Vermonters Exposed To Toxic Substances Can Sue For Medical Expenses

AP: VT Governor Signs Bill For Toxic Exposure Medical Monitoring
Vermont Gov. Phil Scott signed a bill into law Thursday that will allow people exposed to toxic substances to sue the culpable facility for medical testing or procedures to monitor for diseases from the exposure. The governor’s bill signing came three days after U.S. District Court Judge Geoffrey Crawford gave final approval to a $34 million settlement in a class-action lawsuit against a plastics company over toxic chemical contamination of soil and groundwater in the Bennington area. (Rathke, 4/21)

In other health news from across the U.S. —

Fox News: Maine Resident Dies From Rare Tick Virus
A person in eastern Maine has died from a rare virus spread by an infected tick. The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday that the person from Waldo County contracted the Powassan virus. They developed neurologic symptoms and died while in the hospital. The person likely became infected in Maine, the agency said. Maine has identified 14 cases of the Powassan virus since 2010. Cases of the virus are rare in the U.S., with about 25 cases reported each year since 2015. (Musto, 4/21)

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Norovirus Case Linked To Waukesha North Prom That Left Students Sick
While it says it is still investigating what caused some Waukesha North High School students to become ill after attending prom earlier this month, the Waukesha County Health Department has said one of the ill attendees has norovirus. The department said in an emailed statement that it has not identified a potential source or cause of the illness. According to an April 13 letter from Waukesha North principal Kristin Higgins, the school's administration received more than a dozen reports of students experiencing gastrointestinal issues such as vomiting and diarrhea following prom. The school held its prom on April 9 at the Brookfield Conference Center. (Johnson, 4/21)

AP: Judge Blocks Montana's Transgender Birth Certificate Law 
A Montana judge on Thursday temporarily blocked enforcement of a law that required transgender people to have undergone a “surgical procedure” before being allowed to change their sex on their birth certificates. The law was part of a growing list of Republican-controlled states including Alabama that have moved to restrict transgender rights as they gain more visibility in culture and society. (Hanson, 4/21)

AP: EXPLAINER: What Medical Treatments Do Transgender Youth Get? 
Transgender medical treatment for children and teens is increasingly under attack in many states, labeled child abuse and subject to criminalizing bans. But it has been available in the United States for more than a decade and is endorsed by major medical associations. Many clinics use treatment plans pioneered in Amsterdam 30 years ago, according to a recent review in the British Psych Bulletin. Since 2005, the number of youth referred to gender clinics has increased as much as tenfold in the U.S., U.K, Canada and Finland, the review said. (Tanner, 4/21)

Oklahoman: How Oklahoma Is Preparing For 988, The Number For Mental Health Crises
With a crisis call center vendor selected, Oklahoma is preparing for the July launch of 988, a new national three-digit phone number for people to call in a mental health crisis. The state Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services Department announced last week that it has selected Arizona-based Solari Crisis and Human Services to operate Oklahoma’s 988 call center. The state’s mental health commissioner wants 988 to address and de-escalate mental health crises in the moment, but also to serve as an entry point to connect with other mental health resources. Depending on a person’s needs, that could look like dispatching a mobile crisis team or setting a follow-up appointment with a local treatment provider. (Branham, 4/21)

San Francisco Chronicle: S.F. Police Responding To Fewer Mental-Health Calls, But Officials Call For Quicker Action
San Francisco’s efforts to reduce the number of mental health-related calls handled by police have shown progress but need to be accelerated, according to a new city report and the supervisor who has spearheaded the program. The report released this week showed that while new teams of mental health professionals have increased the percentage of calls they responded to about people in crisis, and police have reduced their portion of those calls, officers are still involved in a “significant” number. (Moench, 4/21)