Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Calif. Judge Rules Schools Must Disclose Child's Gender Identity If Parents Ask
Los Angeles Times: Schools Cannot Alert Parents Of Child Gender Identity Unless Asked, Judge Orders
It remains illegal in California for a school district to force teachers and other staff to alert parents about their child’s gender identity, but parents must be told when they ask about it, a judge ruled Tuesday in a widely watched case dealing with parental rights. San Bernardino County Superior Court Judge Michael Sachs, weighing both state law and a Supreme Court order, rejected an attempt by the Chino Valley Unified School District to reinstate its mandatory parent-notification policy. (Blume, 9/15)
More health news from California —
CalMatters: K-12 Schools With Military Weapons Don’t Always Disclose
Police forces at California’s K-12 schools have quietly been purchasing and using military equipment for decades — and some have yet to comply with a state law requiring them to disclose that to the public. (Huss, 9/15)
AP: Kindergartners Are Learning To Ride Bikes In School PE Classes
For generations, kids have learned how to ride a bike — a quintessential childhood milestone — in driveways, on sidewalks and in neighborhood streets. Now, they’re learning in school gyms and playgrounds. ... All Kids Bike, a program within a nonprofit organization, has brought a learn-to-ride curriculum into nearly 2,000 U.S. elementary schools. They’ve made bike-riding part of physical education for children who might otherwise have to wait for an adult or older sibling to teach them — or whose neighborhood and socioeconomic status might stop them from getting the chance. (Mumphrey, 9/16)
Other news from across the U.S. —
Chicago Tribune: Nurses Go On One-Day Strike At Olympia Fields Hospital
Chicago-area nurses continued their fight against Prime Healthcare on Tuesday, holding a one-day strike at Olympia Fields Hospital. The action was the third nurses strike at Prime hospitals in the Chicago area in recent months. (Schencker, 9/15)
Cardinal News: Paramedics Are Helping Patients Manage Illnesses, Connect With Services And Avoid Calling 911. But These Programs Can Be Tough To Sustain In Rural Areas.
The heat rolled out of the house as soon as the door opened. A developing storm had cooled the air outside, but inside Elizabeth Fitzgerald’s small brick home, the temperature was stifling. “Why is it so hot in here?” Keith Carroll asked as he stepped through the front door. (Schabacker, 9/16)
Modern Healthcare: Health Systems Recruit Military Medics Amid Staffing Shortages
Health systems, medical schools and other providers are recruiting former military medics for roles in everything from primary care to emergency services. Military medics have years of well-honed clinical skills, are highly disciplined and accustomed to working in remote areas where healthcare is scarce. They also are adept at treating a range of conditions from trauma to the common cold. As a result, they could fill a variety of roles across the healthcare industry, which is seeking innovative ways to address the growing talent shortage. (Eastabrook, 9/15)
North Carolina Health News: NC Wants Out Of Mental Health Settlement As Disability Protections Weaken
North Carolina is asking a federal court to end 14 years of oversight over how the state cares for — and houses — people with severe mental illness. The request comes just months after the Trump administration rolled back federal guidance on a decades-old landmark legal decision that North Carolina’s settlement and oversight was based on. (Knopf, 9/16)
AP: Judge Halts Georgia Execution To Allow Hearing Under New Survivor Justice Law
A Georgia judge has put on hold an execution scheduled for Wednesday, saying the condemned prisoner is entitled to a hearing on whether his sentence should be reduced under a new state law that allows victims of abuse to have their sentences reconsidered. Stacey Humphreys, 53, was convicted of malice murder in the 2003 killings of two real estate agents, 33-year-old Cyndi Williams and 21-year-old Lori Brown, in an Atlanta suburb. He was scheduled to receive a lethal injection at the state prison near Jackson at 7 p.m. Wednesday. (Brumback, 9/16)
KFF Health News: States Bet Big On Rural Health Startups, With A Silicon Valley Twist
When Josh Fleig, Louisiana’s chief innovation officer, learned his state had set aside $20 million a year, for five years, to invest in startup rural health companies, his reaction was not surprising: “Wow!” In rural America, where people are often reported to be sicker with poor access to healthcare, the cash influx is a relief. In the economic development space where Fleig operates, it’s an opportunity. “Look, that’s a lot of money for what we do,” said Fleig, whose state-funded economic development office invests in corporate launches, ranging from software startups to shipbuilders. (Tribble, 9/16)
