Mountain State Spotlight - $47 million. Read the full article. That’s the approximate lifetime cost of treating just the people in Kanawha County diagnosed with HIV and hepatitis C in 2019. The estimate from the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy, looked at the financial impact of the 14 HIV cases linked to injection drug use…
Health
In 2017, the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) launched a three-year pilot program that screened drug use among recipients of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). Otherwise known as WV WORKS, TANF provides cash assistance for low-income families and helps with child care, skills training, and job searching. As the pilot…
Introduction The health and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have had profound consequences for West Virginia families and communities, and structural and longstanding health and poverty challenges have been magnified. Before the crisis, West Virginia had the fourth highest poverty rate in the country and among the worst health outcomes and indicators. This made…
The COVID-19 pandemic has both underscored and exacerbated Black Americans’ health disparities across the United States. While this pattern has garnered national attention, West Virginia has been less successful in identifying and quantifying similar patterns, in part because Black West Virginians comprise less than 4 percent of the population, or roughly 64,500 people — well below the national average of 13…
West Virginia’s local health departments have served as the cornerstone of public health initiatives for decades. Providing services such as immunization, family planning, harm reduction, environmental and food inspections, and much more, local health departments deliver a holistic approach to ensuring health and wellness for West Virginia residents across the state. They have been crucial…
Athens Messenger - Eight Athens County organizations were among the 34 recipients of grant funding in support of our vision of “healthy people in healthy communities”. At its most recent meeting, the Board of Directors approved a total of $387,500. Read the full article. Nine organizations that provide direct services, such as food and emergency…
Parkersburg News and Sentinel - The Sisters Health Foundation awarded grant funding to 34 nonprofit organizations in the Mid-Ohio Valley in support of its vision of “healthy people in healthy communities.” Read the full article. At its most recent meeting, the Board of Directors approved a total of $387,500. Nine organizations that provide direct services, such…
As COVID-19 cases rise across the country and throughout the state, West Virginia’s correctional facilities continue to be at heightened risk of outbreaks. Outbreaks are particularly concerning in these facilities because incarcerated people tend to have both more health challenges and less access to quality medical care than the general populace. With the state entering…
One of the most significant bills passed during the 2020 legislative session is expected to go into effect on January 1, 2021. SB 648 adds a dental benefit to the state’s adult Medicaid program, extending this important coverage to an estimated 310,733 West Virginia adults. The legislation provides for each adult Medicaid recipient to be…
West Virginia Public Broadcasting - A volunteer-run harm-reduction group in the city of Charleston called SOAR has come under fire from city officials for distributing syringes as part of its “mobile outreach” efforts. Read the full article. A representative from SOAR (Solutions Oriented Addiction Response) says group members started distributing syringes some time after the…