Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
DeSantis Amps Up Assault Against Rights Of Transgender Minors
NBC News: DeSantis Moves To Ban Transition Care For Transgender Youths, Medicaid Recipients
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration Thursday asked the state board regulating doctors to essentially ban transition-related care for transgender minors, according to a letter obtained by NBC News. The state Health Department made the request hours after another state agency issued a 46-page report to justify banning Medicaid coverage for transgender people of any age who want puberty blockers, hormone therapies or gender-assignment surgery. (Caputo, 6/2)
Sioux Falls Argus Leader: SD Gov. Noem Threatens To Sue Over Trans-Inclusive School Lunch Policy
A new initiative to cut off school lunch funds for schools that deviate from federally-backed transgender policy in classrooms has South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem threatening a lawsuit. The dispute comes after new rules, proposed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, that would stop sending money to public schools that prohibit transgender youth from participating in sports or using gender-designated bathrooms of their choice. “President Biden is holding lunch money for poor Americans hostage in pursuit of his radical agenda,” Noem said in a statement sent to the Argus Leader. (Sneve, 6/2)
In other health news from across the U.S. —
AP: NC Bill Seeks "Forever Chemical" Standards, Reimbursements
North Carolina state regulators would set maximum acceptable levels of “forever chemicals” — like those discharged for decades into the Cape Fear River — for drinking water in legislation considered Thursday by a state House committee. The measure also would give the state environment secretary power to order a company responsible for excessive levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, to pay for public water system improvements designed to remove the chemicals or lessen concentrations. (Robertson, 6/2)
The CT Mirror: CT Contemplates Doula Certification, Seeks Input From Those In The Field
The state is taking another step toward launching a certification program for doulas, a process that would allow those workers to seek Medicaid reimbursement for their services and reach more people. Doulas offer physical and emotional support throughout pregnancy, birth and the postpartum period. They also act as advocates for parents during and after pregnancy and help facilitate communication between their clients and hospital staff. (Carlesso, 6/3)
Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Atlanta’s Homeless Numbers Drop 38% In Survey
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens announced Thursday the results of a survey that suggests there are fewer homeless people in the city than before the pandemic. Partners for Home, a nonprofit organization created by the city in 2013 that works to combat homelessness, reports a 38% decrease in the homeless population since 2020 in their Point in Time Count, which identifies people who were homeless on one night in January of each year. In January 2022, volunteers counted 2,017 homeless people, with just 640 living on the streets. Both numbers are the lowest the annual count has recorded. The 2022 survey was conducted the night of Jan. 24, a Monday. Daytime surveys of shelters were conducted Jan. 25-27. (Price, 6/2)
AP: Tenants Sue Over Conditions At Affordable Housing Complex
Residents of an Oregon affordable housing complex say their living conditions are inhospitable and they want their rent back. Tenants at the Allen Fremont Plaza in Northeast Portland gathered in the courtyard of the three-story complex Wednesday, describing mold, vermin and people who don’t live there camping in the building’s indoor common areas, The Oregonian/OregonLive reported. (6/2)
WMFE: Some Restaurants Are Making It Easier For Dementia Patients To Dine Out
The Alzheimer’s Association projects that 720,000 Florida seniors will have Alzheimer’s dementia by 2025. That’s a 24% increase from 2020 to 2025. Those people and their caregivers will find it harder and harder to enjoy life’s simple pleasures, like dining out. Some Central Florida restaurants are making it easier for them. It’s called dementia-friendly dining. (Byrnes, 6/2)
San Francisco Chronicle: California Could Be First State To Hold Social Media Companies Liable For Harm To Children
But two parents and California state lawmakers — Assembly Members Jordan Cunningham, R-San Luis Obispo, and Buffy Wicks, D-Oakland — are taking the issue head on with proposed legislation that would require tech companies to provide online protections tailored for kids. Their proposal, composed of two bills, would be the most sweeping package of children’s internet law in the country. It could give momentum to similar efforts in other state as attempts to pass child internet protections have largely fizzled at the federal level.(Gardiner, 6/2)
