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Some 36,000 Arkansas Medicare beneficiaries used insulin in 2020. (motortion/Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, September 18, 2024

AR seniors to benefit from Medicare prescription drug cap

Arkansans who are on Medicare will see big savings next year thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act. The Act will cap prescription drug costs…

Food deserts are regions where people have limited access to healthful and affordable food due to income, location, or transportation issues. (Prostock-studio/Adobe Stock)

AR officials consider new ways to address food deserts

By Daniel Breen and Josie Lenora for Little Rock Public Radio.Broadcast version by Freda Ross for Arkansas News Service reporting for the Little Rock …

The group submitted more than 101,000 signatures. If they had all been verified it would have been enough to put the measure on the ballot. (Rawf8/Adobe Stock)

AR abortion rights advocates say they are not giving up

Now that the Arkansas Supreme Court has denied a petition to put an abortion rights measure on the November ballot, proponents for women's …

According to the Urban Institute, low-income people with medical debt are likely to forgo needed medical care, have difficulty meeting other basic needs and face an increased risk of bankruptcy. <br />(Andy Dean/Adobe Stock)

Routine medical care out of reach for some low-income AR residents

By Tess Vrbin for The Arkansas Advocate.Broadcast version by Freda Ross for Arkansas News Service reporting for The Arkansas Advocate-Winthrop Rockefe…

Advocates said Arkansans who lost Medicaid coverage are missing vital doctor's visits. (AnnaStills/Adobe Stock)

Medicaid troubles continue for many AR residents

In preparation for the upcoming legislative session, workers at Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families are interviewing Arkansans about their …

Every county in the Land of Opportunity has at least one food desert, putting the state's food insecurity rate at 15.5%, well above the national average of 10.4%. (Danieldzura/Adobe Stock)

AR governor addresses food insecurity among students

By De'Stani Clark for the Arkansas Delta Informer.Broadcast version by Freda Ross for Arkansas News Service reporting for The Arkansas Delta Informer-…

Various institutions offer resources to promote financial wellness but additional hurdles remain as institutions debate how to extend resources within diverse communities. (kerkezz/Adobe Stock)

Arkansas banks reach out to 'unbanked' residents

By De'Stani Clark for the Arkansas Delta Informer.Broadcast version by Freda Ross for Arkansas News Service reporting for The Arkansas Delta Informer-…

Brian Burton with the Arkansas Food Bank said children experiencing malnourishment have a tougher time learning in the classroom. (fotokitas/Adobe Stock)

Hunger is another struggle for Arkansas 'ALICE' residents

By Mary Hennigan for The Arkansas Advocate.Broadcast version by Freda Ross for Arkansas News Service reporting for The Arkansas Advocate-Winthrop Rock…

Mental health professionals said therapy can play a crucial role in helping ALICE populations cope with mental health issues. (ibreakstock/Adobe Stock)

Financial strains create mental-health issues for AR ALICE population

By LaGanzie Kale for KLEK-FM.Broadcast version by Freda Ross for Arkansas News Service reporting for the KLEK-FM-Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation-Publi…

The approach aims to make nutritious foods more accessible and affordable, ultimately leading to better health outcomes for mothers and their babies. (Prostock-studio/Adobe Stock)

AR health center aims to get more healthy foods to expecting mothers

A southeast Arkansas healthcare system is using grant money to help increase its patients' access to healthy foods. Mainline Health Systems will …

The number of Arkansas children living in poverty remained the same as last year. (bonniemarie/Adobe Stock)

Arkansas receives mixed results in annual Kids Count Data Book

Arkansas is ranked 45th in the 2024 Kids Count Data Book from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. The annual report ranks states on the overall condition …

Family of slain UARK student uses tragedy to help others

A nonprofit organization is working to reduce the stress on trauma survivors - and it began with a tragedy. "Project Beloved" creates "soft" police …

Bates was born in Huttig, Ark., in 1914, three white men allegedly murdered her mother while she was an infant, which inspired her to fight for civil rights. (Photo Courtesy of Barry Jefferson)

Arkansas civil rights icon Daisy Bates honored with statue at U.S. Capitol

A new statue at the U.S. Capitol honors Arkansas civil rights activist Daisy Gatson Bates. The eight foot bronze statue is in the National Statuary …

Women ages 35 and older in Arkansas have the highest mortality rate, which was 3.9 times the rate of women younger than 25. (Andrey Popov)

Arkansas group raising awareness during Black Maternal Health Week

Arkansas is taking critical steps to address its high maternal mortality rate, especially among women of color. In the Natural State, Black women …

When part-time and part-year workers are included in the comparison, Latinas were typically paid only 52 cents for every dollar paid to white, non-Hispanic men in 2022. (Sanele Gobinduku/peopleimages.com)

Equal Pay Day sheds light on AR women's wage disparities

Today is Equal Pay Day, which calls attention to the wage gap between women and men - a disparity that's even more pronounced in the Natural State…

The government is allowing all federal loan repayments to count toward PSLF requirements, regardless of the payment plan, for those who have applied to the program before Oct. 31, 2022. (Yurii Kibalnik/Adobe Stock)

AR Group Touts Benefits of Federal Student-Loan Forgiveness

A report from the Center for Responsible Lending says women with student loans to repay were hit hard by the pandemic. An Arkansas nonprofit wants …

Economic stability can play a role in staying healthy. In Arkansas, the median annual income for Black women who work full-time was $28,018, compared to white women, who made $33,943 in 2016. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Black Women's Health in AR in "Critical State"

Black women's health in Arkansas and beyond is in a dire situation, according to a new report, which showed more collaboration is needed to address …

The Treasury Department reported that in December, the final month of the expanded Child Tax Credit, payments went to 350,000 families in Arkansas. (Adobe Stock)

Study: Guaranteed Income Can Help Improve Child Brain Development

By Katie Fleischer Broadcast version by Emily Scott Reporting for the Ms. Magazine -Arkansas News Service Collaboration It's no secret that extra …

Between 2011 and 2019, states across the nation enacted 483 new abortion restrictions, according to the Guttmacher Institute. (Adobe Stock)

State Restrictions Increasing Demand for Abortion Medication

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- Arkansas enacted twenty restrictions on abortion during this year's legislative session, more than any other state, and a recent …

Arkansas has the nation's highest teen pregnancy rate, and one of the country's highest unintended pregnancy rates among women of all ages, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Adobe Stock)

Biden Admin to Reverse Birth-Control Access Restrictions

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - The Biden administration has taken the first steps in the regulatory process to eliminate the domestic gag rule, which forced …

This year lawmakers in Arkansas and 15 other states have introduced legislation intended to cut off access to abortion early in pregnancy. (Adobe Stock)

AR’s Near-Total Abortion Ban Could Worsen Women’s Access to Health Care

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- Women have faced greater barriers to accessing health-care services during the pandemic, especially Black and Brown women and …

More than 20% of all women and nearly half of low-income women ages 15-44 rely on Medicaid and other public health insurance programs for access to contraception and reproductive care. (Adobe Stock)

Arkansas Expected to Continue Reproductive-Rights Restrictions

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - The Biden-Harris administration is expected to roll back federal restrictions on women's reproductive rights that were put in …

The U.S. Supreme Court is considering whether a Louisiana law requiring doctors to have admitting privileges at a local hospital violates the Constitution. (Adobe Stock)

Conservative Judges Hold Sway in Supreme Court Abortion Case

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- After hearing oral arguments last week, the U.S. Supreme Court is now considering whether a Louisiana law requiring doctors who …

Arkansas ranks fourth in the country for the number of abortion restrictions it has passed since 1973, according to a new report by the Guttmacher Institute. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Arkansas Has More Abortion Restrictions Than Almost Any Other State

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Arkansas has passed 57 abortion restrictions since 1973, more than any other state in the U.S. except for Louisiana, Indiana and …

According to federal data, there are now more women in the U.S. workforce than men, with women occupying 50.04% of positions. (Adobe Stock)

House Bill Aims to Fill Gaps in Pregnant Worker Protections

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- A bill in Congress that would ensure pregnant women aren't fired from their jobs for requesting reasonable accommodations in the …

Supreme Court, court of appeals and district court judges are nominated by the president and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. (Adobe Stock)

Trump Administration Fast-Tracking Judge Confirmations

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- Over the past few years, the U.S. Senate has confirmed 185 of President Donald Trump's judicial nominees, the majority of whom …

A new study shows that when states expand Medicare coverage, there are fewer maternal deaths and lower rates of infant mortality. (Pixabay)

Study: Medicaid Coverage Improves Arkansas Childbirth Outcomes

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – A new report shows that states expanding Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, including Arkansas, have fewer maternal …

Backers say an initiative on the midterm election ballot to raise the minimum wage in Arkansas would benefit the entire state economy. (Pixabay)

Arkansans to Vote on Proposed Minimum-Wage Increase

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — For the second time in five years, Arkansas voters will get the chance to increase the state's minimum wage on Election Day…

The U.S. Supreme Court upheld a law banning morning-after pills in Arkansas earlier this year. (Geoff Livingston/Flickr)

Judge Rules AR Can Block Medicaid Funding to Planned Parenthood

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – A federal judge who previously prevented Arkansas from blocking Medicaid funding to Planned Parenthood on Tuesday said she …

Pregnant women report a lack of medical care and use of shackles while in ICE custody in recent months. (Twenty20)

Calls in Congress for Investigation into Women Miscarrying in ICE Custody

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – This week, members of Congress will continue their push for an investigation into the detention of pregnant women in …

After 1978, the number of women in prison nationwide increased at about twice the rate of men. (ImageSource/GettyImages)

Gender Gap Widens as Arkansas Reduces Prison Populations

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Prison populations are dropping in most states, but a new study finds the number of incarcerated women isn't falling as …

Four laws were approved earlier this year by Arkansas lawmakers despite similar measures having been ruled unconstitutional in several other states. (JoeRaedle/GettyImages)

Federal Court Order Blocks Four New Arkansas Abortion Laws

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – A federal judge has blocked Arkansas from enforcing four new abortion restrictions passed earlier this year by state …

The Arkansas Legislature has passed an anti-abortion bill banning a common medical procedure and allowing family members to block a woman from having it. (mj00007/iStockphoto)

New Arkansas Anti-Abortion Law to Face Legal Challenge

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Women's health advocates and legal experts say they don't expect a new Arkansas law blocking a certain type of abortion …

New guidelines say parents should put infants to sleep on their backs in an uncluttered crib. (artfoliophoto/iStockphoto)

Arkansas Program Teaches Parents Safe Sleep for Infants

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Public health officials in Arkansas are making sure parents and caretakers know how to safely put infants to sleep so they …

This year's Premature Birth Report Card shows that for the first time in eight years, the U.S. preterm birth rate has increased. (March of Dimes)

Report: Preterm Birth Rates Rising Across Arkansas, U.S.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Arkansas's premature birth rate is rising, dropping the state from a grade of C to a D on the March of Dimes' annual Premature …

The Women�s Foundation of Arkansas is working to advance the status of women through education, career advancement and leadership development. (iStockphoto)

Women’s March Toward Equality Slow but Steady in Arkansas

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Arkansas is a state where women's advocates say movement toward securing equality is sometimes slow, but they see enormous …

Advocates say a family leave policy is crucial to the well being of Arkansas' children. (Sierra Neely)

Advocates: Arkansas Needs Family Leave Policy

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – A state-by-state analysis by the National Partnership for Women and Families gives Arkansas a C-minus for workplace …

Legislation to help families buy diapers is pending in Congress. (Brad Robinson)

Low-Income Families Could Get Help Buying Diapers

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Federal lawmakers are considering legislation that would fund pilot programs in states such as Arkansas to help low-income …

Arkansas approved Medicaid expansion in 2014 and has seen the number of unisured patients in emergency rooms drop by about 10 percent. (Catherine Hope)

Arkansas Seeing Benefits of Medicaid Expansion

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - A health care system in Arkansas and Missouri is an example of the difference between states that have expanded Medicaid and …

Arkansas' death rate from stroke is the highest in the U.S., and doctors say getting blood pressure under control will reduce those numbers. (Virginia Carter)

Stroke Death Rate Highest in Arkansas

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - The Arkansas Department of Health calls it "a state tragedy" as more people die from strokes in Arkansas than any other state…

A new report tracks a movement by mothers to end mass incarceration of juveniles. (georgia.gov)

Mothers At Prison's Gate

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - While many mothers across Arkansas are enjoying breakfast in bed or being gifted with flowers and chocolates for Mother's Day…

Health officials want parents to try behavior therapy for kids with ADHD, instead of giving them medications. (cdc.gov)

ADHD Preschoolers May be Taking Too Many Meds

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is urging parents of preschoolers with attention-deficit/hyperactivity …

Researchers say there's health benefits to getting outdoors, both mentally and physically. (Mike Baca)

Want to be Healthier? Get Outdoors!

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - As the weather warms up, birds chirp and flowers bloom, don't forget to take some time to enjoy what Mother Nature has to offer…

Workers without sick-leave benefits, including families with children, are twice as likely to delay health-care treatment. (Virginia Carter)

Report: Employees without Paid Sick Days May Be a Hazard to All

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - It's a dilemma faced by working families in Arkansas and across the nation – what to do about work when someone is sick …

Police officers in Arkansas are giving out Laura's Card to anyone involved in a domestic situation to try to combat the rise in domestic violence.

Arkansas Law Enforcement Handing Out Laura's Card

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Every nine seconds in the U.S., a woman is assaulted or beaten, and the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence says …

Over 500,000 Arkansans serve as unpaid caregivers for family or friends. A new report says they often ignore their own health issues. (Virginia Carter)

Report: Unpaid Caregiving Takes Its Toll

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - More than 500,000 Arkansans are unpaid caregivers for friends or family members, and a new study says they are about twice as …

Walk Across Arkansas is an eight-week program to encourage people to get more exercise. It's sponsored by the University of Arkansas in order to reduce the state's high obesity rate. (Kevin Patrick Allen)

Arkansans "Walk Across the State" for Better Health

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Arkansans are being urged to lace up their shoes for the next eight weeks. Walk Across Arkansas has begun, with the goal of …

AARP says voters over 50 aren't the only ones who want to know where the presidential candidates stand on strengthening Social Security. (freedigitalphotos.net)

AARP: Strengthening Social Security is On Minds of Most Voters

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - More than nine of 10 Iowans who say they will attend one of that state's first-in-the-nation presidential precinct caucuses on …

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AR: Women's