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Appalachia Health News – West Virginia Public Broadcasting

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Issues In A Mercer County Mobile Home Park And Our Song Of The Week, This West Virginia Morning

On this West Virginia Morning, after a new owner took over a Mercer County mobile home park, rents quickly went up while repairs slowed. One resident did some digging and found a reporter in California who had some unexpected answers about who this new owner was. Inside Appalachia Host Mason Adams spoke with reporter Julie Reynolds.

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On this West Virginia Morning, after a new owner took over a Mercer County mobile home park, rents quickly went up while repairs slowed. One resident did some digging and found a reporter in California who had some unexpected answers about who this new owner was. Inside Appalachia Host Mason Adams spoke with reporter Julie Reynolds.
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Home » Newsroom » WVPB Special Series » Appalachia Health News
Appalachia Health News is an ongoing series that tells the story of our health challenges and how we overcome them throughout the region. Our reporters cover topics such as women’s health, chronic disease and substance abuse, as well as documenting the health-related innovation, improvement and success within the Appalachian region.
Our Appalachia Health News Reporter is Emily Rice.
Appalachia Health News is produced with support from Marshall Health.
A record number of West Virginia veterans have enrolled in VA healthcare in the last year.
Mental health providers and substance use disorder counselors are coming together to share information between those who may work with veterans in the community.
A county commissioner has joined a chorus of healthcare professionals asking Gov. Jim Justice to veto a bill that would eliminate vaccine requirements for certain students in West Virginia.
On March 17, 2020, West Virginia became the last state in the U.S. to test positive for COVID-19.
West Virginia, a state that has long been a standards bearer for vaccination rates across the country, has passed a law to loosen restrictions for certain students in the state. But the law has one final hurdle to clear before it’s implemented.
The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) is asking lawmakers to support the West Virginia Tobacco Use Prevention and Cessation Task Force’s request for $5 million.
West Virginians with black lung will have the opportunity to learn about eligibility for benefits at upcoming educational events.
Workers suffering from Long COVID may be eligible for workplace protections and accommodations under federal law.
A bill to ban smoking in a car with a minor present is headed to the governor to become law.
A House Bill that aims to change vaccine requirements for virtual public, private and parochial students in West Virginia moved through the Senate Health Committee Wednesday afternoon after a lengthy discussion.
Developments in a legal battle over medication abortion in West Virginia could change access in the state.
The first confirmed case of avian influenza in West Virginia since 2006 has been found in a non-commercial backyard flock in Kanawha County
Children attending state-run virtual school may no longer have to be vaccinated if a House Health Committee becomes law.
On Tuesday, lawmakers on the House Health and Human Resources Committee moved to legalize the sale of raw milk in West Virginia.
Advocates report the monthly benefit rate for miners with Black Lung has not kept up with inflation.
Public comments will be accepted on the Federal Fiscal Year 2024 State Plan for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, or TANF program.
A bill prohibiting smoking in a vehicle when a minor is present passed the Senate Committee on Health and Human Resources on Tuesday.
West Virginia has once again scored failing marks on its annual State of Tobacco Report Card.
Keeping kids off of nicotine was the focus of a rally at the state capitol on Jan. 23, 2024.
Monday was Child Advocacy Day at the Capitol, bringing together child welfare advocates to provide resources and educate the public.
Following a Dec. 8 “Code Blue” call for concern, nurses and nurse practitioners at Cabell Huntington Hospital (CHH) have reached a three-year collective bargaining agreement.
The West Virginia Child Advocacy Group, or WVCAN, saw a nearly 10 percent increase in children served in the past five years.
A report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation found Latino children are the least likely to live in poverty in West Virginia.
Ten years ago, a state of emergency and water advisory was issued for nine West Virginia counties following a chemical spill in the Elk River.
The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources has been split into three separate departments following the passage of a bill to split the agency passed last year.
A mystery dental shopper survey in West Virginia found long wait times for appointments, especially for those with intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD) and those on Medicaid.
West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey announced a partnership with the state Auditor’s Office to supplement efforts to ensure opioid settlement money will be used for its intended purposes as outlined in the West Virginia First Foundation Memorandum of Understanding.
Union members at Cabell Huntington Hospital are calling for “code blue” attention to be paid to its understaffing issues.
With the closing and consolidation of pharmacy chains and independent retailers, patients are left wondering where to go for guidance and their medications.
During the second meeting of the West Virginia First Foundation Board, members approved motions to continue the establishment of the organization.
On this West Virginia Week, we hear about some of the health challenges facing West Virginians — including lung disease, HIV/AIDS outbreaks and recovery.
A new report from the March of Dimes shows West Virginia’s already high preterm birth rate is rising.
Lung cancer and smoking rates in the state lag behind the rest of the country and aren’t showing any signs of improvement, according to a new report.
HIV Aids is on the rise in Monongalia County as a group of WVU Medical students learned recently on a Zoom call with Dr. Anthony Fauci.
With All Hallow’s Eve approaching, the West Virginia State Police provided the public with some safety tips.
Two West Virginia state schools signed a memorandum of understanding to promote medical student’s acceptance.
The Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) has replaced its COVID-19 dashboard with a new system to track three respiratory diseases.
Experts advise Medicare members to review their coverage and watch out for scams during open enrollment season.
As respiratory illness season ramps up, health experts are encouraging West Virginians to promote health and safety in their communities.
On a national level, the end of pandemic-era benefits will affect child care costs and access. West Virginia hopes to avoid those shortfalls by relying on individual child care subsidies that date back to the 1960s.
The Black Infant and Maternal Health Working Group hosted a breakfast and meet and greet with lawmakers Monday at the capitol.
Hundreds of middle and high school students gathered at the Raze Youth Summit to learn about the dangers of e-cigarettes and vaping.
West Virginia allows for medical exemptions to vaccines but does not allow for exemptions based on religious or philosophical beliefs. Some lawmakers would like to see those laws change.
A non-profit provider of pop-up clinics will deliver free dental, vision and medical care to those in need in Charleston.
An annual event is set to educate more than 600 youth from across West Virginia about the dangers of nicotine use.
In a release, the DHHR outlined seven grant programs that will support various health initiatives across the state.
A final pandemic era payment will be issued to child care centers across the state, according to Gov. Jim Justice.
Certain combat Veterans can enroll in VA health care without first applying for VA benefits.
A film called Impossible Town, based in Minden, West Virginia features Dr. Ayne Amjad’s efforts to relocate the town’s residents after decades of exposure to chemical contamination during her tenure as the state’s health officer.
Hundreds of families in West Virginia could lose the support of Head Start if the government shuts down.
The West Virginia University School of Nursing undergraduate nursing program has again been named one of the top 100 nursing schools in the country.
Sherri Young, the interim secretary of the DHHR, and incoming secretary for the new Department of Health, spoke with Appalachia Health News Reporter Emily Rice about the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Officials recommend West Virginians ages six months and older stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccinations.
A draft rule to protect coal miners from exposure to silica dust garnered more than 5,200 comments from advocates and the American public.
A study will measure the effectiveness of telehealth as a means for patients to remain at home while managing their care.
A $1 million grant provided by UniCare helped establish a program aimed at improving the livability and conditions of five homes throughout West Virginia.
A new COVID-19 has been approved for all Americans six months and older.
An event that started in West Virginia’s Kanawha Valley has now spread to all 13 federally recognized Appalachian states.
The Women’s Health Center of Maryland in Cumberland will see its first patients on Sept. 13.
The three appointed secretaries of the new bureaus of the DHHR provided lawmakers with updates on restructuring within the department. Legislation passed in 2023 required the department to be reorganized and split into three agencies after concerns of inefficiencies in the system.
The goal of the 988 line is to connect people in crisis with someone in their community who can point them to local resources.
The majority of West Virginia’s children in foster care are actually teenagers. Many of them are placed in group homes instead of foster care.
A new vaccine to protect against the many strains of COVID-19 will be available at the end of September.
September is adult family care month in West Virginia.
Federal funding was awarded to West Virginia in response to the overdose risk from fentanyl and other opioids.
State health care leaders met Thursday at the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce’s annual meeting and business summit at The Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs.
Staffing shortages place an immense strain on the entire health care system, leaving hospitals and medical centers overwhelmed and unable to provide optimal care for patients.
A Friday summit at Marshall University will explore critical interventions against the use of the drug xylazine as part of the opioid crisis.
Nursing had the highest overall rates of vacancies and turnovers of all the professions studied in a hospital workforce report.
A new initiative aims to curb rates of vaping among West Virginia’s teenagers.
A free health fair on Tuesday gave the community of Oak Hill the opportunity to be tested for black lung disease.
Black lung screenings will be available and free to the public Tuesday in Oak Hill.
The court found that the plaintiffs “demonstrated that DHHR maintains an inadequate array of placements to meet the needs of these foster children.”
Ahead of this year’s viral respiratory season, health officials advise checking with your physician for vaccination recommendations.
During the interim legislative session, Commissioner of the Bureau for Social Services Jeffrey Pack provided updates on hiring and retention initiatives in the department.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services aims to improve health care in rural areas with the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program in Lewisburg, West Virginia by establishing new Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) access points.
Medical experts at West Virginia University are excited about the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) approval of Beyfortus as a major advancement to prevent RSV.
A new federal grant is expected to support a three-year, rural internal medicine residency program aimed at improving the needs of rural communities in Appalachia.
Mission West Virginia and the West Virginia Department and Health and Human Resources (DHHR) have partnered to electronically publish a quarterly newsletter for families called West Virginia Kids Thrive.
The new three-digit national crisis line took five million calls in its first year of operation. Federal officials say that is up 35 percent compared to the old 10-digit line. 
Annually, West Virginia hospitals treat 6.8 million people with 5.6 million of those patients being treated in outpatient care.
The CEG is a non-profit organization with its base of operations in Lost River, West Virginia. The organization focuses on the “syndemic” or synergistic epidemic in Appalachia. 
Morrisey informed elected officials and the public about the next steps following the creation of the foundation, as well as information about the settlement funds.
When it comes to decoding the language of the drug epidemic, advocates say compassionate language plays a crucial part in discussing the drug epidemic.
In a weekly update, the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) reported six additional deaths attributed to the virus in the past week bringing the total number to 8,155.
West Virginia’s hospitals continue to navigate an altered landscape since the onset of COVID-19. While there has been progress over the past year, hospitals in West Virginia still face a broad ranging shortage of healthcare workers. Health care providers struggle with a backlog of care for patients, problems with supply chains, mounting financial pressures and legislative changes to insurance.
Alongside health officials from West Virginia University, Gov. Jim Justice announced Thursday that $50 million of the state’s surplus funding will support investment to attain National Cancer Institute designation for the WVU Cancer Institute.
In Mercer County, nearly 175 food-insecure families get free, nutritious meal deliveries via DoorDash to combat rural child hunger in the Mountain State.
Researchers at Marshall University are seeking participants 55 and older to examine the effect of visual art activities on the well-being of aging adults.
According to the Air Now Fire and Smoke Map, West Virginia’s panhandles are experiencing the majority of particle pollution in the state, especially in the Eastern Panhandle, where Shepherdstown has been issued a code red warning for “unhealthy” air quality.
The drug epidemic is an ever-evolving hot-button topic with tons of buzzwords. But what does it all mean?
According to provisional data, the state’s overdose rate fell from February 2022 to February 2023. The data shows that opioid overdose rates have dropped by approximately 8 percent, marking the most substantial decrease since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
West Virginia will receive close to $1.5 million from a nationwide settlement.
A team of cardiologists at Marshall Health and St. Mary’s Regional Heart Institute successfully used new technology to achieve better visualization and access to the heart, improving the success rate of cardiac ablation procedures.
WVU’s Center for Excellence in Disabilities has been in operation for 43 years. It does not focus on one disability in particular but instead cares for those with disabilities at every age.
Black lung clinics across West Virginia will receive more than $2 million in federal funding.
The U.S. Surgeon General issued an advisory Tuesday stating that up to 95 percent of youth ages 13 to 17 report using a social media platform.
In West Virginia, the investments announced on Monday total $16.9 million to address immediate needs and foster long-term economic growth.
Boone Memorial Health will receive a $14.4 million loan to renovate a facility into a health and wellness clinic along with a direct grant.
Since the end of the Public Health Emergency and the unrolling of Medicaid, health insurance workers are already seeing an uptick in inquiries.
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