Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
California's Plan For Housing People With Mental Illnesses Unveiled
San Francisco Chronicle: Gavin Newsom Unveils Plan For California To House The Mentally Ill
Gov. Gavin Newsom unveiled his plan on Tuesday to build housing for people with mental illness and addiction using $4.68 billion in new bond funding and some existing revenue from the state’s mental health services tax. (Bollag, 6/20)
The New York Times: Federal Policy On Homelessness Becomes New Target Of The Right
The bipartisan approach that has dominated federal homelessness policy for more than two decades is under growing conservative attack. The policy directs billions of dollars to programs that provide homeless people with permanent housing and offer — but do not require them to accept — services like treatment for mental illness or drug abuse. The approach, called Housing First, has been the subject of extensive study and expanded under presidents as different as George W. Bush and Barack Obama. President Biden’s homelessness plan makes Housing First its cornerstone and cites it a dozen times. But Housing First has become a conservative epithet. (DeParle, 6/20)
In other health news from across the U.S. —
AP: Louisiana Lawmakers Regret Cutting $100M From Proposed State Health Department Budget Increase
Lawmakers in Louisiana’s GOP-controlled Senate said Tuesday that they regretted their hasty passage of the state’s $45 billion budget — namely their decision to reduce a proposed funding increase for the state Department of Health by $100 million — and called on Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards to clean up the mess. ... The budget was passed by the Republican-dominated Legislature in the final 30 minutes of the session, with little to no explanation of the changes, minimal debate and in some cases a lack of testimony over how the amendments could affect services. (Cline, 6/21)
Los Angeles Times: Measles Cases Have Been Reported In California's Central Valley
Two cases of measles have been reported in California’s Central Valley, prompting local officials to remind people to get their children vaccinated against the highly infectious disease. The infections were confirmed in a single household in Fresno County. County health officials said they are working with their counterparts at the state level and in neighboring Madera County to contact individuals who may have been exposed but believe at this point that the risk to the general population is low. (Lin II, 6/20)
Columbus Dispatch: Versiti Blood Center Of Ohio To Offer 'Mixed Reality' Blood Donation
Blood donations will take a modern spin in the Columbus area before the end of the month.Starting June 27, the Versiti Blood Center of Ohio in Hilliard will offer a "mixed reality" blood donation experience in an effort to attract new donors and ease the giving process for existing donors. For users, mixed reality meshes real-world senses with virtual reality concepts. Donors will wear a Microsoft HoloLens 2 visor that provides vocal directions and on-screen touch buttons, ultimately leading them to create soothing digital forestry. (Nimesheim, 6/20)
Missouri Independent: Why Missouri Hospitals Are Housing Children In Foster Care
On an early June day, five foster children were being housed by SSM Health at hospitals in the St. Louis area not because they were sick, but because there was no other place for them to live. They had each been in the hospital an average of 56 days. There were 23 adult clients of the Department of Mental Health — people with a developmental disability or behavioral issue — being boarded by SSM. Each had been hospitalized an average of 193 days. (Keller, 6/20)
