State Highlights: Mo. Abortion Bill Returns; Colo. Uses Pot Money For Health Workers

The Associated Press: Missouri Abortion Clinic Inspections Bill Returns
A Missouri lawmaker is trying again to require health inspections of abortion clinics. State Sen. Wayne Wallingford has submitted legislation that would mandate the Department of Health and Senior Services conduct annual health inspections of certain abortion clinics. The bill is scheduled to be introduced during the General Assembly session that begins in January. (11/13)

The Denver Post: Colorado Hands Out $975,000 In Pot Funds For School Nurses, Counselors
After taking applications for about a month from school districts looking to hire health workers with funds from marijuana revenue, the state on Wednesday awarded more than $975,000 of grants. The legislature set aside $2.5 million from marijuana tax revenue for schools to hire more health professionals including nurses, counselors, social workers and psychologists. (Robles, 11/13)

WBUR: Mass. Town Considers First-In-The-Nation Ban On All Tobacco Sales
A town in north-central Massachusetts is considering banning the sale of all tobacco products — the first such sweeping measure in the country. The proposal has Westminster businesses up in arms, while the town’s health board says it’s concerned about the effects of smoking and minors having access to tobacco products. (Enwemeka, 11/12)

Sacramento Bee: Nurses Strike Is Part Of Larger Labor Push
A strike during the past two days by 18,000 nurses at Kaiser Permanente facilities in northern and central California, including three major Sacramento-area hospitals, was the latest salvo by a powerful union that says it is intent on improving the lot of nurses nationwide. (Sangree, 11/12)

Sacramento Bee: New Law Requires California Schools To Stock Epinephrine Injectors For Allergic Children
Now, with the passage of a new law in September, all schools in California will be required to stock at least one injector that is prescribed to the school or district, rather than a specific person, and to train at least one staff member on how to use it. (Caiola, 11/12)

The Texas Tribune: Site To Inform Low-Income Women About Health Services
Low-income Texas women seeking services like breast and cervical cancer screenings and mental health treatment now have a reliable place to learn about the steps they need to take, Texas Health and Human Services Commissioner Kyle Janek said Wednesday as he unveiled a new state website. Called healthytexaswomen.org, visitors to the web portal choose the service they are seeking and are directed to a list of programs, including Medicaid, the Texas Women's Health Program and others, that provide the services. Women can click on external links to the programs and services to find clinics or doctors near them. (Blanchard, 11/12)

The Oregonian: By The Numbers: Who Uses Oregon's Death With Dignity Law
Oregon's first-in-the-nation Death with Dignity law turned 20 this month, establishing a substantial record of who dies and why. As of last year, 1,173 Oregonians have qualified for lethal prescriptions, and 752 patients have used them to end their lives. The typical participant was white, well-educated, over 65 years old and suffering from terminal cancer. (Harbarger, 11/12)

The Associated Press: NY Lawmakers Probe Care For Mentally Ill Inmates
New York lawmakers examining mental illness among inmates in the state's prisons and jails were set to hear from authorities and advocates following reports of afflicted prisoners getting inadequate care, including an ex-Marine who died alone in an overheated cell at New York City's Rikers Island. The joint hearing by the Assembly committees on correction and mental health called for testimony about troubled inmates' status statewide and prison alternatives, treatment, recidivism and efforts to help them recover. (Virtanen, 11/13)

Los Angeles Times: In Push To Keep Mentally Ill Out Of Jail, County To Expand Crisis Centers
At the urging of Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey and others lobbying to keep mentally ill people from being locked up in county jails, Los Angeles County supervisors voted Wednesday to fund several programs for people undergoing psychiatric crises. The supervisors voted to use $40.9 million in state funding for opening three new 24-hour psychiatric urgent care centers, where police can bring people undergoing mental health crises instead of taking them to overcrowded emergency rooms or jail. (Sewell, 11/12)

North Carolina Health News: New State Cancer Plan: Many Goals, Fewer Resources
In North Carolina, about 90,000 people will be diagnosed with cancer this coming year and about 19,000 will die from the disease. In 2009, cancer became the leading cause of death in North Carolina for people under 65, surpassing deaths from heart disease. Now state officials are working on a new plan, unveiled late last week, to reduce the burden of cancer. The plan – which received input from cancer patients, survivors and advocates, as well as legislators – is a broad document that is as yet without a lot of specifics. Ruth Petersen, chief of the Chronic Disease and Injury Section of the state’s Department of Health and Human Services, admitted that the current political and reimbursement environment makes getting preventive services, treatment and follow-up care to all the people diagnosed with cancer challenging. (Hoban, 11/13)