Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Eugene, Oregon's Trailblazing 'Cahoots' Mobile Crisis Unit Has Been Disbanded
The Wall Street Journal: Oregon’s ‘Cahoots’ Reformed Crisis Response. ‘Defund The Police’ Brought It Down.
Hoodie-clad hippies from Eugene, Ore., emerged as the unlikely solution to violent police encounters that sparked protests across America five years ago. Riding in vans, these unarmed counselors and medics had a knack for defusing mental-health crises that too often ended in shootings by police. After the 2020 killing of George Floyd, cities rushed to replicate the program dubbed “Cahoots,” sending teams of mental-health workers to calls instead of armed officers. National media spotlighted Cahoots as a beacon. Congress even included the “Cahoots Act” in the 2021 stimulus bill, increasing funding for mobile crisis units. (Elinson, 4/27)
More news from across the U.S. —
St. Louis Public Radio: St. Louis Health Director Mati Hlatshwayo Davis Resigns
Dr. Mati Hlatshwayo Davis has resigned her position as director of the St. Louis Department of Health. The high-profile infectious disease physician took over during the Omicron wave of the coronavirus pandemic in 2021 and made increased access to behavioral health resources and community outreach centerpieces of her tenure. Hlatshwayo Davis announced Friday that the decision was made after “prayer, reflection and deep conversation with those I trust most.” (Fentem, 4/25)
The Charlotte Ledger: Hospital Care At Home, For Kids
Atrium’s is the first hospital-at-home initiative in the nation designed specifically for children, the hospital system said. Modeled after similar programs for adults, it combines home visits from paramedics, remote monitoring and virtual check-ins from doctors and nurses to deliver hospital-like care while patients heal at home. (Crouch, 4/28)
Carolina Public Press: Many Hope This NC County’s Hospital Won’t Close. It’s The Only One Around.
Six months ago, Washington Regional Medical Center in Plymouth declared bankruptcy for the second time in five years. Now, hospital leadership hopes that the facility will emerge from this latest financial hardship by late May. That’s good news to the 10,713 residents of Washington County who need the hospital to stay in business. It’s the only one around. (Sartwell, 4/27)
Wyoming Public Radio: What Happens To Women Who Can’t Get An Abortion? The Turnaway Study Tried To Find Out
The Wyoming Supreme Court is currently considering the legality of banning most abortions in the state. This issue has been debated by the courts nationally for decades. At one point in 2007, former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy speculated that women can be depressed after getting an abortion and regret their decision, but said there was no reliable data to prove this. That perked Diana Greene Foster’s ears. “It really was time to not just assume and to actually collect rigorous data,” the University of California San Francisco professor said. (Merzbach, 4/25)
St. Louis Public Radio: Vienna’s Drinking Water Exceeds EPA Limit Of Forever Chemical
The drinking water in the Maries County town of Vienna is contaminated with high amounts of a chemical called PFOS, or perfluorooctanesulfonic acid. It’s a type of “forever chemical” – man-made compounds known for not naturally breaking down that research has linked to health and environmental risks. (Ratanpal, 4/28)
