WVCBP in the News

September 18, 2014 by Sean O'Leary
Census Report: 1 in 4 W.Va. Kids Lives in Poverty

Charleston Gazette - More than one in four kids in West Virginia lives in poverty. That's nearly 100,000 kids. ReadOne in three West Virginia kids under the age of 5 lives in poverty.Those numbers come from the U.S. Census Bureau's 2013 American Community Survey, which showed a statistically significant increase in child poverty in West…

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September 17, 2014 by Ted Boettner
Pre-ACA Data Shows Drop in W.Va. Uninsured for 2013

Charleston Gazette - West Virginia saw a drop in the number of uninsured residents in 2013, although the main coverage expansion of the Affordable Care Act did not take effect until this year, according to U.S. Census Bureau data released Tuesday. Read The number of uninsured residents in the state dropped 3.5 percent last year,…

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September 11, 2014 by WVCBP
Children and Families Take Over the West Virginia Capitol

The State Journal - Lisa Radford, of Tucker County, said without her local family resource center, she would not have been able to stop the nightmares her 4-year-old great nephew was having. Read He was in an abusive family situation, so her family of six grew one more, she said. "We have a very busy…

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September 11, 2014 by Sean O'Leary
Hope for the Best in a Troubled Coal Industry

The State Journal - With declining coal markets, mine closures and efforts to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions making daily headlines, it's no secret the once-soaring Appalachian coal industry has hit turbulence. ReadAs Appalachian coal production has declined, thousands of Mountain State residents, who once made well-above-average incomes in the mines, are now left with few options…

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September 8, 2014 by WVCBP
Advocates to Prepare Policy Agendas

Charleston Daily Mail - After Tuesday, a coalition of individuals, groups and churches seeking an end to poverty in West Virginia will be one step closer to finalizing its 2015 legislative agenda. Read Our Children, Our Future, comprised of dozens of groups and many individuals from across the state, will host a two-day policy symposium…

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September 8, 2014 by Ted Boettner
On ACA, Senate Candidates Embrace Popular Parts of Unpopular Law

Charleston Gazette - In West Virginia, as in every other state, health insurance companies cannot deny coverage, or charge more for it, because of pre-existing medical conditions. ReadThe Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare, is responsible for that change. Along with expanding coverage, banning discrimination against people with pre-existing conditions, was the primary goal…

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September 5, 2014 by Ted Boettner
“100 Years of Poor Health” Kicks Off W.Va. Public Health Dialogue

West Virginia Public Broadcasting -West Virginia University's School of Public Health is kicking off a series of monthly Public Health Dialogues this week. The first in the series is titled "Black Lung and Chemical Spills: 100 years of Poor Health in West Virginia." ReadAward-winning journalist Chris Hamby, policy think-tank director Ted Boettner, and public health…

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September 4, 2014 by WVCBP
CVS Tobacco Ban Could Help Dissuade West Virginia Smokers

Charleston Gazette - The move by the nation's second-largest pharmacy chain to remove tobacco products from its stores can only be good news for the state with the second-highest rate of smokers in the nation, according to West Virginia health professionals. ReadOn Wednesday, CVS Health, formerly CVS Caremark, announced that it had pulled tobacco products…

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September 4, 2014 by Sean O'Leary
National Protests Again Target Minimum Wage

West Virginia Metro News -Fast food workers across the United States took to the streets on Thursday to again call–en masse–for an increase to the federal minimum wage. ReadSean O'Leary, fiscal policy analyst for the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy, said the protests were all people who simply want livable wages."The real question…

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