An Outdated Tracking System Is a Key Factor in Texas’ Foster Care Shortcomings
By Colleen DeGuzman
The computer program, designed in 1996 to be a secure location for foster children’s medical and school records and histories of neglect and abuse, is older than Google — and has had far fewer updates.
California Confronts Overdose Epidemic Among Former Prison Inmates
By Don Thompson
Individuals newly released from prison are 40 times as likely to die of opioid overdoses than members of the general population, researchers say. In response, California corrections officials aim to arm departing inmates with an antidote that can be used to reverse the effects of opioid poisoning.
Republicans Vow Not to Cut Veterans’ Benefits. But the Legislation Suggests Otherwise.
By Michael McAuliff
Sparing veterans and defense spending, as Republicans promise, would be extremely difficult, requiring cuts of more than 20% in other parts of the budget. The Republicans’ Limit, Save, Grow Act already proposes a $2 billion cut to the Department of Veterans Affairs by taking back unspent covid relief funding.
Daily Edition for Tuesday, May 9, 2023
Crowded ERs, online harassment and teen social media use, covid variants, hospice workers, abortion pill access, and more are in the news.
Legal Pot Is More Potent Than Ever — And Still Largely Unregulated
By David Hilzenrath
As marijuana has become far more mainstream, potent, and sometimes dangerous, uneven regulation at the state and federal levels leaves consumers at risk.
Daily Edition for Monday, May 8, 2023
PTSD coverage for first responders, slavery reparations, the covid pandemic, OTC birth control, gun violence, and more are in the news.
In Idaho, Taking a Minor Out of State for an Abortion Is Now a Crime: ‘Abortion Trafficking’
By Sarah Varney
Under the nation’s first law of its kind, teens must have parental consent to travel for medical care, including in cases of sexual assault or rape. Any adult, including an aunt, grandparent, or sibling, convicted of violating the criminal statute faces up to five years in prison — and could be sued for financial damages.
California Debates Extending PTSD Coverage to More First Responders
By Annie Sciacca
A state Senate bill would extend workers’ compensation coverage of post-traumatic stress injuries for firefighters and police officers. But a separate bill to cover paramedics and EMTs is unlikely to be heard.
On the Night Shift With a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner
By Katheryn Houghton
Montana and other states are trying to increase the number of nurses specially trained to treat survivors of sexual assault.
Walensky to Leave CDC in June as Covid Emergency Winds Down
By Julie Rovner
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director presided over one of the most tumultuous times in the agency’s history, struggling to regain public trust after it was revealed that Trump officials intervened in its pandemic response.
