Public News Service

Research shows inpatient emergency services drop by 70% after a stay in a peer-run respite center. (Adobe Stock)

CT bill creates mental health peer-run respite centers

A Connecticut bill under consideration in the Legislature would establish peer-run respite centers to help people with mental illness. Senate Bill 37…

Insurance rates on plans offered in the Connecticut Affordable Care Act Exchange rose on average around 9.4%, reduced from the requested 12.4%. Small-group plan rates increased on average 7.4%, reduced from a requested increase of 14.8%. (Adobe Stock)

CT insurance committee fails to advance legislation

Connecticut's Insurance and Real Estate Committee failed to advance any bills by its legislative deadline. Almost 40 bills were brought before the …

In Connecticut, Alzheimer's caregivers provide 201 million hours of unpaid care, which is valued at $4.2 billion. (Adobe Stock)

Advocates for Alzheimer's patients seek more help from CT lawmakers

People who support those with Alzheimer's disease are in Hartford today, asking Connecticut lawmakers to do more for families facing the brain …

Religion is an important part of Black LGBTQ+ youth's lives, with 77% being raised with religious values. But the report notes most respondents said their religion was

Report finds Black LGBTQ+ youth hardships easing a bit

A new report said Black LGBTQ+ youth are seeing more equality, in Connecticut and the U.S. but it does not always mean greater opportunity. The …

The CDC reported kids ages 5-19 from low-income families are twice as likely to have cavities as kids living in higher-income households. (Adobe Stock)

CT dentists share new trends in kids' oral health

During Children's Dental Health Month, Connecticut pediatric dentists are advising the best habits for their young patients. The Centers for Disease …

Legislation will be brought before Connecticut's legislation to provide financial aid to immigrants seeking healthcare in Connecticut. A 2022 Universal Healthcare Foundation of Connecticut survey found 57% of respondents support expanding the state's Medicaid program to all immigrants. (Adobe Stock)

CT group fights deadly disparity in healthcare

A Connecticut group wants to work with the General Assembly on improving health equity. A 2023 Health Equity report from the nonprofit group …

The Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness finds, as of Jan. 15, 801 people are outside, unsheltered in cold temperatures, despite Connecticut recently implementing the Severe Cold Weather Protocol due to extremely low temperatures. (Adobe Stock)

CT takes action to keep homeless people safe in winter

Connecticut organizations are working to protect homeless people from winter's biting chill. This time of year poses severe health challenges for …

Too much political news can cause stress, which has been linked to a series of physical health impacts, including inflammation, a compromised immune system, digestive issues, heart disease and weight gain. (Adobe Stock)

Research: Too much political news can affect your health

As beneficial as it is to keep up with current events, too much political news can be detrimental to a person's mental health. Numerous studies are …

In the last three months of 2022, healthcare providers wrote more than 9 million prescriptions for Ozempic and other similar weight loss drugs, according to a Trillian Health analysis. (Adobe Stock)

Ozempic scams increase with weight loss drug’s popularity

High-demand products are usually big targets for scammers, and weight-loss drug Ozempic is no exception. Scams across the U.S. are being reported …

A Forbes Health survey found almost half of all respondents said improving fitness was their primary New Year's resolution. (Adobe Stock)

Making New Year's resolutions realistic helps you keep them

If history is any indicator, many people are giving up on their resolutions even though 2024 is only one week old. Studies show 23% of adults in the …

The American Health Professionals Association has recommended a series of strategic measures to aid the public health community in improving civic participation, including adding voting and civic participation to the Healthy People framework, educating public health professionals and partners about the importance of inclusive voting policies, and advocating for policies to make voting easier. (Adobe Stock)

Study: Voting critical to improving U.S. health care

A new report concluded voting benefits your health as much as democracy. The American College of Physicians study showed poor election practices …

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention finds loneliness costs the U.S. economy around $406 billion a year, along with an estimated $6.7 billion a year in Medicare costs for socially isolated older adults. (Adobe Stock)

Loneliness, isolation on the rise around the holidays

As festive as the holidays can be, isolation and loneliness peak at this time of year. A 2022 survey finds 55% of Americans experience increased …

A report by DataHaven showed health inequities have led to around 14,000 deaths in Connecticut, predominantly among the state's Black population. (Adobe Stock)

Survey: Discrimination rampant in CT, US health care

Despite efforts to the contrary, people across Connecticut and the U.S. experienced discrimination in health care. A DataHaven report found between 1…

About 60% of adults with medical debt said they have cut back on necessities such as food or clothing, while more than half of adults from households with incomes below $40,000 reported they have used up their savings to pay for their medical debt. (Adobe Stock)

CT residents struggle with medical debt despite available financial aid

Health care advocates said too often medical patients in Connecticut who are eligible for financial aid to help cover the cost of their care are not i…

Only 4% of adults feel the government is functioning properly, a Pew Research Center poll found. Discontent for both political parties is only growing, and most people equate negative sentiments with modern political debates. (Adobe Stock)

Tips for navigating difficult conversations this holiday season

As political divisiveness grows, holiday gatherings at home and work can lead to increased arguments and severe relationship damage. National …

The University of Connecticut is offering a program to prepare students to become licensed professional counselors. It combines a 600-hour internship where students combine clinical work with what they learn in class, as part of a move to develop a better pipeline into the behavioral health system. (Adobe Stock)

Report: CT needs to bolster child behavioral health system

A report has found Connecticut could do more to strengthen its youth behavioral health system. Connecticut and the U.S. are facing an increasing …

Despite every county being a full access county, 1.8% of Connecticut women do not have a birthing hospital within 30 minutes of where they live, much lower than the national average of 9.7%. (Adobe Stock)

Report: CT women, children’s health care lagging

Despite Connecticut doing a lot to bolster child health, a new report found plenty more needs to be done. The state ranked 8th in the latest …

As part of a new strategic plan, the Connecticut Health Foundation is looking to address maternal health equity for women of color. A recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report points to maternal health disparities for women of color across the United States. (Adobe Stock)

A new plan for advancing health equity in Connecticut

A Connecticut group has developed a new plan to bolster health equity in the state. The Connecticut Health Foundation's strategic plan tackles …

A Center for Disease Control and Prevention Report finds 45% of women didn't ask questions or share concerns during their maternity care. Reasons included being told by family or friends what they felt was normal, feeling embarrassed, not confident to talk about it, or thinking their doctor would consider them difficult. (Adobe Stock)

CT Takes Action to Improve Maternal Health

Connecticut is taking steps to bolster maternal health. The March of Dimes organization finds maternal health in the state improved through some …

The United Way of Connecticut found 89% of 988 callers in crisis reported their feelings of crisis declined during a call. In the state, fewer than 1% of callers required active rescue from emergency responders, while the national average is 2%. (Adobe Stock)

A Year of 988: CT Mental Health Advocates Cite Benefits

A little more than a year ago, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline adopted the shorter number 988. Since then, mental-health advocates in …

As climate change worsens, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported every year from 2013 through 2021 was the warmest year on record. 2021 was the 45th year in a row with global temperatures above the 20th-century average. (Adobe Stock)

CT Provides Heat Safety for Seniors

As summer reaches its peak, Connecticut is working to keep seniors safe from intensifying heat. Although summer can be fun, the rising temperatures …

A medida que empeora el cambio clim�tico, la National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration encuentra que cada a�o desde 2013 hasta 2021 fue el a�o m�s c�lido registrado. 2021 fue el 45� a�o consecutivo con temperaturas globales por encima del promedio del siglo XX. (Adobe Stock)

CT proporciona seguridad a personas mayores contra las altas temperaturas

A medida que el verano llega a su temperatura máxima, Connecticut está trabajando para mantener a las personas mayores a salvo del calor …

A report from the Rand Corporation finds raising the age limit for immigrants on HUSKY, the state's Medicaid program to 26 would have only cost the state 1% ($15 million) of its Medicaid budget. (Adobe Stock)

CT Group Submits Resolution for Immigrant Health Equity

A Connecticut group submitted a resolution to Hartford's City Council seeking to create more health equity at the city's hospitals and clinics…

Since continuous Medicaid renewals were terminated, more than 1.6 million people have been disenrolled from Medicaid so far, according to data from 28 states and the District of Columbia. (Adobe Stock)

CT Works on Post-Pandemic Medicaid Redeterminations

Like other states, Connecticut is in the middle of a yearlong process of re-determining people's eligibility for Medicaid. When the Covid-19 public …

A 2023 Gallup poll found adults younger than 30 and those earning less than $24,000 per year suffer higher levels of daily loneliness. (Adobe Stock)

CT Group Aims to Address Growing Trend of Loneliness

A Connecticut group is working to reduce the growing trend of loneliness. The Connecticut Collaborative to End Loneliness, a part of For All Ages…

In Connecticut, 128,000 family caregivers provide 201 million hours of unpaid care to people affected by Alzheimer's disease, estimated to be worth $4.2 billion. (Adobe Stock)

CT Group Aims to Expand Access to Alzheimer’s Treatment

During Alzheimer's and Brain Awareness Month, experts are seeking better access to Alzheimer's treatment drugs. In Connecticut, 80,000 people age 65 …

Although Connecticut's rankings in most health-related areas declined in the latest Kids Count Data Book, the state saw minor improvement in the number of children with health insurance. (Adobe Stock)

Report: CT Children Need Health, Education Investments

Investments in education and health are needed to bolster Connecticut's children, a new annual report found. In the Annie E. Casey Foundation's Kids …

As part of Connecticut's Plan on Aging, more funding has been allocated to bolster senior center programs. This is to help provide services for the state's growing older population, which is set to increase by 57% by 2040. (Adobe Stock)

'We Welcome Everyone': CT Senior Centers Rebound Post-Pandemic

As Connecticut and the rest of the U.S. leave the COVID-19 pandemic behind, senior centers are welcoming back participants they have not seen in a …

A 2023 AARP report finds Connecticut's 420,000 unpaid family caregivers in Connecticut provided care valued at $7.2 billion in 2021. Nationally, these caregivers provided over $600 billion in care during the same period. (Adobe Stock)

CT Unpaid Family Caregivers Working In Strained Conditions

The ongoing healthcare workforce shortage in Connecticut and across the U.S. is straining unpaid family caregivers. A 2023 AARP report finds they …

Un informe de AARP de 2023 encuentra que los 420,000 cuidadores familiares no remunerados de Connecticut brindaron atenci�n valorada en $7,200 millones en 2021. A nivel nacional, estos cuidadores proporcionaron m�s de $600,000 millones en atenci�n durante el mismo per�odo. (Adobe Stock)

CT Cuidadores familiares no remunerados que trabajan en condiciones difíciles

La actual escasez de personal sanitario en Connecticut y en todo EE. UU. está poniendo a prueba a los cuidadores familiares no remunerados…

According to the National Cancer Institute, some documented cancer health disparities include higher incidence of an aggressive strain of breast cancer in African American women, higher rates of kidney cancer among American Indian or Alaska Natives, and higher rates of liver cancer among Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. (Adobe Stock)

CT Needs to Address Health, Cancer Care Inequities

As Connecticut addresses health equity, additional work needs to be done, experts warn. From 2016 to 2022, one third of the state's residents did not …

To implement the changes caregivers are seeking, the State of Connecticut will need an additional $390 million in Medicaid funding for this budget to cover care for the elderly and people with disabilities in long-term care settings and their homes. Currently, federal funding covers 56% of Connecticut's Medicaid expenditures. (Adobe Stock)

CT Caregivers Call on State Leaders for Better Working Conditions

Caregivers in Connecticut are calling on state officials for better conditions and higher pay. They're seeking a $25 an hour minimum wage, paid …

A Connecticut Hospital Association report finds hospitals incurred $1.6 billion in losses during the three years of the COVID-19 pandemic. (Adobe Stock)

CT, US Hospitals Face Significant Financial Losses

Hospitals in Connecticut and across the nation faced significant financial losses in 2022. A Connecticut Hospital Association report found that …

According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, 25% of lawfully present immigrants and almost half (46%) of undocumented immigrants were uninsured in 2021. (Adobe Stock)

Affordable Care Act Access Expanded to DACA Recipients

The Biden administration is expanding access to health coverage under the Affordable Care Act to include young people in the Deferred Action for Child…

Among Black Connecticut residents, 46% get too little sleep, compared with 35% of Hispanic residents and 29% of white residents. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Connecticut Residents Not Getting Enough Sleep

Along with the rest of the U.S., Connecticut residents are not getting enough sleep. Connecticut ranked 24th in insufficient sleep, according to the …

A report from the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation found children and young adults will be disproportionately affected by the loss of pandemic-era Medicaid coverage protections. About 4.6 million of those who could lose coverage are Latino. (Adobe Stock)

CT Hispanic Population Faces Risk of Medicaid Coverage Loss

When the pandemic ends this spring, Medicaid's "continuous coverage" requirement will end with it. In Connecticut, the state will start checking …

According to analysis by the American Health Care Association, job growth for nursing-home employees slowed in 2022. It says if that pace remains, nursing homes won't return to pre-pandemic staffing levels until 2027. (Adobe Stock)

CT General Assembly Considers Nursing-Home Reforms

Connecticut's General Assembly is considering legislation to establish sweeping nursing-home reforms. Senate Bill 989 would establish minimum …

According to research from the American Federation of Teachers, there were 55,000 fewer registered nurses employed in the U.S. in 2021 than in 2020. This was the first decrease in five years. (Adobe Stock)

CT Groups, Unions Call for Public-Health Reforms

Health-care professionals and advocates in Connecticut have said it will take sweeping reforms to bolster the state's flailing public health system…

According to the 2022 America's Health Rankings Report, one of the challenges with health equity in Connecticut is the state's high level of income inequality. (Adobe Stock)

Grant Funding Aims to Uncover CT Health Disparities

Several hospital systems and community health centers in Connecticut have been awarded grants to help fight health inequity. The Connecticut Health …

According to a report from the Rand Corporation, almost 60% of Connecticut's 113,000 undocumented immigrants lack access to health insurance. (Adobe Stock)

Advocates Seek Expansion of CT Public Health for Immigrants

Connecticut lawmakers are being asked to expand HUSKY - the state's Medicaid program - to include immigrants, regardless of their status. Two years …

According to data from Connecticut's Public Health Department, one in nine adults in the state reported having poor mental health for 14 days or more in a month. Meanwhile, one in six adults in the state has been diagnosed with depression. (Adobe Stock)

CT Aims to Keep People Safe During Suicide Prevention Month

September is National Suicide Prevention Month, which spotlights the issues in Connecticut and across the U.S. Although suicide rates in …

The Small Business Administration's Paycheck Protection Program brought in $10 billion in capital to Connecticut during the pandemic. (Adobe Stock)

CT Small Businesses Survived Pandemic, Face New Challenges

Although many small businesses in Connecticut have weathered the pandemic, it has not been the easiest of circumstances. And how are they doing now? …

According to a 2020 Gallup poll, nearly three-quarters of Americans are in favor of medical aid in dying. Most of those polled were under 55 years of age. (Adobe Stock)

CT Woman Challenges VT's Medical Aid-in-Dying Law

A nonprofit group is suing the state of Vermont on behalf of a terminally ill Connecticut woman. At issue is Vermont's medical aid-in-dying law…

An annual report shows Connecticut ranks highly compared to other states for children's health and education, but finds a lack of investment by the state has slowed this growth and even led to some decline. (Adobe Stock)

Investment Needed for CT Children to Thrive, Report Says

More investment is needed across Connecticut to support the economic well-being and education of children, according to a new annual report. The …

A survey done by Consumers for Quality Care finds 71% of Americans are unsure about their healthcare expenses because of the volatility of out-of-pocket costs. (Adobe Stock)

Survey: Out-of-Pocket Healthcare Costs Too High

Backers of a bill now in the U.S. Senate contended it will address rising health care costs and could provide Americans with some relief. Part of …

According to the CDC, each year one in six Americans is sickened by any one of 31 pathogens that cause foodborne illnesses. (Adobe Stock)

CT Rep Seeks to Create New Regulatory Agency for Food Safety

A Connecticut congresswoman is among those asking the government to overhaul the way it handles food-safety issues. Fifteen federal agencies deal …

April to October 2020 saw a 31% increase in emergency department visits for mental health concerns in pre-teens and teens, ages 12 through 17. (Adobe Stock)

More Can Be Done to Boost Youth Mental Health in CT, U.S.

Connecticut ranks among the top 10 states in offering access to mental health services for its youth population, according to the latest report from …

Doulas are trained to provide physical, emotional and informational support to pregnant people during labor, birth and postpartum. (Adobe Stock)

Doula Certification Could Help Address Health Disparities in CT, Advocates Say

Connecticut is moving forward with efforts to create a certification program to help make doula care more accessible in the state. Doulas support …

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CT: Health