FLINT, Mich. - The Michigan women who fought to expose the toxic lead in Flint's water say their efforts to protect the community are just getting started.

In response to the crisis, state and federal investigations are under way, and millions of dollars to assist residents is expected from Michigan lawmakers and Congress.

But local faith leader Bishop Bernadel Jefferson says a whole city is contaminated by lead and there will be life-long repercussions.

"We're going to work together on a united front working with those all over the United States and working (to) make sure the money that comes into this city that it be utilized in the right way," says Jefferson.

Lead poisoning is linked to developmental and behavioral problems, and a spike in cases of Legionnaire's disease in Flint recently came to light.

Jefferson says other issues include figuring out the disposal of the plastic water bottles coming into the city, fixing Flint's corroded pipes, and ensuring residents have access to safe, healthy water.

Flint pediatrician Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha has been a national and international voice in the crisis, and has met with congressional leaders and Environmental Protection Agency officials.

But she says it's time to flip the story.

Hanna-Attisha is among those at Hurley Medical Center who are creating a public pediatric health initiative focusing on the fallout.

"We cannot sit back and just see," says Hanna-Attisha. "We have to try to intervene early for these children, so we are actively working on this initiative, getting the resources we need so that our children have a brighter future tomorrow."

Flint mom Melissa Mays launched the "Water You Fighting For?" group to ensure people are not kept in the dark. When people don't think they are getting the truth, she says, they need to stand up and start digging.

"It was started by citizens, it was pushed through by citizens, and we are still the ones helping each other," says Mays. "We are the ones taking the water donations door to door. We are the ones getting the information out. It has been 100 percent citizen driven."

Vice President of Michigan NOW Nina Muckenthaler says the crisis has had a huge economic, health and social effect on the community, and these women will be honored at the organization's upcoming April conference.

"The people of Flint are strong and they're fighting back and they're fighting for justice for Flint," Muckenthaler says. "And these brave women are the ones who started it all, and we commend them for the work that they've done."

Flint women also are involved in a myriad of lawsuits related to the crisis in local, state and federal courts.




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A new report sheds light on the state of women's health in Ohio, with growing concerns about maternal care and postpartum mental health.

As September is one of the peak months for births, many new mothers face challenges such as postpartum depression.

Jennifer Winston, health data scientist for U.S. News and World Report, shared insights from the March of Dimes' latest report on maternity care deserts.

"Half of U.S. counties don't have hospitals providing obstetric care and a third don't have a single obstetric clinician," Winston pointed out. "Postpartum depression is a really important part of maternal health care. These closures put a lot of pressure on hospitals, especially in rural areas."

Winston's findings underscored concerns the lack of access to maternal health care services directly affects mental health, particularly for women in rural communities. The gap in care can intensify feelings of isolation and make it harder for new mothers to seek timely help during and after pregnancy.

Experts continue to emphasize the importance of early intervention and comprehensive support for women experiencing postpartum depression.

Dr. Donna O'Shea, OB/GYN and chief medical officer for population health at UnitedHealthcare, stressed the value of both medical and emotional support, encouraging new mothers to reach out if they notice signs of postpartum depression, such as overwhelming sadness, fatigue or feelings of disconnection.

"One in five women experience pregnancy-related mental health conditions," O'Shea noted. "Of women who have postpartum depression, 20% will face suicidal thoughts and even attempt self-harm."

While awareness of postpartum depression continues to grow, O'Shea emphasized improving access to mental health and obstetric care remains a priority. For Ohio mothers, especially those in rural or underserved areas, she said bridging these gaps will be crucial to ensuring their well-being during the postpartum period.

Oregon is in the upper echelon when it comes to the number of women in higher office.

Four of the five statewide elected positions in the state are held by women, including Tina Kotek in the governor's office. It is a rare achievement.

Debbie Walsh, director of the Center for American Women and Politics, said the national average for women in statewide elected offices is about one in three. However, the number of women in the top positions in Oregon is guaranteed to go down in November, with men running for two of the five offices. Walsh acknowledged it is the nature of politics.

"No state can just say, 'Well, we fixed the problem of women's underrepresentation in politics. We don't need to do the work of recruiting and supporting women to run.'" Walsh stressed. "That work is ongoing."

Men will be facing off in Oregon's Secretary of State and Attorney General races in November. But Walsh noted the state has set a high bar elsewhere too. Women hold half of its Congressional seats and women are in a little more than 40% of the seats in the state legislature.

Walsh pointed out women face a number of barriers to office. While they raise comparable amounts of money to men running in comparable races, they are less likely to self-fund their campaigns. She explained women are more dependent on small donors, which can be good because it means more people are investing in the campaign.

"The flip side of that is that the amount of time and energy and work that it takes to raise $1,000 is just exponentially higher and harder for a candidate who is more dependent on those low level dollars or those low dollar donations," Walsh stressed.

Women running for office has become a big storyline this year with Vice President Kamala Harris' run for president. Walsh noted if she wins, it will be a big breakthrough for women, especially women of color.

"The only downside to seeing a woman elected at the very top is that people then think that the problem is solved because we've elected a woman President of the United States," Walsh added. "Complacency will not get us to gender equity across levels of office."


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Following the signing of the Michigan Family Protection Act by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, concerns remain about a potential federal ban on in vitro fertilization. The Act, signed in April, safeguards reproductive services such as surrogacy IVF and abortion. However, Project 2025 could limit access to these services if he wins the presidency in November.

Stephanie Jones of Grand Blanc, a mother who used IVF to conceive and had her daughter via surrogacy after secondary infertility, is a strong advocate of the procedure.

"A ban on IVF would be a ban on critical health care to hundreds of thousands of Americans, and without access to IVF, people would not be able to grow and some start their families. So it would be devastating," she contended.

Jones nearly lost her life due to a rare ectopic pregnancy, and credits an emergency abortion with saving her. Her pre-Roe experience now drives her advocacy for policies that protect IVF and support unrestricted abortion rights.

However, many right-to-life advocates contend that these reproductive services are not only morally wrong but unsafe.

Natalie Dodson, a policy analyst with The Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington D.C., warns that reproductive service providers often downplay the health risks associated with IVF for both mothers and babies.

"In particular, the risk of non-chromosomal birth defects increase by 40%, the risk of autism is two times more likely, stillbirth increases up to 4 times compared to spontaneous conception. Additionally, women who undergo IVF experience increased health risks and poor health outcome," she said.

Dodson claims that scientifically life begins at conception, inside or outside the uterus, and said her main concern is whether embryos created through IVF have the same value as those developing naturally.


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