Health and Medicine
MGN
The Council of Community Services will open a drop-in center at 2328 Williamson Road on January 13. In addition to the services now available at its Campbell Avenue location the new location will also launch the Council’s “syringe exchange” program, with testing and intake done on Williamson Road – but the actual syringe or needle exchange taking place at a mobile health unit at predetermined times and locations. Its an effort to reduce diseases like hepatitis and HIV from those sharing needles.
Anne Marie Green is the Council’s president:
(from Council news release) On August 5, 2019, the Council of Community Services was approved to perform Comprehensive Harm Reduction Services in the City of Roanoke. Employing a hybrid model, the Drop In Center North will provide intakes, testing and service navigation onsite, while the actual “syringe exchange” will be conducted off site, on predetermined days/times and locations utilizing a mobile health unit. The Drop -In Center has successfully provided HIV and Hepatitis prevention, testing and coordination of care since 2004. Under Virginia Department of Health funding, the Drop-In Center launched a Comprehensive Harm Reduction Pilot program in 2014 focusing on harm reduction skills building, HIV/HCV testing, linkage to care/support services, and supply harm reduction supplies (i.e. wound care/safer injection kits, overdose prevention education, condoms, field guides) to those at highest risk for contracting or transmitting HIV and/or Hepatitis C. This is another component of a multi-disciplinary, best practices model grounded in expertise and collaborative efforts.
Governor Northam is proposing about $22 million in new state spending for efforts to improve health outcomes for mothers and babies — and reduce the racial disparity in the state’s maternal mortality rate. He unveiled his proposal yesterday, one that includes funding to expand Medicaid coverage for new moms and increase home visits from care providers. More from WFIR’s Evan Jones:
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam is proposing about $22 million for efforts to improve health outcomes for mothers and babies and reduce the racial disparity in the state’s maternal mortality rate.
Northam announced Monday that his budget proposal for the upcoming legislative session includes funding to expand Medicaid coverage for new moms and increase home visits from care providers. Funding is also included to study the possibility of Medicaid reimbursement for doula services and to increase access to long-acting contraception.
Northam, a Democrat, established a new initiative in June intended to reduce the maternal mortality rate for black women, which his administration says is more than twice as high as it is for black women.
Passing a two-year state spending plan will be a top priority for the General Assembly during the 2020 session. During last month’s legislative elections, voters gave Democrats full control of the General Assembly for the first time in a generation.
The governor is expected to share full details of his budget plan next week.
MGN
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam is proposing about $22 million for efforts to improve health outcomes for mothers and babies and reduce the racial disparity in the state’s maternal mortality rate.
Northam announced Monday that his budget proposal for the upcoming legislative session includes funding to expand Medicaid coverage for new moms and increase home visits from care providers. Funding is also included to study the possibility of Medicaid reimbursement for doula services and to increase access to long-acting contraception.
Northam, a Democrat, established a new initiative in June intended to reduce the maternal mortality rate for black women, which his administration says is more than twice as high as it is for black women.
Passing a two-year state spending plan will be a top priority for the General Assembly during the 2020 session. During last month’s legislative elections, voters gave Democrats full control of the General Assembly for the first time in a generation.
The governor is expected to share full details of his budget plan next week.
Nancy and Steve Agee/G Marrano photo
Carilion Clinic plans to build what it calls a “world class” center for patients dealing with cancer. It will be built on an empty lot at Franklin Road and Reserve Avenue, across from the corner of the Virginia Tech Carilion campus. Carilion President and CEO Nancy Agee and her husband Steve Agee, a local judge, will donate $1 million towards the Carilion Clinic Cancer Center, which has a price tag of $100 million for construction and outfitting it with equipment. It may take about 4 years to complete the project. Nancy Agee lost her father to cancer; Steven Agee is a cancer survivor.
Dr Michael Friedlander – FBRI/G Marrano photo
There might be more going on at the Virginia Tech-Carilion campus on South Jefferson – specifically at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute – than you know. It was all unpacked this morning at a first-ever “State of the Corridor” address. WFIR’s Gene Marrano has the story:
