Health
Latest IN HEALTH NEWS
Douglas County launching local program to restore people’s legal competency as they await trial
People who are booked into jails statewide have long waited several months — even more than a year — for beds at state mental hospitals, so their competency to understand court proceedings can be restored. Douglas County is now working on a local solution to that problem.
See the latest COVID-19 stats for Lawrence and Douglas County on The Lawrence Times’ stat dashboard at this link.
Find out where you can get the free COVID-19 vaccine at this link.
MORe HEALTH NEWS
Kansas saw the nation’s second-highest increase in drug deaths last year
Kansas is one of just a few states without a good Samaritan law that encourages people to call 911 when they witness a drug overdose, and it doesn’t permit syringe service programs that provide sterile injection equipment.
Lawrence residents to be honored for service to community health care
Four members of the Lawrence community have been selected for an award that celebrates people and organizations who have provided significant service to LMH Health and community health care.
How satisfied are you with your community’s health? Douglas County wants to know
Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health wants to know what health issues are important to the community and how well those issues are addressed in Douglas County.
Upcoming panel to discuss ‘complexities of the mind’
A panel of local mental health experts will engage in a discussion to “increase our awareness and break down the stigma surrounding mental health,” according to the Lawrence Public Library.
Promise of transplant begins to awaken family from ‘nightmare’ year of illness and loss
In early 2021, Angela Dotson frequently dropped off her son with his grandpa while she worked to get on her feet. A year later, however, illness has taken her father, her job and her health — but the recent promise of a kidney transplant means hope is on the horizon.
COVID times are changing, and so are Lawrence data sources; here’s what to expect from updates
As the pandemic has dragged on for more than two years, so have the numbers — all representing lives touched by COVID-19.
Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health and others are changing how and when some of those numbers are reported. Here’s what to expect.
Masks now optional on Lawrence buses
Masks will no longer be required for Lawrence Transit riders or employees following a federal judge’s ruling that suspends enforcement of a mask mandate on public transportation, the city announced Tuesday.
Kelly signs bill expanding authority of Kansas advanced practice RNs
The Kansas and national associations of nurse practitioners praised action by the Kansas Legislature and Gov. Laura Kelly to reduce regulatory barriers to licensed advanced practice registered nurses practicing independently, including prescribing of medication without written authorization of a physician.
Almost 160 new COVID-19 cases reported in Douglas County in 2 days; test positivity above 11%
Douglas County is back up to 326 active cases of COVID-19, with 159 new cases reported in the past two days, according to the latest statistics from Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health.
Heartland Community Health Center to celebrate opening pharmacy
Heartland Community Health Center, Lawrence’s safety net health clinic, has opened a pharmacy that “enables Heartland to stretch scarce federal resources as far as possible.”
Kansas governor signs bill modifying free vision screening of school children
Gov. Laura Kelly signed a bill altering standards for free vision screenings at public schools or accredited private schools and establishing a commission to help families secure additional services for a child failing the initial screening.
Kansas public health officials get lesson in behavioral science and why pandemic messages failed
KU wanted to incentivize students to take a COVID-19 test upon returning to campus for the 2020 fall semester. Research showed students were far more interested in a $100 gamble than a $5 guarantee.
WRAP mental health program will continue in Lawrence school district
Students in the Lawrence school district will continue to have the support of an in-school mental and behavioral health program following uncertainty about a funding source for the 2022-23 school year, according to Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center.
Funding for WRAP mental health support program in Lawrence schools remains uncertain
The future of WRAP, the Lawrence school district’s in-school mental and behavioral health program, remains up in the air for the 2022-23 academic year.
As BA.2 variant prevalence increases in northeast U.S., Kansas hospitals already altering response
While publicly available data may lag, medical experts at a Kansas hospital system say the prevalence of the BA.2 variant of COVID-19 is slowly rising and is already affecting pandemic response.