Category: states

‘No Mercy’ Bonus Episodes: More From Fort Scott, Kansas

Check out the latest bonus episodes from the award-winning “Where It Hurts” podcast.

Montana Tribes Want to Stop Jailing People for Suicide Attempts but Lack a Safer Alternative

The Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux tribes are working with academics and policy experts on possible solutions. Their challenge is how to attract the needed mental health personnel to the remote reservation.

KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Dems Agree to Agree, But Not on What to Agree On

Negotiations on the health parts of President Joe Biden’s domestic agenda are getting serious but have yet to produce a deal every Democrat can support. Meanwhile, the Food and Drug Administration remains without a nominated leader but manages to take the first steps toward approving over-the-counter hearing aids. Joanne Kenen of Politico and Johns Hopkins, Tami Luhby of CNN and Rachel Cohrs of Stat join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Plus, for extra credit, the panelists recommend their favorite health policy stories of the week they think you should read too.

Worn-Out Nurses Hit the Road for Better Pay, Stressing Hospital Budgets — and Morale

Managers are trapped in a pricey hiring cycle, competing for critical care nurses who can monitor covid patients on life support. Some hospitals are looking abroad to replace staffers who quit to become travel nurses or leave the profession.

The Yelp of Covid: Vigilantes Crowdsource Pandemic Safety Tips for Consumers

Using a local approach, everyday people in cities without strict mask mandates take covid-19 safety into their own hands to protect themselves and their neighbors.

Scientists Search for Cause of Mysterious Covid-Related Inflammation in Children

Scientists treating kids for MIS-C point to rare genes, leaky guts and a “superantigen.”

California’s Mental Health Crisis: What Went Wrong? And Can We Fix It?

KHN’s Angela Hart leads a lively discussion on the challenges facing California’s mental health care system and potential solutions. The panel was part of a broader symposium on mental health and addiction hosted by the Sacramento-based publication Capitol Weekly.

Hygienists Brace for Pitched Battles With Dentists in Fights Over Practice Laws

In a battle reflecting turf wars around the country, Illinois dentists defeated legislation that would have allowed hygienists to practice in nursing homes and prisons where dental care can be scarce.

Watch: Going Beyond the Script of ‘Dopesick’ and America’s Real-Life Opioid Crisis

KHN teamed up with Hulu for a discussion of America’s opioid crisis, following the Oct. 13 premiere of the online streaming service’s new series “Dopesick.”

What Will It Take to Boost Vaccinations? The Scene From Kentucky’s Back Roads

With Kentucky in the grip of a covid surge, public health workers are taking their vaccination campaign house to house and church to church, trying to outmaneuver the fantastical tales spread on social media and everyday hurdles of hardship and isolation.