Calif. Teachers May Out Kids To Family, Judge Says; Appeals Court Delays Order
“California public schools ... are not First Amendment-free zones,” U.S. District Judge Roger Benitez wrote in his ruling. “Religious teachers face an unlawful choice between sacrificing their faith and sacrificing their teaching position.” The state appealed the decision the day it was issued. Other news from around the nation comes from Pennsylvania, Michigan, Maryland, and Connecticut.
Los Angeles Times:
Teachers Have A Right To Tell Parents If Their Child Might Be LGBTQ+, Federal Judge Rules
School workers can alert parents if their child has questions about gender, but officials can't order staff to alert parents. It's a confusing new legal landscape. (Blume, 1/5)
In nursing home news —
AP:
Victims Of Pennsylvania Nursing Home Blast File Negligence Lawsuit
Four people hurt when an explosion ripped through a Pennsylvania nursing home two weeks ago sued the facility and a natural gas utility on Monday, claiming their negligence was to blame. Two workers at Bristol Health & Rehab Center LLC, a resident of the suburban Philadelphia facility and a contractor who happened to be there when the blast occurred on Dec. 23 filed the lawsuit. ... The lawsuit filed in Philadelphia court claims the defendants “were aware of a gas leak in the building and failed to take the steps necessary to evacuate the building, fix the leak and protect the residents, workers and others that were exposed to the horrific blast.” (Scolforo, 1/5)
AP:
Abuse, Neglect Common In Michigan Nursing Homes -- And No One Is Coming To Help
The plea was desperate: Help! Lorena Brown gasped for air on Sept. 12, 2022, turning blue, at the SKLD Muskegon nursing home. ... The former foster parent and cosmetologist is one of nearly three dozen residents to die of suspected neglect or abuse at Michigan nursing homes in the past four years, according to a Bridge Michigan review of more than 3,100 state and federal inspection records and court documents. ... In all, homes have been fined $21.5 million over the past three years and been denied a total of 6,451 days of Medicaid reimbursements. (Erb and Schuster, 1/5)
More health news from across the U.S. —
The Baltimore Sun:
Health Care Advocates, Officials Plan Campaign To Boost 'Easy Enrollment'
With Maryland residents facing increased health insurance costs and many outright cancelling their coverage, state officials and health advocates hope that promoting an existing program will help ease the burden. Maryland officials and health care advocates announced on Monday a $100,000 media advocacy campaign for the state’s Easy Enrollment health insurance program, betting that increased awareness will lead to broader coverage. (Mause, 1/5)
KFF Health News:
On The Hook For Uninsured Residents, Counties Now Wonder How They’ll Pay
In 2013, before the Affordable Care Act helped millions get health insurance, California’s Placer County provided limited health care to some 3,400 uninsured residents who couldn’t afford to see a doctor. For several years, that number has been zero in the predominantly white, largely rural county stretching from Sacramento’s eastern suburbs to the shores of Lake Tahoe.The trend could be short-lived. (Mai-Duc and Boyd-Barrett, 1/6)
The CT Mirror:
After Years Of Delays, DSS Call Center Wait Times Show Improvement
For years, Connecticut residents who receive benefits through the Department of Social Services have dealt with arduous wait times whenever they need support from the agency’s call centers. Bobby Berriault, who receives SNAP food assistance and Medicaid benefits, said he spent nearly two hours on hold one day in October trying to resolve a billing issue. (Golvala, 1/5)
AP:
Detroit Joins Michigan Program That Gives Cash To Expectant Moms
A program that provides cash to help expectant mothers cope with bills, expenses and the high cost of taking care of children is coming to Detroit. Democratic Mayor Mary Sheffield announced Monday that Michigan State University’s Rx Kids program is expected to open in the city within the first 100 days of her taking office. Sheffield was elected in November and was installed last week as Detroit’s first female mayor. The program gives a one-time allocation of $1,500 to expectant mothers during pregnancy. That’s followed by $500 per month throughout the child’s first six months after birth. (Williams, 1/5)
In case you missed it: A deep dive on California's water pollution crisis —
inewsource:
HOME SICK: Chronic Illness And Longing Define Life In The Tijuana River Valley
Inewsource interviewed 100 people in San Diego’s South Bay communities about how pollution from sewage spills is making some people sick. (Salata, 12/19)
inewsource:
HOME SICK: Tijuana River Stewards Say Cure For Pollution Crisis Lies Beyond Borders
Many environmental advocates from the U.S., Mexico and Kumeyaay nations are taking their own approaches to rehabilitating the river valley. (Salata, 12/19)
inewsource:
HOME SICK: Rancher Shares How Pollution In Tijuana River Changed His Life
Gabriel Uribe lived and worked in the valley for decades, but the stench from the river pushed him to live elsewhere. (Salata and Martinez Jr., 12/30)
