Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Missouri Lawmaker: Money Meant For Needy Sent To Anti-Abortion Centers
Verite News: Federal Funding For People In Poverty Heading To Anti-Abortion Centers Instead
The bulk of the money Missouri gives to its crisis pregnancy centers comes from federal funds meant to assist families experiencing poverty with basic necessities and child care, Republican Rep. Jason Smith said on the U.S. House floor in January. As many as $3 of every $4 for pregnancy centers in Missouri was from the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program in 2024, and in the 2026 fiscal year, it will be $2 out of $3. The amount of TANF funding has steadily increased since 2022, from $4.3 million then to $10.3 million in fiscal year 2026. (Moseley-Morris, 3/4)
More health news from across the U.S. —
The New York Times: Rhode Island Priests Sexually Abused Hundreds Of Children, Report Finds
A blistering report issued Wednesday describes decades of child sexual abuse in Rhode Island’s Catholic churches, documenting accusations against dozens of priests involving hundreds of victims. The report from Peter F. Neronha, the state’s attorney general, also lays out repeated failures by the Diocese of Providence to remove priests or bring in law enforcement in response to accusations. Instead, investigators working for Mr. Neronha found, the diocese chose to handle reports of abuse internally, primarily by moving offending priests to new parishes. (Russell, 3/4)
The Maine Monitor: Local Governments Across Maine Spent $3 Million In Opioid Settlement Funds Last Year
Local governments spent $3 million in opioid settlement funds last year on projects ranging from addiction treatment in jails to prevention workshops in schools, according to new data collected by the attorney general’s office and the University of Southern Maine. That leaves more than $19 million in funds that have yet to be spent, with another $50 million set to flow into their accounts over the next dozen years. The money comes from nationwide settlements reached with more than a dozen pharmaceutical companies that made or sold prescription opioids. (Bader, 3/4)
CBS News: Officers Kill Armed Man While Responding To Mental Health Call In Powder Springs, GBI Says
Powder Springs police officers have shot a man during a mental health call after officials say he pulled out a gun. The deadly shooting happened around 9 p.m. on Tuesday at a shopping center in the 3000 block of New MacLand Road. According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the officers responded to "assist with a mental health-related call" and met 34-year-old Acworth resident Gustavo Guimaraes. (Raby, 3/4)
MedPage Today: These ER Docs Are Being Ousted After 35 Years. They're Not Going Quietly
For more than three decades, local physicians staffed emergency departments for an Oregon hospital system. In a few months, they will be replaced by an out-of-state corporate staffing firm. Leadership at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend in Springfield decided last month to put Atlanta-based ApolloMD in charge of the emergency department at the area's only Level II trauma center, replacing Eugene Emergency Physicians (EEP) starting July 1. (McCreary, 3/4)
The New York Times: TerraPower Nuclear Reactor In Wyoming Gets Federal Permit
A novel type of nuclear power plant in Wyoming backed by Bill Gates received a key federal permit on Wednesday, making it the first new U.S. commercial reactor in nearly a decade to receive clearance to begin construction. (Plumer, 3/4)
The New York Times: Trader Joe’s Expands Recall Of Frozen Asian Foods Over Glass Risk
Trader Joe’s is recalling four frozen food products because they may be contaminated with glass, the company said, part of a wider recall of nearly 37 million pounds of food distributed by Ajinomoto Foods. The grocer, which has corporate offices in Monrovia, Calif., and Boston, announced on Tuesday that it had recalled packages of Vegetable Fried Rice, Chicken Shu Mai and Japanese Style Fried Rice “out of an abundance of caution” because those products may contain “foreign material.” It had previously recalled Chicken Fried Rice, and added new batches for that product in the latest recall. (Diaz, 3/4)
