Public News Service

Massachusetts residents can call the MassHealth Service Center to speak with a counselor and determine if they qualify for a dual-eligible special-needs plan at 800-841-2900. (Adobe Stock)<br />

MA seniors encouraged to take advantage of dual-use special needs plans

Health care advocates in Massachusetts said special health care plans are available for seniors and people with disabilities to help ensure they get t…

The American Federation of Teachers in Amesbury is calling on the School Committee to support an 8.04% increase to ensure level services for students and retain staff and reject an initial 3.16% proposal, which they say would be

">

Proposed Amesbury school budget cuts rally parents, educators

The Amesbury School Committee will hear from educators and parents tonight as they rally to prevent more than $2 million in proposed cuts to their sch…

More than 75% of Massachusetts mothers with infants also work. For those who rely on child care facilities, the majority require parents to supply a week's worth of diapers at a time or find alternative care. (Adobe Stock) <br />

MA diaper distribution program helps families make ends meet

Supporters of a federal pilot program to distribute diapers to low-income families in Massachusetts hope to build upon its success. More than 1 …

The CDC's new COVID-19 isolation recommendations follow a decline in hospitalizations nationwide and as the disease falls from being the nation's third leading cause of death early in the pandemic, to 10th last year. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Long-COVID fighters feel 'sucker-punched' by new CDC guidance

Advocates for people who suffer or have died from COVID-19 in Massachusetts and around the country say they're alarmed by new federal health recommend…

Following the Supreme Court's 2022 reversal of Roe v. Wade, Massachusetts lawmakers strengthened legal protections for abortion providers, mandated insurance companies cover abortion services, and expanded stockpiles of medication abortion drugs. (Kulbako) <br /><br />

'Deceptive' tactics by crisis pregnancy centers focus of MA legislation

Legislation in Massachusetts would ban some of the tactics used by "crisis pregnancy centers" to prevent people from having abortions. Many of the …

Studies show a correlation between ample tree canopy in urban areas and reduced heat-related ambulance calls during extreme heat events. (Adobe Stock)

New online tool helps Boston grow tree equity

A new online tool is helping community groups in Boston ensure all neighborhoods reap the benefits from urban tree canopies. The Tree Equity Score …

The Greater Boston Food Bank reports one in three households in Massachusetts experienced child-level food insecurity in 2022. That means a child was hungry, skipped a meal or did not eat for<br />a whole day because there wasn't enough money for food. (Adobe Stock)

Stalled Farm Bill puts pressure on MA food banks

Massachusetts food banks are struggling to keep up with demand as the Farm Bill remains stalled in Congress. The bill is renegotiated every five …

Studies show the development and dissemination of vaccines have saved millions of lives and played a critical role in historic increases in average life expectancy - from 47 years in 1900 in the U.S. to 76 years in 2023. (Adobe Stock)

Vaccination rates decline as health misinformation spreads online

Public health experts say the rapid spread of health misinformation online is contributing to a dangerous decline in vaccination rates. Surveys …

Uninsured people are more likely to support public health insurance programs, but are less likely to vote than people with health insurance. Studies show this trend has contributed to a lack of Medicaid expansion in states that could benefit from it. (Adobe Stock)

Doctors say voting is critical to improving U.S. health care system

Voting is not only good for democracy - it's also good for your health, according to one of the nation's largest medical associations. The American …

Massachusetts residents in non-subsidized housing with heat included in their rent may be eligible for a 30% reimbursement of their monthly rent paid back to them, according to MASSCAP. (Adobe Stock)

Home heating aid program in MA keeps families safe, warm

Winter is coming, and the annual statewide campaign to inform Massachusetts residents about available heating assistance is underway. Advocates for …

The Massachusetts community action agency Citizens for Citizens prepares to distribute the first shipment of diapers and other necessary supplies to low-income families through the federal government's first diaper distribution pilot program. (MASSCAP)

Diaper Pilot Program Aims to Keep Families Healthy, Working

Massachusetts groups will be part of a new federal pilot program to help low-income families ensure they have the diapers they need to keep both babie…

Families receiving advanced Child Tax Credit payments were nearly three times more likely to catch up on rent after falling behind early in the pandemic, according to the group Children's HealthWatch. (Adobe Stock)

MA Lawmakers Work to Enhance Tax Credits for Working Families

As state lawmakers in Massachusetts debate the final details of tax legislation, community groups are urging them to include refundable tax credits …

The costs of employing a dental therapist are about a third to a half that of a dentist, making hiring them an affordable way to treat more low-income and uninsured patients, according to the National Partnership for Dental Therapy. (Adobe Stock)

Dental Therapy Movement in MA Aims to Address Health Equity

More than 300,000 people in Massachusetts lack access to proper dental care, and health advocates said increasing the number of licensed dental …

An analysis of eight U.S. cities found that between 21% and 38% of 911 calls are related to mental health, substance use, homelessness and other quality-of-life concerns, all matters advocates said could be better addressed by people other than police. (Adobe Stock)

MA Considers Unarmed Response Units for Mental Health 911 Calls

Community groups in Massachusetts are calling for an end to armed police response to mental health-related 911 calls. The majority of calls are for …

Rates of severe maternal morbidity for people with disabilities -- including intellectual, vision, and mobility-related disabilities -- were found to be significantly higher between 2011 and 2020 than those for people without disabilities, according to the Department of Public Health. (Adobe Stock)

Report Shows Steep Decline in MA Maternal Health

Racial and gender inequities in Massachusetts have contributed to a steep decline in maternal health, according to a new report. The Department of …

Burning wood releases fine particulate matter, which is easily inhaled and can lodge deep in the lungs, where it can cause chronic heart and lung disease and trigger asthma attacks, heart attacks, and premature death. (Adobe Stock)

Bills Aim to Close Biomass Loopholes in MA Clean Energy Laws

Environmental and community health advocates in Massachusetts are backing new legislation they say will close loopholes in the state's clean energy la…

The child care crisis is costing the American economy $122 billion a year in lost earnings, productivity and tax revenue and putting great stress on parents, according to a new report. (Adobe Stock)

Inaccessible, Unaffordable Child Care Hurts MA Families

Massachusetts ranks first in the nation for education and children's health but a lack of quality child care poses great challenges for families…

Nearly 80% of Education Support Professionals have college degrees, and many carry large amounts of student debt, according to the Massachusetts Teachers Association. They are bargaining to ensure they can pay off their debt and climb the education career ladder. (Adobe Stock)

Education Support Professionals Create 'Bill of Rights' for Better Pay

Support staff in public schools across Massachusetts have created a "Bill of Rights" to help them organize for better pay and benefits. Known as …

Physical inactivity in adults age 65 and older in fair or better health increased 6% between 2018 and 2021, according to United Healthcare's 2023 Senior Report. (Adobe Stock)

MA Makes Top Ten List of States for Senior Healthy Living

Massachusetts ranks tenth in the nation when it comes to healthy senior living, according to a new report. United Healthcare's 2023 Senior Report …

Community action agencies help families with housing assistance in Massachusetts, where a critical shortage of affordable rental homes often forces low-income households to forgo other necessities<br />such as healthy food and medical care to pay the rent. (Adobe Stock)

Community Action Month Honors Agencies Across Commonwealth

Community action agencies in the Commonwealth are working with state lawmakers to ensure funding of their work to alleviate poverty continues…

For every suicide death, it's estimated there are at least six survivors. The Zero Suicide Institute trains hospital staff to teach family members of people at risk how to detect and prevent suicide once a patient leaves the hospital. (Adobe Stock)

Hospitals Collaborate on Suicide Prevention, Treatment

Cambridge Health Alliance of Massachusetts is joining a new nationwide network of hospitals collaborating on suicide prevention. Research shows …

Researchers are studying how social media use relates to anxiety and depression through feelings of inadequacy relative to

Children's Advocates Applaud Kids Online Safety Act

Federal legislation aimed at protecting children and teens online has gained the support of leading advocates for children's health and privacy…

Health care advocates fear restrictions on abortion medication could be especially harmful to African American women, who are three times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause than white women, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (ACLU Mass.)

MA Lawmakers Vow to Protect Abortion Medication Access

Massachusetts lawmakers are vowing to protect access to the abortion drug mifepristone, after two competing rulings by federal judges has left access …

Members of the group, Marked By Covid lobby for passage of HD.3821, to formally recognize Covid Remembrance Day. Bereaved community members will gather for a Covid Remembrance Day Interfaith event on Saturday, March 11 at 3:00 pm ET at the Bombyx Center for Arts & Equity in Florence. (Ritz Sullivan)

Efforts Underway to Formalize COVID-19 Remembrance Day in MA

Family members of those lost to Covid are urging lawmakers to pass legislation to formally recognize the first Monday in March as Covid Remembrance Da…

New England enjoys a diverse climate that is not often associated with drought. Yet in 2000, 2016, 2020 and 2022, New York and the six New England states experienced historic drought conditions not seen since the 1960s. (Adobe Stock)

New England Coordinates Regional Response to Climate Change

The six New England states are joining forces to ensure their emergency responders are well-trained to handle a predicted increase in the number of cl…

The Environmental Protection Agency proposes to lower the annual soot standards from 12 mcg/m3 (micrograms per cubic meter of air) to a range of 9-10 mcg/m3, despite the agency's independent Scientific Advisory Committee recommending a standard between 8-10 mcg/m3.(Adobe Stock)

EPA Encouraged to Strengthen Air-Quality Standards for Soot

Environmental and health advocates say the Environmental Protection Agency's most recent proposal to strengthen national air-quality standards for soo…

The Post Disaster Mental Health Response Act will help those who experience multiple forms of trauma, including natural disasters, which for children are associated with a 16% increase in a mental health or substance use disorder by adulthood. (Adobe Stock)

Boston Marathon Bombing Survivors Celebrate Passage of Mental Health Law

Advocates for mental health are applauding the passage of a new law which will expand mental health support for survivors of natural disasters and ter…

Roughly 30,000 individuals across the Commonwealth access the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance sites, resulting in $60 million in tax credits for taxpayers each year. (Adobe Stock)

Bill to Expand Tax Credits Draws on Children's Health Data

A bill to increase tax credits in the Commonwealth is backed up by research showing the credits lead to better nutrition for working families and bett…

Callers to the newly launched Abortion Legal Hotline at 833-309-6301 can leave specific call-back or messaging instructions and someone will call or message that person back within two to three business days to gather information about the caller's legal questions. (Adobe Stock)

MA Launches Free Legal Advice Hotline Regarding Abortion Care

The Massachusetts Attorney General's Office has announced the launch of a new hotline for abortion-care providers and people seeking confidential lega…

Unburned gas from stoves and building pipelines collected in the greater Boston area contained twenty-one different hazardous air pollutants known as volatile organic compounds, including benzene, which increases risks for asthma, cancer, and other illnesses. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Ventilation Key to Reducing Health Risks from Gas-Burning Stoves

The health risks associated with gas-burning stoves have caused a recent stir and unfounded fears of a government ban on the appliances, but …

According to the Campaign for HIP Funding, the Healthy Incentives Program has resulted in an additional $61 million in local economic impact across the Commonwealth. (Atlas Farms)

Farmers Markets Help MA Shoppers Eat Healthier, Beat Inflation

Some low-income shoppers might assume farmers markets, with their specialty products, are out of reach. But more of these markets in the Commonwealth …

Despite having one of the lowest uninsured rates in the country, more than one in four Commonwealth residents reported that their families had unmet health-care needs due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Adobe Photo) <br /> <br /><br />

Open Enrollment for ACA Health Coverage Begins Nov. 1 in MA

Massachusetts continues to have the lowest uninsured rate in the country, at just under 2.5%, but folks still looking for a health plan - or who want …

The Massachusetts Teachers Association says high-stakes testing in schools is diverting precious time and energy needed for teaching and supporting students mental-health needs. (Adobe Stock)

Not Enough School Counselors to Meet Needs of MA Students

In Massachusetts schools, the counselor-to-student ratio is critically high, with one counselor for every 364 students. Some 70% of public schools …

Nuestras Ra�ces manages nine urban community gardens in Holyoke, plus four for the Holyoke Education System, supporting over 100 families with locally grown, fresh food. (Adobe Stock)

Celebrating 30 Years of Puerto Rican “Agri-Culture” in Western MA

The Holyoke area is home to many Puerto Rican families who say they will do what they can to help people there as they recover from the latest hurrica…

The synthetic opioid Fentanyl was present in 93% of the drug-overdose deaths in 2021 for which a toxicology screen was performed, according to the Massachusetts Dept. of Public Health. (Adobe Stock)

Narcan Trainers Enlist Public’s Help in Preventing MA Overdose Deaths

At libraries, colleges and even movie theaters, more people in Massachusetts are learning how to prevent an opioid overdose death by administering …

According to a 2021 report, about 80% of residents in the mostly immigrant-populated city of Chelsea were deemed essential workers, meaning they had to continue working during the less knowledgeable early days of the pandemic. (Adobe Stock)

New Internship Program Focused on Immigrant Health

A new internship program is looking to investigate health disparities among Massachusetts' immigrant population. The Immigrant Scholar Internship …

According to a Blue Cross/Blue Shield Foundation study, fewer than half of Massachusetts adults in need of behavioral healthcare received it and feel they're always able to get an appointment. (Adobe Stock)

New Legislation Expands Mental-Health Provisions in MA

Legislation signed into law this month by Gov. Charlie Baker is expected to bring updates long overdue to mental-health services in Massachusetts…

A new report recommends schools increase the number of mental-health professionals on campus. (Prostock-studio/Adobe Stock)

Massachusetts Ranks #1 in Child Well-Being

Massachusetts ranks first in the nation for children's well-being, according to the 2022 Kids Count Data Book from the Annie E. Casey Foundation…

More than 60% of people surveyed who said they needed behavioral healthcare during COVID also said the pandemic exacerbated that need. (Adobe Stock)

MA Group: 988 Launch One Step to Shore Up Behavioral Health System

Massachusetts advocates for mental health are raising awareness about the new three-digit National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 988. Like 911…

Bayer, which bought Monsanto in 2018, has paid out billions to settle lawsuits over Roundup's association with cancer. (Pixavril/Adobe Stock)

MA Groups: Stop Using Toxic Pesticides on School Grounds

Environmental and health advocates are calling for a bill to keep toxic pesticides off school grounds before the legislative session concludes at the …

In 2020 alone, at least 2.58 billion cubic feet of methane gas leaked into communities and the atmosphere. (romaset/Adobe Stock)

Report: Last Decade Has Seen Too Many Methane Gas Leaks

A new report found in the last decade, there have been nearly 2,600 methane gas pipeline incidents in the U.S. serious enough to require reporting to …

Advocates for and families of children and teens facing mental-health crises say emergency departments are not healthy for kids to stay in for days or weeks. (chrisdorney/Adobe Stock)

Mental-Health Program Provides Alternative to Emergency-Room Boarding

On a given day in Massachusetts, more than 100 children and teenagers are brought to hospital emergency rooms because they're facing a mental-health …

Massachusetts currently does not have Certified Professional Midwives integrated into the health-=care system. (Adobe Stock)

Groups Urge MA Lawmakers to Bring Maternal-Health Bills Back

Groups that advocate for maternal health in Massachusetts are urging the General Court not to let legislation to increase access to out-of-hospital bi…

For college students or young adults entering the workforce, analysts say short-term insurance plans can help with unexpected injuries or medical events before another plan kicks in. (Adobe Stock)

Preparing for College This Fall? Don't Forget Health Coverage

As graduating seniors in Massachusetts and around the U.S. carve out their immediate future, they are reminded to make health insurance a priority…

Nearly 70% of voters who identify as Independents oppose overturning the decision in Roe v. Wade, according to a January poll by Marquette University Law School. (JP Photography/Adobe Stock)

Groups: MA Should Protect Abortion Patients, Providers From Other States

Groups are calling on Massachusetts to pass legislation protecting patients and providers from other states' restrictive abortion laws in the event th…

Children from low-income families, kids in foster care, homeless children and those in families receiving public assistance are eligible for Head Start or Early Head Start. (Teran/Adobe Stock)

Program Aims to Provide Trauma-Informed Care Training for Early Educators

A program in Massachusetts aims to provide training on trauma-informed care for early educators. It's called Readying Educators and Developing Young …

Medical aid-in-dying bills have been introduced in 12 states this legislative session. (Aepatt Journey/Adobe Stock)

MA Lawmakers Urge Colleagues to Pass End-of-Life Options Act

According to a new poll, more than half of voters across the nation are more likely to vote for a candidate who supports medical aid in dying…

More than half of Massachusetts residents making less than $100,000 a year are somewhat or very worried about affording prescription drugs. (amenic181/Adobe Stock)

MA Groups: More Transparency Needed Around Prescription Drug Costs

Prescription-drug costs have skyrocketed in recent years, and a bill before the Massachusetts General Court aims to rein them in. The proposal would …

Audio Activation
	"Siri, play the Public News Service (podcast)"
	"Hey Google, play the Public News Service podcast"
	"Alexa, play Public News Service podcast" or "Alexa, what's my news flash?" once you set it up in the Alexa app
	Embed this Newscast

Audio Activation
	"Siri, play the 2024 Talks podcast"
	"Hey Google, play the 2024 Talks podcast"
	"Alexa, play 2000 24 Talks podcast" or "Alexa, what's my news flash?" once you set it up in the Alexa app
	Embed this Newscast

Audio Activation
	"Siri, play the Yonder Report podcast"
	"Hey Google, play the Yonder Report podcast"
	"Alexa, play the Yonder Report podcast" or "Alexa, what's my news flash?" once you set it up in the Alexa app
	Embed this Newscast

PNS Daily Newscast - April 16, 2024

2024Talks - April 16, 2024

The Yonder Report - April 11, 2024

MA: Health