Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Law Requiring Parents Be Notified Of Minors' Abortions Blocked In Nevada
AP: Judge Pauses Old Nevada Law Requiring Parental Notification For Minors To Get Abortion
A long-dormant Nevada law requiring parents or guardians to be notified before a minor can have an abortion will not take effect this week following a federal judge’s ruling. The 1985 law has never before been enforced in Nevada because of court rulings that found it was unconstitutional based on Roe v. Wade, the landmark Supreme Court decision that made abortion access a constitutional right for a half century. The ban on the Nevada’s law was set to expire Wednesday under a recent federal court order citing the 2022 reversal of Roe, but abortion rights activists appealed. (Yamat, 4/29)
In other reproductive health news —
MedPage Today: Pregnancy Checkbox On Death Certificates Mainly Behind Spike In Maternal Deaths
The introduction of the pregnancy checkbox on death certificates was responsible for most of the spike in maternal deaths in the U.S. since 2000, other than a jump attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic, a longitudinal cross-sectional analysis showed. The addition of the pregnancy checkbox on death certificates in 2003 was associated with an increase of 6.78 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births -- 66% of the total increase in maternal mortality from 2000 to 2019, reported Seth Flaxman, PhD, of the University of Oxford in England, and colleagues. (Robertson, 4/28)
More health news from across the U.S. —
The New York Times: N.Y. Budget Deal Includes School Cellphone Ban And Mental Health Changes
The budget deal, which will now go to the Legislature for a full vote, includes changes to make it easier to remove people in psychiatric crisis from public spaces to be evaluated for treatment. Gov. Kathy Hochul also successfully pushed for an all-day ban on students having cellphones in schools. But another of the governor’s policy priorities relating to the restriction of the wearing of masks was whittled down by legislators over concerns that it would be selectively enforced and infringe on people’s civil liberties. (Oreskes and Ashford, 4/28)
CBS News: K2 Synthetic Marijuana, Despite Being Illegal In New York, Is Not Hard To Find And Is As Dangerous As Ever
A Westchester County family says K2, also known as synthetic marijuana, led to the death of their loved one after he became addicted to it. They say the unregulated drug is often sold in gas stations and illegal smoke shops, with packaging marketed towards children. While it has been illegal for more than a decade in New York state, CBS News New York found out it's still easy to buy. (Rozner, 4/28)
Kansas City Star: MO Payments To Families Of Killed First Responders Could End
The family of fatally stabbed Kansas City firefighter-paramedic Graham Hoffman may receive a one-time, $25,000 payment from Missouri, under a state law that provides death benefits to the survivors of first responders killed in the line of duty. But Hoffman’s next of kin could be among the last to receive the benefit unless Missouri lawmakers act soon. (Shorman and Bayless, 4/28)
Politico: Meet The (Not Dialysis!) Clinics In SEIU’s Crosshairs
For three election cycles in a row, California ballots included initiatives about how the state’s dialysis centers should operate. With that debate tabled — at least for now — the state’s most powerful collection of unions may have identified its next target to take on at the ballot. SEIU California appears to be setting the stage to go after federally qualified health centers, community clinics that rely heavily on public funds to provide primary care regardless of a patient’s ability to pay. (Bluth, McCarthy and Schultheis, 4/28)
Minnesota Public Radio: Native-Focused Health Care And Affordable Housing Development Breaks Ground
The Native American Community Clinic held a groundbreaking ceremony Friday at the Minneapolis American Indian Center for a future 30,000-square-foot health care and housing development. The clinic’s executive officer and president Antony Stately says the project will serve as a model for transforming health care for Native American people. (Olson, 4/28)
The Baltimore Sun: A New Era Of Health And Hope In West Baltimore
A long-anticipated transformation comes to life in West Baltimore today as LifeBridge Health marks the completion of a five-year modernization of Grace Medical Center with more than $61 million in investments. The scope of the project is bold — renovated emergency and outpatient departments, state-of-the-art behavioral health clinics and a reimagined campus that includes green space and improved access. But the true significance lies in what this means for an area in the city that has historically been forgotten. Just as importantly, this is a demonstration of collaboration and partnership resulting in legacy investments that will impact generations to come. (Meltzer, 4/29)
Suncoast Searchlight: Mental Health Funding Grew 157% Since Parkland, But Suncoast Schools Still Stretched
Seven years ago, Florida lawmakers responded to the deadly school shooting in Parkland with a pledge: more money for student mental health. Since then, the state’s Mental Health Assistance Allocation has more than doubled, sending over $175 million to school districts this academic year alone. But school officials say the rising need is outpacing resources. (Newhouse, 4/29)
KFF Health News: In A Broken Mental Health System, A Tiny Jail Cell Becomes An Institution Of Last Resort
When someone accused of a crime in this small northwestern Montana town needs mental health care, chances are they’ll be locked in a basement jail cell the size of a walk-in closet. Prisoners, some held in this isolation cell for months, have scratched initials and the phrase “love hurts” into the metal door’s brown paint. Their pacing has worn a path into the cement floor. Many are held in a sort of limbo, not convicted of a crime but not stable enough to be released. They sleep on a narrow cot next to a toilet. The only view is a fluorescent-lit hallway visible through a small window in the door. (Houghton, 4/29)
