Hunger Action Week, Advocates Press for More Funding

It's Hunger Action Week, and activists are asking lawmakers to use California's wealth for the people's health - and harness the budget surplus to …

A 2020 survey found 81% of older Connecticut residents say if they ever need long-term care, they'd prefer to receive that care at home. (Adobe Stock)

New State Budget Helps CT's Older Residents Age at Home

The Connecticut General Assembly has passed a $24 billion state budget this week, which now awaits Gov. Ned Lamont's signature. It includes multiple …

The Blessing Health System provides coverage for about 100,000 people across three states. (Adobe Stock)

Program Delivers Health-Care at Home for Rural Patients

By Liz Carey for The Daily Yonder.Broadcast version by Jonah Chester for Illinois News Connection reporting for The Daily Yonder-Public News Service C…

COVID-19 deaths were reported at 65 meatpacking plants in the first year of the pandemic. (U.S. Dept. of Labor)

Study: OSHA Investigated 30% of Meatpackers' COVID Outbreaks

By Sky Chadde for The Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting via The Daily Yonder.Broadcast version by Lily Bolhke for Missouri News Service/i> T…

A leak of thousands of internal documents to journalists in 2021, detailing how social media giant Facebook handled everything from the January 6th insurrection to mental health issues among young women and girls. (Adobe Stock)

Facebook Whistleblower, Health Experts Discuss Social Media's Impact on Kids

Last year, a whistleblower at Facebook lifted the curtain on how the platform, and its sister companies, impact young kids' mental health. Frances …

Gov. Tom Wolf, lawmakers and reproductive-rights advocates gathered at Independence Mall in Philadelphia Wednesday in the wake of the leaked Supreme Court draft opinion overturning Roe v. Wade. (Commonwealth Media Services)

PA Officials, Advocates Rally for Abortion Access After Leaked SCOTUS Draft

Advocates from Planned Parenthood Pennsylvania and state officials gathered in Philadelphia Wednesday to stand firm on protecting abortion access…

The nonprofit Save the Children says rural poverty in America is an emergency, noting almost 12 million children live in poverty, a burden disproportionately affecting Black and Hispanic kids, as well as those living in rural areas. (Adobe Stock)

In TN, Mental-Health Issues Increase Child Anxiety

Marking Mental Health Awareness Month, advocates contended more outreach and services are needed to help Tennessee mothers with postpartum depression…

School-based health centers have been shown to help reduce absenteeism. (Adobe Stock)

A Whole-Person Approach to Kids' Health Just Outside the Classroom

There is a strong connection between health and academic success, and some districts in Ohio are bringing wellness services into schools to meet kids …

A child reads during one of Save the Children's after-school programs in Central Valley California. (Tamar Levine/Save the Children)

Literacy Programs Work to Mitigate Learning Loss from Pandemic Disruption

Literacy programs are making headway against the learning loss associated with pandemic school disruptions, which put many students four to five …

Nearly 70% of voters who identify as Independents oppose overturning the decision in Roe v. Wade, according to a January poll by Marquette University Law School. (JP Photography/Adobe Stock)

Groups: MA Should Protect Abortion Patients, Providers From Other States

Groups are calling on Massachusetts to pass legislation protecting patients and providers from other states' restrictive abortion laws in the event th…

With low back pain as a driver of opioid prescriptions in the United States, health experts recommend avoiding these medications as the initial treatment for pain sufferers. (New Dimensions Chiropractic Center)

Health Experts: Mind Your Back When Working From Home

When working from home, you might be tempted to work from the bed, couch or anyplace which may inadvertently lead to slouching or looking down at a …

Reproductive Freedom Defense Act Heads to CT Governor's Desk

Connecticut lawmakers, state officials and pro-choice advocates gathered at the state Capitol on Tuesday, one day after a leaked draft opinion …

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Health

Report: States Need to Prepare for Medicaid Eligibility Review

Bike to Work Day: Cycling Not Just for Recreation

VP Harris Joins Abortion Providers in MO to Discuss Action Plan

Inflation Eroding WA Caregivers' Gains in Pandemic Hazard Pay

Hartford Launches Hospital-Based Gun-Violence Intervention Program

IA Mental Health Voices: The Kids Aren't All Right

AR Social Worker Creates Resource for Finding Baby Formula Amid Shortage

Texas Broadband Expansion Plan to Debut Mid-June

Ballot Initiative Requirements Challenged as Unconstitutional

Philadelphia Lawmakers Secure $13.8M for Health Equity

Advocates Press CA Lawmakers to Better Fund Kids' Hearing-Aid Program

HOPE Week Promotes Positive Experiences for Kids' Mental Health

Environmental Groups Want Earth Day Message Heard Year-Round

KY Mothers-to-Be Urged to Get Vaccinated Against COVID

Report: Use of Low-Value Health Services High Even During Pandemic

WI Nurses Rally for Fairer Wages, Safe Staffing Ratios

Dos and Don'ts for SD Parents in Baby-Formula Shortage

Planned Parenthood of Illinois Braces for Potential Surge in Patients

MN LTC Workers: Hero Checks Help, But More Support Needed

Baby Formula Shortage Hits Low-Income, Rural Communities Hard

Surprise Medical Billing Protections Clear Legislature

MI Educator: Engage With Your Kids' Social Media Use

OR Nurses Fight for Union Contracts During National Nurses Week

CT Gov Signs Law Protecting Medical Providers, Patients Seeking Abortion Care

NY to Allocate $35 Million to Abortion Providers

States Form Coalition to Counter Anti-LGBTQ Bills

Mobile COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic Gears Up for Influx of NC Migrant Workers

Roe v. Wade: What Happens Next in Texas?

PA's 'Little Scandinavia' Prison Unit to Focus on Rehabilitation

MO Pro-Choice Groups Prepare to Help Patients Get Out- of-State Care

Letter Carriers 'Stamp Out Hunger' Campaign Returns After COVID Hiatus

Ohio Youth Council: Drug, Alcohol Use is Not the Norm

NM Activists Want "Sanctuary" Laws for Abortion Providers

Parents, Advocates Voice Concerns about Social-Media Impact on Youth

Tech Insider, Health Experts Call Social Media Growing Threat to Kids

New Poll: Most Minnesotans Want Abortion Protections

For Hunger Action Week, Advocates Press for More Funding

New State Budget Helps CT's Older Residents Age at Home

Program Delivers Health-Care at Home for Rural Patients

Study: OSHA Investigated 30% of Meatpackers' COVID Outbreaks

Facebook Whistleblower, Health Experts Discuss Social Media's Impact on Kids

PA Officials, Advocates Rally for Abortion Access After Leaked SCOTUS Draft

In TN, Mental-Health Issues Increase Child Anxiety

A Whole-Person Approach to Kids' Health Just Outside the Classroom

Literacy Programs Work to Mitigate Learning Loss from Pandemic Disruption

Groups: MA Should Protect Abortion Patients, Providers From Other States

Health Experts: Mind Your Back When Working From Home

Reproductive Freedom Defense Act Heads to CT Governor's Desk