People who live in rural areas suffer from higher than average rates of depression, an illness that can have a devastating effect on older adults. Yet California’s rural areas suffer from a shortage of mental health professionals, leaving seniors with few options for treatment.
The amount of state funding given to a child with developmental disabilities varies wildly depending on where the child lives, according to a new report by Public Counsel, the nation’s largest pro bono law firm. Regions with higher black and Latino populations receive lower funding than those with higher white and Asian populations, the report said.
Interpersonal assault victims, who already faced stigma and a culture that often blames them for their assault, now must contend with a president who himself has been accused of sexual assault. Further, President Donald Trump’s immigration policies have left many California victims who are undocumented afraid to even step foot in a courthouse or police station, for fear that they may be deported.
Hepatitis C kills more people in the United States each year than any other infectious disease, yet few people realize how widespread the virus is or know what areas of the country are most impacted.
As Republicans work to dismantle the national Affordable Care Act, a bill to create universal health care coverage in California continues to wind its way through the legislature.
Planned Parenthood is a major provider of reproductive health care to primarily low-income men and women and those who live in underserved communities, says Kathy Kneer, CEO and president of Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California. For some, it’s their only source of health care.
The historical function of jails was to detain people who are a danger to public safety or a flight risk while awaiting trial. Today, jails confine too many people who are neither, simply because they can’t afford to pay bail. Each year, an estimated 1,000 people die while incarcerated in local jails, and a majority are being held pre-trial.
“It’s a beautiful thing when you’ve resuscitated someone and you get them back,” says paramedic Henry Ledo, “but if you can do anything for anyone in their life, it’s at least to respect their wishes.”
Doctors across the state say that in addition to treating more babies who are born with an addiction, they’re seeing an increase in children and teens who are addicted to opiates, a class of highly-addictive drugs.
Walking through the halls of West Oakland Middle School in Oakland, it’s not uncommon to hear the sounds of students wheezing and coughing mixed with preteen chatter. According to school data, approximately 39 of the 220 students enrolled at this school have confirmed cases of asthma, and many more have breathing issues, including an increased incidence of respiratory infections.