News & Issues
Stories from around the Kansas City Metro area on a variety of topics.
From the NewsHour: The Legacy of Head Start
Fifty years ago today, President Lyndon Johnson announced the creation of Head Start, the government program designed to support low-income children and families. In its latest American Graduate report, the NewsHour’s April Brown produced this story abut how the program has impacted the lives of millions of children.
Fighting Junk-Food Marketing, in KCK
For customers stepping inside Abarrotes Delicias, the noise, traffic and heat of the surrounding Kansas City, Kansas, neighborhood seem to disappear. The small store offers everything from tacos to snacks to money transfers – or just an air-conditioned place to hang out and watch TV on a lazy afternoon. Owner Graciela Martinez says she tries to provide a welcoming personal touch when serving her customers, who comprise a diverse sample of nearby residents.
Kansas Legislature Makes No Move To Shield ACA Subsidies
Some state legislatures are moving to shield residents’ federal health insurance subsidies in advance of a U.S. Supreme Court decision regarding the Affordable Care Act. The Kansas Legislature is not among them. As Kansas lawmakers work toward a tax plan to end the 2015 session, they have not had any briefings on the King v….
A gluten-free pantry, for those who really need it
Whatever someone’s route to gluten-free living might be, they soon find out it’s a bigger change than just giving up baked goods. “It’s expensive,” says Karen Miller, a retired dietitian who helped out at the Wednesday open house of the ReNewed Health Allergy Friendly and Gluten Free Food Pantry in Overland Park, Kansas.
New Healthier Living Project Seeks Input from WyCo Residents
Health advocates are partnering with students and faculty at the University of Kansas School of Architecture, Design and Planning to help Wyandotte County residents make their communities more conducive to healthy living. The Community Health Council of Wyandotte County (CHC) is leading the effort with a four-year, $1.6 million grant from a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention program aimed at reducing obesity, diabetes, heart disease and stroke in communities across the country.
KC-Area Business Leaders Tackle Mental Illness In The Workplace
Kansas City-area business leaders and health executives are kicking off an effort to make mental health a priority in the workplace.
KC Panel: Virus Associated With Cervical Cancer Also Endangers Men
Discussions about the dangers of the human papillomavirus (HPV) tend to focus on the risks it poses for cervical cancer. But as physicians and one local survivor emphasized in a discussion after the screening of a documentary shown Wednesday in Kansas City, HPV is not only a danger to women.
How Kansas Welfare Restrictions Could Lead to More Kids in Foster Care
Less than three weeks after signing a bill that’s expected to drop 700 youngsters from the state’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, Gov. Sam Brownback on Tuesday urged more Kansas families to open their homes to abused and neglected children.
How Johnson County Is ‘Stepping Up’ for Inmates and Mental Health
Johnson County was one of four communities nationwide introduced Tuesday as initial participants in a broad effort aimed at reducing the number of mentally ill individuals in local jails. Dubbed “Stepping Up,” the initiative is a combined effort of the National Association of Counties, the Council of State Governments Justice Center and the American Psychiatric Foundation.
The Fight Against Cervical Cancer is Winnable. So Why Is Kansas Losing?
If all it took were a few shots to virtually eliminate the chances of contracting one type of cancer, you’d think at-risk people would be lining up for treatment in droves. There is, in fact, a three-dose regimen that experts say essentially prevents cervical cancer, which is newly diagnosed in more than 12,000 American women…