Governor declares ‘Recovery Month,’ supports more recovery spending from Opioid Abatement funds
By Melissa Patrick
Kentucky Health News
More than 200 people attended an event to mark National Recovery Month on Friday in the state Capitol, hearing a message that recovery is possible — along with “grave concerns” from Gov. Andy Beshear about how the Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission may spend the millions coming to the state from lawsuit settlements with opioid makers and...
Matt and Jennifer Westwood named ‘community health care champions’ for Chelsea Ryann Festival
Staff report
WellCare of Kentucky, one of the companies that manages Medicaid coverage for the state, honored nine people as “community health champions” for their efforts to improve the physical and mental well-being of Kentuckians.
Matt and Jennifer Westwood of NKY were among the winners of one of the eight regional awards.
Gov. Andy Beshear spoke at the event recognizing the health-care...
University of Kentucky vaccine expert answers common questions about new COVID booster
By Dr. Vince Venditto
University of Kentucky
As the weather gets colder and gatherings move indoors, vaccines remain the safest and most effective way to protect ourselves from COVID-19.
On Sept. 11, the US Food and Drug Administration approved the updated mRNA COVID-19 booster vaccines to align with the currently circulating variants. The vaccines are recommended for everyone six months and older...
NKY region named ‘Recovery Ready Communities’ for commitment to addiction recovery support
Gov. Andy Beshear announced that the Northern Kentucky region, representing Boone, Campbell, Grant and Kenton counties, and Perry and Woodford counties have been designated as Recovery Ready Communities for their commitment to providing residents with access to addiction treatment and recovery support and removing barriers to the workforce.
These counties make up the latest round to be approved for...
Functional family therapy may be an alternative for families struggling to make changes for the better
By Jennifer Connor Godbey
University of Kentucky
Functional family therapy, or FFT, has been used in residential programs with at-risk juveniles who struggle to live at home or are dealing with abusive situations.
It’s a form of therapy where all members of a family are involved in the treatment. This way, the burden of resolving issues in the group does not fall to the one person who has received...
Freestanding birth centers touted to Kentucky lawmakers studying certificate of need law
By Sarah Ladd
Kentucky Lantern
Kentucky legislators once again heard arguments in favor of removing the state’s certificate of need requirements for freestanding birth centers during a Monday task force meeting.
The certificate of need requirement mandates regulatory mechanisms for approving major capital expenditures and projects for certain health care facilities, according to the National Conference...
Ben Chandler leads support for research into addiction treatment at opioid panel’s final hearing
By Melissa Patrick
Kentucky Health News
Twenty-three people spoke in favor of funding the development of an opioid-use disorder treatment using the psychedelic drug ibogaine with some of the state’s opoid-settlement money at the Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission’s second and final public hearing last week.
Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky President and CEO Ben Chandler, a...
Interact for Health awards second round of grants to area nonprofits to support youth mental health
Interact for Health awarded a second wave of community grants aimed at increasing youth mental health prevention services in school-based settings.
This is the second announcement from the organization’s new five-year strategic plan, which has a strong focus on improving mental health and well-being in the region, particularly for youth. This additional $1M investment builds on the previous wave...
National Child Passenger Safety Week coming up: Please assure your car seat is properly installed
Each year, National Child Passenger Safety Week aims to increase awareness for parents and caregivers about the importance of correctly buckling kids in the right seats for their age and size.
“As a dad, I know how hard parents work to help keep children safe, especially on our roadways,” said Gov. Andy Beshear. “While this week reminds us to take the proper precautions to keep our kids safe...
University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center gets designation from National Institutes of Health
Twenty million dollars allocated by the General Assembly in the 2023-2024 biennial budget was integral to the University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center being designated as a comprehensive cancer center by the National Institutes of Health.
The NIH is the federal government’s principal cancer research and training agency. Markey is now one of only 56 cancer centers nationwide with this designation...
St. Elizabeth Healthcare is first in state to use CathWorks FFR technology for coronary diagnostics
St. Elizabeth Healthcare achieves a significant milestone in cardiovascular care with the use of technology known as CathWorks FFRangio (FFR). Officials with Medtronic, who currently promote the less invasive, diagnostic technology in the United States, have designated St. Elizabeth as the first healthcare system in Kentucky to implement this new approach.
The CathWorks FFRangio (Photo from the websites)
CathWorks...
St. Elizabeth Healthcare partners with UC Clermont for free employee tuition toward surgical tech degree
The University of Cincinnati Clermont College and St. Elizabeth Healthcare have partnered to create a new career pathway in surgical technology.
St. Elizabeth is now offering free tuition toward a surgical technology associate degree, with UC Clermont providing the education needed to fill in-demand operating room roles.
The new program is open to interested St. Elizabeth employees who work at least...
New study: Burden of ‘long COVID’ is real, even after two years in those with severe and mild cases
Kentucky Health News
A recent study highlights the burden of COVID-19 that continues to affect millions of people, showing that patients who were hospitalized with the disease are especially vulnerable to a long list of health problems and death two years after the initial infection, and that those with mild or moderate infections have an elevated risk of two dozen medical conditions, Amy Goldstein...
It’s bat season so be aware — small number carry rabies which can be fatal to both people and pets
By Tom Latek
Kentucky Today
Public health officials in Kentucky say we are now in bat season and remind everyone that each year a small number of bats test positive for rabies, which can be fatal to both people and pets.
According to the Kentucky Department for Public Health, in 2017 there were five cases involving rabid bats statewide. In 2018, that number jumped to 13. In 2019, 12 confirmed cases...
With high school athletics in full swing, here’s what to know about the heart health of your young athlete
By Dr. Shaun Mohan
University of Kentucky
We often think of athletes, particularly young athletes, as the picture of perfect health. With helmets and protective pads, specialized nutrition and physical conditioning under the watchful eyes of coaches and trainers, these players seem poised to accomplish physical feats that can bring entire stadiums of cheering spectators to their feet.
But recent news...
