Latest California Healthline Stories
Report Finds Significant Racial Disparities in Children’s Access to Health Care, Education
A recent report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation finds racial disparities in children’s access to health and education. The report, called “Race for Results,” examined 12 indicators that measure racial variations in areas such as health, education and family environment. On a scale of 0 to 1000 with 1,000 being the highest possible score, Asian and Pacific Islander children in California scored 768, White children scored 748, American Indian children scored 529, Latino children scored 405 and African American children scored 395. HealthyCal.
Report: More California Infants Being Breastfed, Which Can Lead to Better Health Outcomes
The number of infants born in California hospitals who are being exclusively breastfed has increased by 8% since 2010, according to a report by the California Women, Infants, Children Association and the UC-Davis Human Lactation Center. Advocates say that breastfeeding can lead to lower rates of diabetes, obesity, diabetes and other chronic health problems later in the child’s life. HealthyCal.
San Diego-Based Sharp HealthCare Pulls Out of Pioneer ACO Program
Sharp HealthCare has become the 10th accountable care organization to leave CMS’ Pioneer ACO program, following the departure of two other California-based ACOs last year. An official with Sharp attributed the decision mostly to the financial model of Pioneer ACOs. Modern Healthcare.
Some Calif. Parents Have Trouble Accessing Intensive Mental Health Services for Their Children
Some parents in California say they have had trouble obtaining needed mental health care for their children since the state three ago shifted authority from counties to school districts over whether students should be placed in residential treatment facilities or receive other intensive mental health services, according to the CHCF Center for Health Reporting. Advocates and doctors say that the school districts are taking a narrower view than counties did of students’ needs for mental health services. Sacramento Bee.
Obama Announces 19 Executive Actions To Improve Mental Health Care for Service Members, Veterans
President Obama on Tuesday announced new executive actions aimed at improving the mental health of service members, veterans and their families. Obama outlined 19 executive actions, including allocating $78.9 million for a five-year research program aimed at managing post-traumatic stress disorder and other illnesses and expanding to all branches of the military an automatic and secure portal that allows stakeholders to access patient-centered data on clinical outcomes for substance misuse and mental health conditions. New York Times.
New Law Extends the Time Doctors’ Disciplinary Records Stay Online
Under a bill signed by Gov. Brown, the Medical Board of California must keep information on serious physician disciplinary actions posted on its website indefinitely. The measure was backed by the board as an effort to increase transparency. Sacramento Business Journal.
Analysis: 44% of California Workers Lack Access to Paid Sick Leave
A recent Institute for Women’s Policy Research analysis finds that nearly half of workers in California do not have access to paid sick leave, with access varying widely by race, occupation and location, among other metrics. Washington Post’s “GovBeat,” IWPR release.
Prime Sues Unions for Interfering in Bid To Buy Calif. Health System
A lawsuit filed this week by Prime Healthcare Services accuses the Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers West and other union groups of violating the federal Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act by attempting to thwart the hospital chain’s efforts to purchase Daughters of Charity Health System. Modern Healthcare, San Jose Mercury News.
Delay in Reports From Office in Charge of Medi-Cal Complaints
The state office in charge of responding to Medicaid concerns has not produced a quarterly report in nearly a year. Officials say that the delay is the result of an increased number of cases and that new and improved reports will be released beginning in November. HealthyCal.
Woman Dies in First West Nile Virus-Related Fatality in Orange County Since 2012
On Tuesday, Orange County public health officials said a woman in her 80s is the first individual in the area since 2012 to die after contracting West Nile virus. So far this year, there have been 40 cases of the illness in Orange County — the most of any county in the state. Orange County Register.