Health CareHospitals and counties balk at proposed bill to pay health care workers $25/hrJune 12, 2023 | Kate WolffeA bill making its way through the California Legislature would raise wages for a distressed health care workforce. Rural hospitals and counties say they’re under enough financial strain as it is. Listen /Update RequiredTo play audio, update browser or Flash plugin.
Health CareCalifornia confronts the threat of ‘tranq’ as overdose crisis ragesJune 10, 2023California officials are stepping up efforts to combat the spread of xylazine, a powerful animal sedative that’s increasingly being used by people, often with devastating results.
Health CareFDA advisers endorse new RSV antibody drug for babiesJune 10, 2023A panel of experts to the Food and Drug Administration has recommended the agency approve a long-acting antibody drug that can protect infants from the seasonal virus, RSV.
Health CareHealth care coalition jockeys over Medi-Cal spending, eyes ballot initiativeJune 4, 2023California Healthline has learned that a coalition of doctors, hospitals, insurers, and community clinics want to lock in a tax on health insurance companies to draw in extra Medicaid funding. It also wants to make the tax permanent.
Health CareCalifornia’s digital privacy battle: It’s police vs. civil libertarians, with an abortion twistJune 3, 2023California is considering banning the use of “reverse search warrants,” which compel tech companies to disclose the identities of individuals based on the location of their phone and internet search history. Abortion activists call it vital.
Health CarePublic health officials urge mpox vaccinations ahead of LGBTQ+ Pride celebrationsJune 1, 2023 | Kate WolffeIn an open letter, California’s head of STD control urged doctors to be vigilant about mpox spread in their communities. Sacramento’s LGBT Community Center has events scheduled all month to increase vaccination rates.
Health CareWellSpace’s ‘Crib’ program provides temporary alternative to hospital or jail for unhoused people in crisisMay 30, 2023WellSpace’s Crisis Receiving for Behavioral Health (CRBH) program — known as “Crib” — debuted in summer 2020. The crisis center allows subjects up to recuperate from a mental health crisis or substance intoxication for up to 24 hours on site.
Health CareUC disability services understaffed, students sayMay 22, 2023The UC Student Association is calling for California to spend millions more on disability services at the university, as students report long wait times.
Health CareGrant Union High School Alumni champion for school-based health clinicsMay 22, 2023 | Srishti PrabhaOrganizers say the goal is to serve students’ mental- and physical-health needs.
Health CareAn AI chatbot may be your next therapist. Will it actually help your mental health?May 20, 2023Given a dire shortage of human behavioral health providers in the U.S., it may prove tempting for insurers to offer up apps and chatbots to meet the federal mental health parity requirement.
