App NEWS
Pennsylvania counties have received their first payments from prescription drug companies
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With opioid settlement money in hand, midstate counties are getting ready to take grant applications.
988
At PA’s 988 call centers, crisis counselors offer empathy, and juggle limited resources
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The new 988 system launched in mid-July, and one early estimate says calls went up 45% nationally during the first week.
Government
Pennsylvania mental health advocates applaud funding boost in new budget deal
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County programs will get their first significant increase in over a decade — though some details remain uncertain.
App NEWS
Child psychiatry groups condemn efforts to link mass shootings with mental health issues
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Experts say such “false and harmful” attempts distract from the need for gun restrictions.
Government
Pennsylvania mental health advocates hopeful for funding increase
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Funding for county programs has been flat since 2007, while costs and demand have gone up.
Health
A new PA bill would help doctors get insurance approval to treat patients
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The proposal would require insurers to provide doctors with more information upfront.
Health
Health care worker shortage, behavioral health resources top concerns for hospital execs in PA
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“Demand on frontline workers has been extraordinary.”
Government
As 988 hotline goes live in Pennsylvania, crisis centers need workers
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Experts raise staffing, funding and infrastructure concerns as the official launch approaches.
App NEWS
Bird flu found at Lancaster County poultry farm
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Area quarantined — 1.4 million chickens killed to prevent spread
Government
As Pennsylvania Republican bill targeting trans girls moves forward, a simple question goes unanswered
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Republicans have no idea how many trans girls are playing sports in Pa. They’re not alone.
Health
Pennsylvania Medical marijuana director says retail prices are not decreasing with wholesale prices
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Outgoing director John Collins says prices are a ‘red flag’
Nurses in Pennsylvania waited months to get licenses to work during historic staffing shortage
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Wait times for nurses were among the longest in much of the U.S.
Featured in Category
From Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, prayers for Ukraine. From Ukraine, a plea for support
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For many of the families who attend St. Mary’s Ukrainian Catholic Church, the liturgical services connect them with the same faith traditions as their ancestors, who came to Schuylkill County around the turn of the 20th Century.
Health
More than one in four registered nurse positions went vacant, recent survey reports
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The need for doctors, nurses and other workers poses challenges for hospitals.
Food and Farms
PA farmers dealing with stress, mental health issues have a new resource for help
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A federal grant funds the ‘AgriSafe Helpline’ effort.
Government
Proposed PA budget would help nurses, provide mental health services
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Advocates are hopeful to see needed funds during Gov. Tom Wolf’s final year in office.
Crime and Justice
Opioid settlement: Here’s how much money PA counties would see
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Counties will have broad authority to decide where the money goes.
Government
COVID-19 killed at least 40 military veterans at VA nursing homes in Pa.
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Newly-public data shows outbreaks among staff and residents throughout the pandemic.
App NEWS
PA Legislation aims to prevent drug overdose deaths and diseases with ‘syringe services programs’
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Such programs already operate in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Scranton.
Education
Inside A PA Middle School Where Everyone Wears Masks, And It’s Not Really An Issue
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Educators say there’s a clear choice: Limit the spread of the virus, or risk going back to online and hybrid learning.
Health
As COVID-19 Rages, PA Hospitals Tell Ambulance Crews They Don’t Want People In Crisis
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COVID-19 is adding stress to Pennsylvania’s underfunded behavioral health care system.
Food and Farms
For Folks Living With Food Insecurity, A Meal Is The First Step Toward Getting Help
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“Sometimes people are more ready to hear about different services, or they hear about it, it doesn’t work out the first time, but at least they know it’s out there.”
Crime and Justice
Amid Criticism From District Attorneys, PA’s Attorney General Touts $1B Settlement With Opioid Companies
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Municipalities face a choice: take the funds, and agree to drop their lawsuits, or fight the drug companies in court.
Health
Lead Paint Poisons Thousands Of PA Children Each Year. Advocates Say It’s Time To Act
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Lead poisoning prevention experts are calling on the state to fund remediation and testing.
PA Users Can Now Buy Three-Month Supply Of Medical Marijuana
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“This legislation provides important updates to our state’s medical marijuana program to ensure that patients have improved access to medication.”
Government
PA Republicans Vote To Ban Vaccine Mandates At Schools And Limit Health Secretary’s Authority
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An amendment to the Senate bill designed to prevent “vaccine passports” would prohibit the secretary from ordering mask wearing and other public health measures.
App NEWS
Study Finds Increased Risk Of Serious Stroke Among People Who Recently Suffered COVID-19
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Young people and those with no COVID-19 symptoms are among those at risk.
App NEWS
COVID-19 Killed Their Brother. Misinformation About The Virus Divided Their Family
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For some people, grief is complicated by attitudes about the virus among family and friends.
Education
Bill Would Bar PA School Districts From Requiring COVID-19 Vaccinations
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“Our goal should be focused on getting the vaccine to those who want it, but not punish those who have made a personal choice.”
Government
PA Nursing Homes, Hard Hit By Pandemic, Seek American Rescue Plan Funds
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Providers’ groups say many long term care homes are on the brink of closure.
Government
Pediatricians Say GOP Vaccination Proposal In PA Could Put Children, Newborns At Risk
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The law would require doctors to let parents set their children’s immunization schedules.
App NEWS
Federal Dollars Give Hope To Mental Health Advocates Aiming To Launch Treatment Programs
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Lack of funds kept counties from using “assisted outpatient treatment” services in the past.
Government
Facing Burnout And Worker Shortages, PA Nurses Say COVID-19 Shows Need For Staffing Ratios
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Union members called on House Health Committee Chair Kathy Rapp to consider their proposal.
Government
Contact Tracing Data Breach Exposed Personal Data For Over 72K Pennsylvanians
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The state says it will not renew its contract with the agency after the incident.
Government
Public Health Leaders Work To Win Over PA Republicans Who Have Refused Vaccination
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“We need to identify, what’s the right message to reach those folks?”
Health
What Experts Know About Rare Blood Clots And Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 Vaccine In PA
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Risk of dying from the virus is 2,000 times greater than the risk of vaccine complications
Food and Farms
PA Restaurants Expand Service While Grappling With COVID-19 Case Increase
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Looser restrictions are complicated by a rise in cases fueled in part by more infectious variants.
Government
PA Mass Vaccination Sites Ready To Open, With Or Without Vaccines
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State officials say there’s a need to ensure equitable COVID-19 vaccine distribution.
Government
‘Don’t Hold Back Any Doses’: How A Conference Call With The PA Health Department Led To Vaccine Delays
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Health systems believed they were following state orders when they used vaccines that were supposed to be set aside for people awaiting their second doses.
Government
Forced To Compete For COVID-19 Vaccines, Some Older Pennsylvanians Struggle To Book Appointments
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Social media networks and online research skills give some younger people an edge, even as older people overall face higher risk of hospitalization and death.
Education
Thousands Of PA Children With Autism Will Lose Services This Month
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A change at the state level is blocking funding for a type of one-on-one therapy when conducted at clinics rather than in the home.
Government
Here’s What PA Hospital Heads Say About Masks, Business Closures And New Health Measures
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There is “universal support” overall, but some disagreement on specifics.
Food and Farms
Amid COVID-19 Resurgence, PA Governor Halts Indoor Dining And Limits Gatherings
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The new public health measures come as COVID-19 cases near all-time highs and hospital intensive care units are nearing capacity.
App NEWS
As COVID-19 Cases Soar, PA Hospitals Are Running Out Of ICU Beds And Health Care Workers
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With almost 5,000 Pennsylvanians hospitalized due to COVID-19, some hospitals are out of beds.
News
People With Firearms At Polls Risk Criminal Charges
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President Trump told the Southern Poverty Law Center-designated hate group The Proud Boys to “stand back and stand by.”
Episodes
Poll Shows Fewer Than A Third Of PA’s GOP Voters Will Trust Mail-In Ballot Results
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The finding adds to concerns that the president and some Republicans are laying the groundwork to challenge the legitimacy of the election.
Crime and Justice
Police And Prison Guards Demand Compliance, Making Matters Worse For Pennsylvanians With Serious Mental Illness
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Use of force reports from Bucks County jail offer a glimpse into a criminal justice system unequipped to deal with people who may be having a crisis.
App NEWS
PA’s Largest Nurses’ Union Accuses Hospitals Of Misinforming State Officials
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The union says health systems are sitting on stockpiles of N95 respirators, leaving nurses without needed protection, as some hospitals restart elective procedures.
App NEWS
PA Workers With Preexisting Health Conditions Fear A Return To Work
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They are particularly at risk of serious complications or death if they get the coronavirus, but if they refuse to work, they could lose their job and unemployment.
Government
Voices From PA’s Shutdown Protest-Turned Trump Rally
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Defying the governor’s shutdown order, and spurred on by far-right activists and Republican state lawmakers, hundreds of people gathered to demand that businesses reopen.
App NEWS
PA Needs Over 1,000 Ventilators. Here’s How The Governor Hopes To Find Them
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As of Thursday, 130 COVID-19 patients in Pennsylvania had required treatment with a ventilator, though that number is expected to rise as cases increase.
Government
How Many Pennsylvanians Will Catch Coronavirus?
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While state officials have consistently said the situation will deteriorate, they’ve been unable to say just how bad the outbreak might become.
Health
PA Hospitals Ration Protective Gear As Coronavirus Cases Grow
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The rationing comes as the state Department of Health maintains that it has personal protective equipment available and is working with health systems to make sure they have what they need
App NEWS
With Coronavirus In PA, School Districts Seek Answers
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School districts want to know when to cancel classes and how to access federal resources. So far, they’re not getting answers.
Government
PA Prepares For Cases Of Coronavirus
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The respiratory virus — marked by fever, cough and shortness of breath — has already sickened more than 81,000 people and killed 2,700 people worldwide.
Government
Governor Vetoes Bill To Halt Closure Of Centers For Pennsylvanians With Intellectual Disabilities
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The state centers are set to close within three years and move about 300 people with intellectual disabilities into community based care.
Government
PA Governor Proposes Increase For Health And Human Services Funding
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Wolf highlights programs for older Pennsylvanians and people with intellectual disabilities.
Government
This Mental Health Law Passed With Broad Support. Why Aren’t PA Counties Using It?
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State records show that none of the state’s 48 county mental health agencies made use of the program in 2019, and none are implementing the program this year, either.
Government
Deaths Of Pennsylvanians With Intellectual Disabilities Went Unreported, Says Federal Regulator
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Thousands of unreported “critical incidents,” including two deaths and cases of abuse and neglect, were found in an audit of medical claims.
Crime and Justice
One Year In, Crisis Center To Stop School Violence In PA Has Fielded Over 40,000 Tips
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The partnership between Sandy Hook Promise and the state Attorney General’s office aims to prevent mass shootings and help children dealing with problems.
App NEWS
PA Governor Promises Action On Mental Health, But No Work On How To Fund It
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The need for improving mental health services became apparent after discussions with some of the people tasked with Wolf’s Opioid Command Center, Wolf said.
Environment
A Third Of PA Drinking Water Samples Contained Toxic Chemicals. The State Says There’s ‘No Widespread Contamination’
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Amid federal inaction, there’s no consensus on how much of the PFAS class of chemicals is too much.
App NEWS
PA Officials Concerned Over Trump Administration’s Planned Cuts To Food Stamps
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The proposed changes would slash federal food assistance to low-income families by $4.5 billion over five years.
Health
For Many Families In PA, High School Football Is Worth The Health Risk
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Pennsylvania is one of three states where high school football enrollment is not in decline.
Featured in Category
Disabled Veterans Group Raises Concerns Over Soldiers Exposed To Burn Pits
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“They (researchers) did some biopsies on their lungs, and what they found out was, the issues have to do with toxins in their lungs from those burn pits while they were deployed,”
App NEWS
PA Fines UnitedHealthCare For Failing To Cover Mental Health, Substance Abuse Claims
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The health insurer must pay restitution to policy holders in cases where claims were miscalculated.
Government
Telemedicine Bill Passes PA Senate, Faces Hurdle In House
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A similar bill was derailed last October after one lawmaker required a rule banning telemedicine for prescribing abortion drugs.
Government
Workers With Intellectual Disabilities At Center Of Lawsuit Against PA
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At issue is whether the state should have reduced funds to employers who hire people with intellectual disabilities.
Government
Proposal With ‘Broad Support’ Would Require License For PA Therapists Who Help Children With Autism
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Applied behavior analysts are licensed in 30 states. Pennsylvania isn’t one of them.
Health
PA College Chemistry Students Find Carbon Monoxide In Common Vaping Devices
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The research challenges electronic cigarette industry claims about health risks the devices pose.
App NEWS
PA Reports First Death From Vaping-Related Illness
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“I strongly urge everyone who is vaping illegally-bought products, in particular those with THC, to stop,” Levine said.
App NEWS
As Three Mile Island Stops Generating Electricity, This PA Community Is Bracing For Change
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Last Friday around noon, Three Mile Island nuclear power plant stopped producing electricity, part of Exelon Corp.’s plan to close and decommission the plant over the next 60 years.
Government
PA Gets $55.9 Million To Help People Living With Opioid Addiction
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Those funds have had a drastic effect on reducing overdose deaths and helping people with opioid use disorder to lead normal lives, said Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs Secretary Jen Smith.
PA Department of Corrections Recommends Changes To Monitoring Parolees After Recent Homicides
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Internal report following a string of killings allegedly by people out on parole
Health
PA Hospitals Share Opioid Treatment Strategies Under $10-Million Plan
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Health systems are known more for competition than working together, but when it comes to treating opioid addiction, that may be changing.
App NEWS
Experts: Stop Blaming Mental Illness For Mass Shootings
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“There is little evidence to support that mental illness drives gun violence. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, less than 5% of 120,000 gun-related killings in the U.S. were carried out by a person diagnosed with a mental illness.”
Government
PA Expects ‘Modest’ ACA Health Insurance Rate Increases In 2020
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People who get insurance through the Affordable Care Act marketplace are likely to see a “modest” increase in rates for 2020.
App NEWS
Praying For Involuntary Commitment: PA Family Struggles To Help Bipolar Relative
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“The standard in Pennsylvania is that someone needs to be an imminent threat to themselves or others before they can be considered for involuntary commitment,” Martha said. “She hovers right below that.”
Government
Anxiety Disorder, Tourette Syndrome Added To Approved Conditions For Medical Marijuana
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“For both conditions, medical marijuana is not first line treatment and should not replace traditional therapies but should be used in conjunction with them, when recommended by a physician.”