Wisconsin Supreme Court Weighs Clash Over Conversion Therapy For LGBTQ+
Justices are examining whether a GOP-led legislative panel overreached its authority when it blocked the ban that forbids professionals from counseling people to try to change their sexual orientation or gender identity. More news comes from Massachusetts, New York, Colorado, and elsewhere.
AP:
Battle Over 'Conversion Therapy' Ban, Separation Of Powers Before Wisconsin Supreme Court
The Wisconsin Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments Thursday over whether a Republican-controlled legislative committee’s rejection of a state agency rule that would ban the practice of “conversion therapy” for LGBTQ+ people was unconstitutional. The challenge comes amid the national battle over LGBTQ+ rights. It is also part of a broader effort by the Democratic governor, who has vetoed Republican bills targeting transgender high school athletes, to rein in the power of the GOP-controlled Legislature. (Bauer, 1/16)
CBS News:
Boston City Councilor Introduces "Sugar Tax" At Wednesday Hearing
It could cost you more to get a soda soon. The Boston City Council is proposing a tax on sugary drinks, saying the money on unhealthy beverages can be put to good use. City Councilor Sharon Durkan brought the idea before the Boston City Council on Wednesday to start the conversation about what rates would look like. (Hall, 1/15)
Modern Healthcare:
Becton Dickinson To Invest $30M In Utah Facility
Becton, Dickinson & Co. is investing more than $30 million to boost its U.S. manufacturing of intravenous catheters. The additional production lines at its plant in Sandy, Utah, follows previous investments of more than $12 million in its U.S. manufacturing network to increase its supply of syringes, needles and intravenous catheters. (Dubinsky, 1/15)
CBS News:
DEP Urges All Pennsylvanians To Test Their Homes For Radon This January
"Pennsylvania is probably the most radon-prone state in the country...We have results at least 25 times the EPA guideline of every county and some much more than others," said Bob Lewis, the radon program manager for the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection's Bureau of Radiation Protection. According to the American Lung Association, about 40 percent of Pennsylvania homes are believed to have radon levels, specifically above the EPA action level of 4 picocuries per liter (PCI/L). (Guay, 1/15)
KFF Health News:
Childhood Vaccination Rates, A Rare Health Bright Spot In Struggling States, Are Slipping
Jen Fisher can do only so much to keep her son safe from the types of infections that children can encounter at school. The rest, she said, is up to other students and parents in their hometown of Franklin, Tennessee. Fisher’s son Raleigh, 12, lives with a congenital heart condition, which has left him with a weakened immune system. For his protection, Raleigh has received all the recommended vaccines for a child his age. But even with his vaccinations, a virus that might only sideline another child could sicken him and land him in the emergency room, Fisher said. (Chang and Whitehead, 1/16)
In mental health news from across the U.S. —
CBS News:
New $650 Million Plan To Address NYC's Mentally Ill Homeless Unveiled By Mayor Eric Adams
Mayor Eric Adams announced a new plan Wednesday to help address the issue of homeless people with mental illness. He revealed details of a $650 million plan that he first previewed during his State of the City address last week. (Gainer, 1/15)
The Baltimore Sun:
Another Head Of Troubled Maryland Psychiatric Hospital Resigns
The acting head of Maryland’s main state-run mental hospital resigned last week, according to an internal memo obtained by The Baltimore Sun, months after his predecessor’s ousting and at the conclusion of an independent evaluation of the psychiatric facility’s leadership. (Belson, 1/15)
The Colorado Sun:
Colorado’s Eating Disorder Treatment Expands As Patients Get Sicker
Clinics that treat eating disorders are evolving, nationally and in Colorado, to deal with yet another disturbing result of the pandemic — people with anorexia or bulimia are now far sicker by the time they seek help. (Brown, 1/15)
CBS News:
More Than 1,000 Teens Gather In Arlington To Learn Suicide Prevention Strategies
More than 1,000 teens gathered Wednesday to learn to recognize the signs of suicide and strategies that could help save a life. The gathering came at a time when suicide is the second-leading cause of death among young people ages 10 to 24 in Texas, according to the Suicide and Crisis Center of North Texas. (Evans, 1/15)
If you need help —
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