Immunization

Health care was the focus of Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders' second day of campaigning in pivotal early-voting South Carolina, where lack of Medicaid expansion has left thousands unable to obtain health coverage. The Vermont senator focused on "Medicare for All," his signature proposal replacing job-based and individual private health insurance with a government-run plan that guarantees coverage for all with no premiums, deductibles and only minimal copays for certain services. "While this health care system is not working for working families, it is working for one group of people," Sanders told a crowd of 300 on Friday. "The function of a rational health care system is not to make billions for insurance companies and drug companies. It is to provide health care to every man woman and child as a human right." Health care and how to reform the nation's system is a critical debate among the candidates vying for the Democratic ...

Monroe County Executive Cheryl Dinolfo and public health commissioner Michael Mendoza on Wednesday urged families to get their children vaccinated in time for the school year and announced extended hours at the county’s immunization clinic. Monroe County is urging families to get children vaccinated in time for the school year. As WXXI’s Brett Dahlberg reports, the county is expanding hours at its immunization clinic. The announcement comes as a measles outbreak downstate starts to slow , and schools get ready for the first year in which families cannot claim religious exemptions to vaccinations. Mendoza said the policy shift is a much-needed change. “From a health standpoint, there’s no question. It’s important that everybody, as much as possible, obtains their vaccines,” Mendoza said. Mendoza said the overall vaccination rate has to stay high – over 95% – to protect people who cannot get vaccinated. That group includes infants, people with some chronic diseases, and people...

[unable to retrieve full-text content] The Afternoon News - Healthy Active Living - Immunization Schedule    AM800 CKLW (iHeartRadio) On our healthy active living feature, we'll talk about the immunization schedule for your kids getting back to school. https://ift.tt/2U8GBhY

By Meg Kinnard | AP August 31 at 1:45 PM FLORENCE, S.C. — Health care was the focus of Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders’ second day of campaigning in pivotal early-voting South Carolina, where lack of Medicaid expansion has left thousands unable to obtain health coverage. The Vermont senator focused on “Medicare for All,” his signature proposal replacing job-based and individual private health insurance with a government-run plan that guarantees coverage for all with no premiums, deductibles and only minimal copays for certain services. “While this health care system is not working for working families, it is working for one group of people,” Sanders told a crowd of 300 on Friday. “The function of a rational health care system is not to make billions for insurance companies and drug companies. It is to provide health care to every man woman and child as a human right.” Health care and how to reform the nation’s system is a critical debate among the candidates...

For those who have been around someone struggling with addiction, it can carry shame and be difficult to discuss openly. The Somerset County Municipal Alliance is a community-based prevention organization for alcoholism, tobacco and other drug abuse. Its coordinator, Jennifer Sorensen is currently in recovery and has also battled with mental health issues. She says research shows that there is a direct correlation between both disorders. “When you look at discharge data from people who exit treatment in our county, about 40% of them leave treatment for addiction with a mental health condition,” she said. That’s why she says it was important to add suicide prevention to the agenda for the county’s third annual overdose awareness vigil held at Raritan Valley Community College. The event included a panel of speakers, on-site support and resources and a candlelight vigil. Those who attended were also able to write the names or memory of a loved one that passed away from an overdose and...

Starting this fall, Washington state students will be required to receive a measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine before their first day of school. In May, Gov. Jay Inslee signed EHB 1638, a bill updating Washington state’s school and child care immunization requirements to remove the personal and philosophical exemption option for the MMR vaccine. Measles in Washington The measles virus is extremely contagious, and can be serious, especially for young children. Symptoms include fever, rash, cough and red, watery eyes. A person can contract measles from an infected person as early as four days before they have a rash and for up to four days after the rash appears, according to the Washington State Department of Health (DOH). Since January there have been 12 measles outbreaks in King County and 86 outbreaks statewide. In May, a staff member at Issaquah High School (IHS) was diagnosed with measles. The staff member was one of five new cases of measles that was recently ident...

The percentage of Oklahoma kindergartners who were up to date on their immunizations increased last school year over the previous year, but so did the percentage who claimed an exemption from vaccines, according to a new government report. Overall, 91.4% of kindergartners were up to date on their vaccines when surveyed during the 2018-19 school year, a 1% increase over the prior year, according to an Oklahoma State Department of Health report. However, the percentage of students claiming an exemption from any vaccine increased from 2.4% to 2.6% during the same time period, the report states. The overall exemption rate was 1.9% in 2016-17. The increase in the overall exemption rate was driven largely by the public school sector. The percentage of public school students claiming an exemption increased from 1.9% in 2017-18 to 2.4% in 2018-19. As a smaller percentage of private schools participating in the voluntary survey declined from an all-time high of 59% in 2017-18 to 4...

By Kristin Palpini , The Berkshire Eagle For a whole generation of people living in Stockbridge, the Austen Riggs Center on Main Street was the place where parents threatened to send their misbehaving children. From the outside, the romantic white brick inn imposed on the serene, Main Street campus is mysterious. Austen Riggs Center psychiatric hospital and residential treatment facility has been and continues to be protective of patient privacy — a necessary component of American health care that preserves client autonomy, but keeps the public at a distance. Also keeping most people off campus is the hefty price of treatment. The first six weeks of intake and treatment starts at around $60,000. In Berkshire County, the median household income is a little over $55,000. Now, the mental health care facility is celebrating 100 years in business and is using the occasion to create a better public understanding of the center and the importance of a peaceful mind. "It's an ex...

The overall vaccination rate for Oklahoma kindergartners rose to 91.4%, up from 90.4% in the 2017-18 school year. (Courtesy Oklahoma Watch) The share of Oklahoma kindergartners up to date on all their vaccines rose slightly last year, but the percentage who were granted exemptions from at least one vaccine also increased, according to the latest survey’s preliminary results. It was at least the third straight year that Oklahoma’s overall exemption rate has risen – a trend that has worried contagious disease experts. The overall exemption rate for all kindergarteners was 2.6% the state Department of Heath reported. That compared with 2.2% in 2017-18 and 1.9% in 2016-17, according to federal data. In  2009-10 , the Oklahoma kindergartner exemption rate was 1.1%. The overall vaccination rate for kindergartners rose to 91.4%, up from 90.4% in the 2017-18 school year. Meanwhile, 89% of private school kindergartners were fully vaccinated, up from 84% in the 2017-18 school year. ...

MOUNT VERNON — The Knox County Board of Health accepted two significant grants Wednesday related to its mental health and substance abuse disorder counseling and related services, and for expanding medical services through the county Health Department’s Community Health Center, which was recently given full accreditation. The Knox County Health Department was one of 43 health centers and clinics statewide to receive a combined $7.18 million in grants in Fiscal Year 2019 from the state’s Integrated Behavioral Health Services (IBHS) Awards. The Knox County Health Department received an IBHS grant of $167,000 awarded Aug. 1, as did each of the 42 other health centers and clinics. It will be used toward expansion of quality substance abuse disorder services and mental health services. The county health department also received a federal Health Center Quality Improvement Grant of $30,183, awarded Aug. 12 by the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA). The grant was given be...

Clubs/organizations Support groups Alcoholics Anonymous : 9:30 a.m., Page 164 group, Mennonite Church, 12th and Summit streets. Alcoholics Anonymous : 8 p.m. meeting at the Salvation Army Community Center, located at Seventh and Market streets in Beatrice. For the public Orphan gran train fish feed: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at First Trinity Lutheran Church, 11668 W. State Highway 4, Beatrice. Free will offering. Beatrice Area Singles and Couples Dance: 5-8 p.m. at the Veterans Club, 701 Dorsey, Beatrice. Music is provided by by Mark Allerheiligen. Food and Bar available. Everyone Welcome. Support groups Alcoholics Anonymous : 8 p.m. at the Beatrice Mennonite Church, located at 12th and Summit streets in Beatrice. For the public Children and Adult Immunization Clinic : Noon-4 p.m., 1110 Jackson St., Beatrice. Appointments are necessary. Call 402-223-2366. Bring insurance or Medicaid card to the appointment. Sponsored by Beatrice Community Hospital. Support g...

The vaccination rate among Flathead County students is continuing to decline and public health officials warn it is putting the community at risk. According to the Flathead City-County Health Department, the measles, mumps and rubella vaccination rate in local schools in 2018-2019 was 92.6 percent, down from 93.7 percent in 2017-2018 and 93.9 percent in 2016-2017. Officials say that a vaccination rate of at least 95 percent is needed to prevent the spread of disease and protect children and community members. “Unfortunately, Flathead County rates are not meeting this mark, putting our community at an increased risk for vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks,” said Flathead County Health Officer Hillary Hanson. A press release issued on Aug. 28 notes that the gathered statistics indicate Flathead County’s school-age population “is not sufficiently protected and thus, at risk for a measles outbreak.” The vaccination rates among Flathead County kindergarteners are even lower, offici...

Starting this fall, Washington state students will be required to receive a measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine before their first day of school. In May, Gov. Jay Inslee signed EHB 1638, a bill updating Washington state’s school and child care immunization requirements to remove the personal and philosophical exemption option for the MMR vaccine. Measles in Washington The measles virus is extremely contagious, and can be serious, especially for young children. Symptoms include fever, rash, cough and red, watery eyes. A person can contract measles from an infected person as early as four days before they have a rash and for up to four days after the rash appears, according to the Washington State Department of Health (DOH). Since January there have been 12 measles outbreaks in King County and 86 outbreaks statewide. In May, a staff member at Issaquah High School (IHS) was diagnosed with measles. The staff member was one of five new cases of measles that was recently ident...

The percentage of Oklahoma kindergartners who were up-to-date on their immunizations increased over the previous year while at the same time so did the percentage who claimed an exemption from vaccines, according to a new government report. Overall, 91.4% of kindergartners were up-to-date on their vaccines when surveyed during the 2018-19 school year, a 1% increase over the prior year, according to an Oklahoma State Department of Health report. However, the percentage of students claiming an exemption from any vaccine increased from 2.4% to 2.6% during the same time period, the report states. The overall exemption rate was 1.9% in 2016-17. The increase in the overall exemption rate was driven largely by the public school sector. The percentage of public school students claiming an exemption increased from 1.9% in 2017-18 to 2.4% in 2018-19. As a smaller percentage of private schools participating in the voluntary survey declined from an all-time high of 59% in 2017-18 to ...

[unable to retrieve full-text content] Local leaders named to governor's authority that will develop new health insurance exchange    Pittsburgh Business Times Several local health-care leaders have been named to the board of an authority that will create and manage Pennsylvania's upcoming health-insurance ... https://ift.tt/2ZxYpYZ

For Malone, that cycle began after he aged out of the foster care system in Illinois, and moved to Baltimore County to live with a relative, according to his younger sister, Adia Love. That relative had difficulty paying the bills and lost their home two months after Malone moved in, she said. For the most part, Malone couch-surfed around Baltimore but sometimes stayed at Loving Arms, a youth emergency shelter. All the while, he attended Baltimore City Community College. https://ift.tt/2Zx75yV

Glens Falls Hospital is changing its approach to mental healthcare in Warren and Washington Counties. The hospital says it cannot meet the demand for outpatient behavioral health services and is looking for potential new providers. For four decades, Glens Falls Hospital has had a relationship with Warren and Washington Counties to help the counties meet their state mandated requirements for outpatient mental health services. Currently, the hospital operates substance abuse services at recovery centers in Glens Falls in Warren County, and Hudson Falls in Washington County. Adult and children outpatient behavioral health services are provided at clinics in Glens Falls. But Paul Scimeca, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Glens Falls Hospital, says as more people have come forward in need of services, wait times have increased. That’s led to ongoing conversations about the future of such care. “We’ve seen an increasing demand and have struggled to meet the needs of ...

SMITHVILLE – ACCESS Family Health Services earned a Silver Badge as a Health Center Quality Leader by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). Those that achieved the Silver Badge are among the top 20 percent of health centers in the country and only one of three CHCs in Mississippi with the Health Center Quality Leaders designation. “The Health Center Quality Leader designation is one of the most coveted by community health centers nationally” said Marilyn Sumerford, CEO of ACCESS Family Health Services. “For ACCESS, it shows that our investment in people and technology is resulting in better patient outcomes. For patients with chronic diseases like diabetes and hypertension, that means improved quality and quantity of life and for the healthcare system, it results in lower costs. It’s one thing to say that you provide quality care, but having it validated with hard data from your entire population that’s been benchmarked against all health centers in the nation –...

Making sure your children are up to date on vaccines for the new school year is essential.On Friday, Baltimore County organized walk-in immunization clinics for students.Officials said children up to the age of 18 and who are eligible for either Medicaid or who do not have health insurance can come to these clinics.Make sure to check with your children's school for a list of the immunizations they require and bring your children's' immunization record with you.For a list of where these clinics will be and when they will be open, please click here. BALTIMORE COUNTY, Md. — Making sure your children are up to date on vaccines for the new school year is essential. On Friday, Baltimore County organized walk-in immunization clinics for students. Advertisement Officials said children up to the age of 18 and who are eligible for either Medicaid or who do not have health insurance can come to these clinics. Make sure to check with your children's school for a list of ...

Friday, August 30, 2019 On July 2, 2019, and July 5, 2019,  California  and  Rhode Island , respectively, each adopted an individual health insurance mandate. The laws require residents in those states, beginning on January 1, 2020, to have qualified health insurance coverage or owe a penalty. Beginning in 2021, employers will have reporting obligations under those laws. Massachusetts,  New Jersey , Vermont, and the District of Columbia already have individual health insurance mandates. Other states, including Connecticut, Hawaii, Minnesota, and Washington, are considering such mandates. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (“TCJA”) effectively repealed the federal individual mandate. While a  ruling  that the post-TCJA Affordable Care Act (“ACA”) is unconstitutional in its entirety is being challenged, the ACA remains enforceable law. Employers may be able to leverage existing ACA-required forms, unless and until they are changed, to satisfy their ...

The runup to the 2020 Democratic primaries is in full swing as the candidates argue over the best way to approach policy. One of the biggest policy divides: the role of private health insurance. Many countries provide government funded universal health care while offering secondary private insurance. One country that's frequently overlooked: Australia. Watch the video above to learn more about how Australia's health-care system works, and how it compares with the United States'. https://ift.tt/2LkPUau

BOISE — Immunization critics may be more likely to rethink their attitudes if a disease outbreak occurs close to home. That’s a key finding from a study released this week and headed by a University of Idaho professor. Some parents are skeptical about vaccines for a number of reasons, including distrust of science and “media and peer group influence,” according to the researchers. But researchers tried to look at whether opinions change, in the wake of measles outbreaks. In a nutshell, people who are skeptical about vaccines are more likely to hold to their views, the farther away they live from an outbreak. “The implication of our study is that some people base their vaccine decision-making to a considerable degree on whether or not a given disease occurs in close vicinity to their community,” said Florian Justwan, a U of I assistant professor of political science, and the leader of the study. People who have high confidence in public health entities, such as the federal...

Faculty Rupal Mansukhani, PharmD, FAPhA, CTTS, Clinical Associate Professor, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Piscataway, New Jersey; Morristown Medical Center, Morristown, New Jersey Kunal J. Shah, PharmD, Assistant Manager, Clinical Pharmacy, Clinical Associate Professor, Morristown Medical Center IM Residency, Morristown Medical Center, Morristown, New Jersey Educational Objectives At the completion of this activity, the participant will be able to: Examine current recommendations regarding pneumococcal disease from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices Explore the pharmacist's role in identification of patients at risk for pneumococcal disease Identify strategies to improve pneumococcal vaccination rates Target Audience:  Health-system and community pharmacists Activity Type:  Application Release Date:  August 12, 2019 Expiration Date:  September 12, 2020 Estimated Time to Complete Activity:  3.0 hours Fee:  This less is offere...

The Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) is releasing the results of an annual survey conducted throughout the state to assess vaccination coverage and exemption status of children enrolled in public and private kindergarten programs. The survey measures the amount of students who are up to date for the six vaccines required for children to be enrolled in school. In an effort to improve transparency to the public, OSDH officials have used geographic mapping technology to create an interactive online search tool for the public to view results by county, or by individual school. This is the first time for OSDH to release the information in such a format where the public can see results of the survey through a map to observe trends across the state. Each school’s listing provides the percentage of kindergarten students who were up to date on each individual vaccine for polio, varicella, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTaP); and measles, mumps and rub...

Through a partnership with the county’s new state mental health contractor, Rocky Mountain Health Plans, mental health providers at Mind Springs Health will continue providing mobile crisis services in Grand County for the next five years. Mobile crisis services are available when a person is experiencing a mental health crisis and are an integral part of mental health care. “We really wanted to continue to serve the community,” said Chriss Flynn, vice president of marketing for Mind Springs Health. “There’s clearly a need for mobile crisis services, for all mental health services, and we’re pleased to be able to live our mission out and provide the full continuum of services.” Mind Springs has also contracted with Rocky Mountain Health Plans to maintain its mobile crisis services in all of the other counties it serves, except Eagle and Summit counties. “We will be providing a robust crisis network throughout the Western Slope, as we have been doing,” Flynn said. A statement from ...

The need for mental health and well-being services for students on college campuses is increasing nationwide, including at Stanford. The growing demand here on the Farm has led Vaden Health Center to implement changes to how it provides services to students, including a new Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) model and a renaming and expansion of services at Wellness and Health Promotion Services. Over the past several months, the university has accomplished much in the way it supports student mental health and well-being, according to Bina Patel, director of CAPS. Initiatives include campus-wide conversations with students and community members about the growing need for support, additional resources for CAPS, well-being and resource matrix trainings, and partnerships with the JED initiative, a nationwide program to address mental health issues among teens and young adults. Vaden Health Center is expanding services to better support student mental health and well-being....