Latest California Healthline Stories
Report Says Conditions for Isolated California Inmates Are Inhumane
An Amnesty International report finds that conditions in California’s isolation prison cells “breach international standards on human treatment.” State officials argue that segregation units follow national standards and are clean and secure. Los Angeles Times.
California Governments Spent $434B in 2010, Report Finds
A Census Bureau report finds that California’s state and local governments spent $434 billion in 2010. According to the report, the state government spent $6.9 billion on hospitals that year. Sacramento Bee‘s “Capitol Alert” et al.
Federal Prosecutors Target L.A. Medical Pot Dispensaries
On Tuesday, the U.S. attorney’s office filed a lawsuit against three Los Angeles property owners that house medical marijuana dispensaries and sent letters to 68 other shops, warning that the federal government does not recognize California’s medical marijuana law. A lawyer representing some of the Los Angeles dispensaries that were targeted said he plans to file a lawsuit. AP/U-T San Diego.
HHS Announces $9.8M for Programs To Train Mental Health Workers
Twenty-four schools and programs will receive a total of $9.8 million in grants through the Affordable Care Act to boost the number of mental health workers who serve rural areas and work with military personnel, veterans and their families. United Press International, CQ HealthBeat.
Blue Shield of California Foundation Announces $7.3M in Health Grants
The Blue Shield of California Foundation is providing $7.3 million in third-quarter grants to support implementation of the federal health reform law. The amount of Q3 grants is three times more than the $2 million that the foundation provided during last year’s third quarter. San Francisco Business Times.
USC Study Identifies Health Effects of Roadway Pollution
A new study from the University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine finds that children living near freeways are more likely to suffer from asthma because of higher levels of pollution. Sarah Katz — a research associate at the UC-Irvine Institute of Transportation Planning — says the study is “very important” because urban planners typically are unaware of the health effects of roadway pollution. Riverside Press-Enterprise.
Business Leaders Launch Website on Insurance Rules Under Health Law
Business leaders in California have launched a website explaining health insurance coverage rules under the federal health law. The site, which was financed by The California Endowment, includes details on health plan enrollment, among other information. Sacramento Business Journal.
Central Valley Schools Fall Short on Sex Ed, Parents Say
California school districts that offer sex education are required to provide comprehensive sex education based on science, but some parents say that schools in the Central Valley — which has some of the state’s highest rates for sexually transmitted infections and teen pregnancies — are failing to provide key information to their children. KQED’s “The California Report.”
Poll: Most U.S. Residents Expect Reform Law To Take Full Effect in 2014
A new poll finds that about 70% of U.S. residents believe the Affordable Care Act will take effect in 2014 with major or minor changes. Eleven percent of respondents expect the law to take effect without changes and 12% of expect it to be repealed. AP/Washington Times et al.
UC-Davis Health System To Lead Statewide Data-Sharing Program
The UC-Davis Health System will lead an initiative aimed at electronically linking hospitals, emergency departments and physicians in the state by 2014 to improve care coordination. Sacramento Business Journal, UC-Davis Health System release.