Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Texas Tries $2 Billion Effort Against Rural Mental Health Care Gaps
The Texas Tribune: Texas Injects Billions To Close Mental Health Care Gaps In Rural Areas
Three times a week, Potter County Judge Nancy Tanner holds hearings for people to determine whether they should be placed in a mental health hospital. Since she was elected in 2014, she has seen many of the same people cycle in and out of her courtroom — a long-running marathon of familiar faces who either don’t want help or get it, and still end up back in Tanner’s presence. When she doesn’t see them again, she quietly hopes they find help on their own. Unfortunately, Tanner is acutely aware of what can happen if they don’t. (Carver, 11/22)
Houston Chronicle: New Sugar Land Nursing Program To Welcome First Students In January
The University of St. Thomas opened its third Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program site in Sugar Land. “As Texas and the nation continue to experience a nursing shortage, we recognize the need to grow enrollment in our undergraduate nursing program in a way that provides accessibility for anyone in the Houston area interested in our program,” Dr. Claudine Dufrene, the university’s executive dean and associate professor, said in a statement. (Varma, 11/24)
In other health news from across the U.S. —
The Tennessean: Tennessee Nursing Homes: After COVID, Standard Care Has Only Worsened
Tennessee has seen an alarming jump in nursing homes with serious deficiencies, and advocates worry the quality of long-term care has plummeted. (Puente, 11/26)
The Boston Globe: New Mass. Health Standards Promise Equity In Local Health
During the worst of the pandemic, Shin-Yi Lao, then Newton’s only public health nurse, at times fell into despair as she juggled testing, contact tracing, and data analysis amid a daily flood of new COVID-19 cases. Almost four years later, the pandemic’s extraordinary demands have faded, yet Newton’s health department still struggles to keep up with some basic functions. Those include conducting inspections for pools, housing, and restaurants, said Lao, now the city’s director of public health services. (Laughlin, 11/26)
CBS News: Rochester Substance Abuse Center's Licenses Revoked Over Safety Concerns
A southern Minnesota substance abuse treatment center's license has been revoked Wednesday due to safety concerns. Olmsted County revoked public lodging, food and beverage licenses from Oakridge Treatment Center in Haverhill Township near Rochester after the Public Health Services Advisory Board declared the facility a public health nuisance earlier in the month. Concerns regarding the treatment center include a "disproportionate number of reported overdoses and calls for service" as well as other pending investigations. (Moser, 11/22)
New Haven Independent: New Haven Area Will Receive $10M Grant To Combat Opioid Epidemic
Roughly $10 million in federal aid will flow to the New Haven area over the next five years to help municipal health departments take a regional approach in combating the opioid epidemic through the hiring of 10 case-management “navigators” and the cross-town sharing of overdose data. This aid comes as the number of overdose deaths in 2022 reached 490 in New Haven county, including 128 in the city itself. (Breen, 11/25)
Politico: ‘This Guy Is A Charlatan’: University Of Florida Turns Against Joe Ladapo
Professors at the University of Florida had high hopes for Joseph Ladapo. But they quickly lost faith in him. In 2021, the university was fast-tracking him into a tenured professorship as part of his appointment as Florida’s surgeon general. Ladapo, Gov. Ron DeSantis’ pick for the state’s top medical official, dazzled them with his Harvard degree and work as a research professor at New York University and UCLA. (Sarkissian, 11/26)
Chicago Tribune: How One Chicagoan Helps Migrant Children With Disabilities
Keinymar Avila, a tiny 7-year-old with microcephaly who has never been separated from her mother, curled up in the arms of a woman she’d recently met. Her mother, Yamile Perez, glanced over at her daughter to make sure all was well as she attended a virtual meeting with Chicago Public Schools officials who were evaluating Keinymar’s needs. It is not easy to let someone else hold your child, especially if your child requires special medical care. No one knows this better than the person cradling the girl, Mary Otts-Rubenstein, a Lakeview resident who has her own child with disabilities. (Salzman, 11/26)
