Health
Latest IN HEALTH NEWS
HIV, hepatitis testing to expand for underinsured Douglas County residents
New funding will allow two local health service providers to expand testing for HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C through outreach for people who are uninsured and underinsured in Douglas County.
MORe HEALTH NEWS
Constitutional Freedom group opposing abortion amendment on Aug. 2 ballot in Kansas
Retired Presbyterian minister Jay McKell places faith in the idea God wants women to freely exercise their right to make decisions about abortion without excessive government intrusion.
LDCFM/Contributed Photo
Fire Medical responders challenge you to learn to save a life — it might be easier than you think
Starting chest compressions before first responders arrive increases the chance that a person will survive a cardiac arrest by three times. But in Douglas County, bystanders start hands-only CPR just about half as often as the national average.
Governor signs bipartisan bill establishing Kansas suicide prevention hotline
Gov. Laura Kelly signed a bill hailed by Republicans and Democrats to provide funding and regulation for a statewide 24/7 suicide prevention hotline scheduled to be operational in mid-July.
‘The fight never quits’ for cancer survivors, supporters of Relay for Life
Organizers of the annual global event and fundraiser hosted by the American Cancer Society have planned a big comeback for the 2022 Douglas County Relay for Life.
With Roe doomed, the Kansas fight over abortion takes on a new urgency
After a leaked U.S. Supreme Court ruling overturning the landmark case that promised women the right to abortion, an August vote to amend the Kansas Constitution over abortion has taken on heightened importance.
KU Health working with Kansas schools to prevent and treat athlete injuries
Doug Wiesner, the youth sports medicine director for the KU Health System, is working with KC-area schools to stay at the forefront of treatment with new emergency action plans and a bag of tools.
Kansas community mental health centers transitioning to new care model; Bert Nash is in the first phase
More changes in mental health and substance use disorder service delivery are afoot in Douglas County. By the end of 2022, Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center will have transitioned to a new, integrated model of care.
Kansas COVID-19 case numbers trending up as hospital leaders see potential surge
Leading infection control and prevention experts at a Kansas hospital say COVID-19 numbers are trending up slowly but have yet to reach the surging levels seen in other countries.
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.
Andrea Albright / The Lawrence Times
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.
August Rudisell / The Lawrence Times
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.
August Rudisell/The Lawrence Times
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.


