Florida, DC and Georgia Lead US In New HIV Infections

WUSF Public Media: Florida Leads Nation In New HIV Cases 
The latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data shows that Florida is leading the nation in the number of new HIV infections, and has the third highest rate of infection, behind the District of Columbia and Georgia. Florida identified 4,584 new HIV diagnoses, according to the most recent data available from the federal agency’s HIV surveillance report, which collected data from 2015 to 2019. The CDC estimates that this accounts for only 86.5% of all people with HIV in Florida. (Miller, 7/22)

In other public health news —

AP: DOJ Won't Investigate How Pennsylvania Handled Nursing Homes
The Justice Department told Gov. Tom Wolf’s office on Thursday that it has decided not to open an investigation into whether Pennsylvania violated federal law by ordering nursing homes to accept residents who had been treated for COVID-19 in a hospital. The letter comes 11 months after the department told the governors of Pennsylvania, Michigan, New Jersey and New York that it wanted information to determine whether orders there “may have resulted in the deaths of thousands of elderly nursing home residents.” (Levy, 7/23)

AP: Michigan County Officials Used Federal Coronavirus Relief Money For Bonuses
Elected officials in a Michigan county gave themselves $65,000 in bonuses with federal relief money related to the coronavirus pandemic. The money, described as “hazard pay,” included $25,000 for Jeremy Root, chairman of the Shiawassee County Board of Commissioners. The mostly rural county, between Lansing and Flint, has a population of 68,000. (7/22)

The Washington Post: New York Becomes Sixth State In U.S. To Ban Child Marriages
New York on Thursday became the sixth state in the country to ban marriages involving a minor, which disproportionately involve girls being married to adult men. Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo (D) signed into a law a bill raising the age of consent to be married in the state to 18. The legislation will “further protect vulnerable children from exploitation,” he said in a statement. “Children should be allowed to live their childhood.” (Pietsch, 7/23)

Capital & Main: California Expands Access To Health Insurance For Undocumented Immigrants
California is set to become the first state to offer government-funded health insurance to low-income undocumented immigrants ages 50 and above — the latest historic expansion of safety net supports for Golden State residents no matter their citizenship status. Governor Gavin Newsom recently unveiled this year’s $263 billion state budget, which expands social services for undocumented Californians. The state is paying for the equity-boosting measures with a surplus of tax dollars from the state’s richest residents and federal aid meant to help states recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. (Albaladejo, 7/22)

Indianapolis Star: LGBTQ Protections Get Support From More Than 100 Indiana Businesses
More than 100 Indiana businesses have signed onto a letter urging Congress to pass the Equality Act, federal legislation that would extend existing civil rights laws to protect LGBTQ Americans. The letter included prominent businesses such as Eli Lilly and Co., Cummins Inc, Roche Diagnostics and Salesforce. The Indiana Chamber of Commerce and Indy Chamber both signed on, as well as other small business such as Tinker Street Restaurant and Silver in the City. (Lange, 7/22)

Oklahoman: Food Access Improves In One OKC Food Desert, Some Areas Still Struggle
When a food desert extends into a lower income area, the effects are especially devastating. These areas are deemed low income by the Department of Agriculture if they have high poverty rates or low median family incomes. Using the most recent data from the department’s food desert map and census population estimates, 119,000 residents live in food deserts in Oklahoma County, while nearly 51,000 residents live in “very low food security.” But the absence of grocery stores in close proximity can affect even more affluent communities, such as the high-end properties south of the Oklahoma River. And while residents in some food deserts have seen their fortunes improve recently, others have seen their prospects dim. (Christopher Smith, 7/23)

Houston Chronicle: Nonprofit Shines Light On Children's Skin Conditions At Richmond Premiere
Houston-area children and teens with skin conditions dressed to the nines to premiere videos they starred in that urge people to be comfortable in their own skin and better understand others. Nonprofit A Children’s House for the Soul and skincare brand CeraVe joined forces Saturday, July 17, at Star Cinema Grill in Richmond to celebrate young people with conditions like eczema, psoriasis, birthmarks and vitiligo. The event launched a campaign of teaching others about skin conditions and broadcasting how people are all made as “masterpieces.” (Maness, 7/21)

In mental health news from Georgia, Florida and New York —

11alive.com: Georgia Mother Fights Dept. Of Community Health For Help With Son 
In the past five years, 1,268 children in Georgia were abandoned or surrendered to the state due to a parent's inability to cope or the child's behavioral issues. More than half of those children were abandoned more than once, generally in relation to a mental or developmental disability. A series by 11Alive's investigative team, The Reveal, looked into the numbers, but more importantly, spoke to families who said their only option was to give up custody of their children. (Lindstrom and Basye, 7/22)

WUSF Public Media: Mental Health Events In Pinellas Promote 'Healing While Black'
This weekend, health professionals and members of the public are gathering in St. Petersburg to talk about mental wellness in the Black community. It's part of a three-day summit called Healing While Black. Black counselors, state and county health officials, and other experts trying to improve health equity in the community are leading the three-day summit. Guest speakers include Florida Deputy Secretary for Health Shamarial Roberson and Kent Butler, president of the American Counseling Association and chief equity, inclusion and diversity officer at the University of Central Florida. (Colombini, 7/22)

Bloomberg: NYC Mental Health Emergency Pilot Shows Promise As Policing Alternative
Police officers are the chief problem solvers in most American cities -- they do traffic enforcement, respond to mental health crises, watch over parks, deal with neighborhood disputes and handle violent crime. But, in the year since George Floyd’s murder, governments have been searching for ways to scale back their reliance on the force. One such experiment happening in cities across the U.S. is an attempt to replace the traditional police response to mental health crises with social workers and emergency medical services personnel. The goal of these programs, which are currently being piloted in New York City, Denver, San Francisco, Dallas, Chicago and Los Angeles, is to reduce deadly and costly interactions with police, while getting people the care they need. (Akinnibi, 7/22)