Bill Clinton’s Philanthropic Legacy: An Appraisal IP Editor-in-Chief David Callahan takes stock of the former president's charitable efforts over the past quarter century.

IP Editor-in-Chief David Callahan takes stock of the former president's charitable efforts over the past quarter century.

David Callahan Reports: tinyurl.com/bd8htxvh

#GlobalHealth #ClintonFoundation #ClintonGlobalInitiative #HealthAccess #PhilanthropyLeadership #HumanitarianAid

Madison County to deploy mobile COVID‑19 testing unit to underserved communities Chair Kurt Prenzler announced a mobile COVID‑19 testing unit that will travel to underserved and minority communities; the county said partners include SIU School of Medicine, Lewis and Clark Community College and Southern Illinois Healthcare Foundation and that testing could begin next week.

Madison County is set to launch a groundbreaking mobile COVID-19 testing unit aimed at bringing essential healthcare to underserved and minority communities starting next week!

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#MadisonCounty #IL #PublicHealth #CitizenPortal #MadisonCountyUnderserved #HealthAccess

Governor signs a package of bills covering tribal rights, public safety, health and labor At a bill-signing ceremony at the Governor's Office, the governor signed more than a dozen bills into law, including a repeal of an anti‑tribal statute, a ban on employer-required microchipping, updates to ski-lift safety rules and measures to expand access to medical cannabis and licensure compacts.

A historic bill-signing ceremony in Washington has resulted in sweeping changes, from improving tribal rights to enhancing public safety and health access.

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#WA #CivicAccountability #CitizenPortal #PublicSafety #HealthAccess

City outlines 'connected care' outreach: ACS brings medical, behavioral health and ID services to neighborhoods The Community Safety Department described frequent connected‑care events that deliver medical, behavioral‑health, housing navigation and ID services in high‑need areas; officials credited partnerships and said ACS is adapting to increased 311 and 911 call volumes.

Albuquerque is revolutionizing community care by bringing vital medical, behavioral health, and housing services directly to neighborhoods in need!

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#AlbuquerqueBernalilloCounty #NM #CitizenPortal #PublicSafety #AlbuquerqueCommunity #HealthAccess #CommunityPartnerships

Senator Robertson urges sales-tax exemption for menstrual and baby supplies, witnesses cite affordability data Senator Robertson reintroduced a bill to exempt menstrual hygiene and baby-related products from sales tax, saying the change would ease burdens on single parents; Helping Mamas and Georgia Stomp testified that the exemption would have modest fiscal cost but large household benefit.

Senator Robertson is championing a sales-tax exemption for menstrual and baby products, aiming to ease the financial strain on single parents and working families in Georgia.

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#GA #CitizenPortal #AffordabilityMeasure #HealthAccess #GeorgiaSingleParents #FamilySupport

New Amador school farm begins supplying salad bars; Medi‑Cal collaborative funds dental screenings pilot District and county officials celebrated a new school farm that has begun delivering hundreds of pounds of produce to campus cafeterias; the Medi‑Cal collaborative also approved funds to pilot in‑school oral health treatments and sealants for elementary students, serving 103 students so far.

The new Amador school farm is already making waves by supplying hundreds of pounds of fresh greens to local cafeterias and has plans to expand its impact on nutrition education!

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#CA #CitizenPortal #NutritionImprovements #HealthAccess

Lane County unveils Community Health Improvement Plan 2026'2030, prioritizing access, resilience and mental health Lane County public health staff and partners presented the Live Healthy Lane Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) 2026'2030, identifying three priorities—access to services, community resilience/basic needs, and mental health—and establishing a data team and measurable indicators for implementation and annual review.

Lane County is launching a groundbreaking Community Health Improvement Plan aimed at enhancing access, resilience, and mental health for all residents!

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#LaneCounty #OR #LaneCountyHealth #MentalHealthWellbeing #CommunityResilience #HealthAccess

Walla Walla County's health leaders are gearing up for a pivotal shift, demanding clearer data and focused priorities to tackle pressing issues like housing and healthcare access.

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#WallaWallaCounty #WA #CommunityEngagement #DataDrivenPolicy #CitizenPortal #HealthAccess

House committee backs bill to add an FDA‑approved sleep-apnea device to access list amid vendor and cost concerns HB27-26 would add an FDA-approved device for mild sleep apnea to Arizona's access list. Sponsor Representative Bliss said other states approved similar measures; critics urged the item go through the formal Access/formulary process and flagged vendor-support and potential costs (device cited at $1,600).

Arizona's House committee is pushing to add an FDA-approved sleep apnea device to the access list, sparking debate over costs and vendor support.

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#AZ #CitizenPortal #ArizonaSleepApnea #ChronicConditionPrevention #VendorSupportIssues #HealthAccess

March is International Women’s Month.

Women are driving progress in healthcare, research, advocacy, and community leadership while expanding health access for communities across the country.

#InternationalWomensMonth #InternationalWomensDay #WomensHealth #HealthAccess

Committee backs bill letting courts hold mental‑health proceedings virtually The Health and Human Services committee recommended SB 1242 be returned with a due‑pass recommendation. The bill authorizes judges to order mental‑health evaluations, treatment hearings or testimony by phone or video when doing so won’t unfairly prejudice parties and lets the Arizona Supreme Court set procedures.

A pivotal new bill in Arizona could revolutionize mental health proceedings by allowing remote evaluations and hearings, ensuring access and safety for all involved.

Learn more here.

#AZ #ArizonaMentalHealth #CitizenPortal #PublicSafety #VirtualCourts #HealthAccess

Ways and Means advances dozens of bills — committee issues multiple due-pass recommendations In an executive session on March 2, the Ways and Means Committee gave due-pass recommendations to a broad package of bills across four groups, moving measures on taxes, education, energy, public safety and more to the Rules Committee after adopting targeted amendments.

The Washington State Senate Ways and Means Committee has just advanced a significant package of bills that could reshape taxes, education, and public safety in the state!

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#WA #CitizenPortal #PublicEducation #HealthAccess

Identifying Factors Associated With Patient Portal and Synchronous Telehealth Use Across Age Groups in the Postpandemic Era: Retrospective Analysis of the Health Information National Trends Survey Background: Since the #covid19 pandemic, telehealth has become a core component of modern health care, encompassing both synchronous services (real-time video or phone) and patient portals, which offer a wide range of online features to streamline care delivery, including asynchronous communication and access to medical records. Older adults often face greater barriers to these technologies, potentially widening health care access gaps. Objective: This study examines factors influencing the adoption of patient portals and synchronous telehealth in the postpandemic era. It compares the 2 modalities and identifies distinct usage patterns across age groups to inform targeted strategies. Methods: We analyzed data from the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) Cycles 6 and 7. Outcomes over the past 12 months included (1) frequency of patient portal use (continuous), (2) use of synchronous telehealth (binary), and (3) no engagement with any telehealth services (binary). Key variables included demographics, socioeconomic status, technology familiarity, and health care behaviors. Age groups were categorized as young (18–49 years), middle-aged (50–64 years), and older adults (≥65 years). Interaction terms between age groups and other variables were included to uncover age-specific patterns. To mitigate multicollinearity arising from the interaction terms, we used penalized linear and logistic regression models using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) penalty without survey weights, supplemented by bootstrapping to evaluate the stability. Using the selected variables, we then fitted survey-weighted generalized linear models to account for the complex design of the HINTS survey and more accurately represent the US population. Results: Among 12,865 respondents, 36.1% (n=4638) were 65 years or older. Overall, 65.2% used patient portals and 38.4% used synchronous telehealth. Age alone was not a significant factor, but older adults exhibited distinct patterns. Older adults with higher care frequency were less likely to use patient portals (coefficient −0.07, 95% CI −0.10 to −0.04;

New in JMIR Aging: Identifying Factors Associated With Patient Portal and Synchronous Telehealth Use Across Age Groups in the Postpandemic Era: Retrospective Analysis of the Health Information National Trends Survey #Telehealth #PatientPortals #DigitalHealth #ElderlyCare #HealthAccess

Board approves Vision to Learn partnership to provide free eyeglasses to students The board approved an agreement with Vision to Learn to conduct on-site vision screenings and provide free eyeglasses to qualifying students; staff said there is no cost to the district or families.

The Taylor School District just made a game-changing move by partnering with Vision to Learn to provide free vision screenings and eyeglasses to students in need, all without any cost to families!

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#MI #VisionCare #EducationSupport #CitizenPortal #HealthAccess

💻 Contact Your GP Practice Online 🏥

Together with the NHS, contacting your GP practice has never been easier — you can now get in touch online for appointments, queries, or advice.

📌 Find out more here: www.nhs.uk/GPOnlineForms

#GPOnline #NHS #HealthAccess #WemRuralParishCouncil #CommunityHealth

Clark County Council agrees to back Latino Leadership Northwest grant to study immigrants' access to services The council agreed to provide a time‑sensitive letter of support for Latino Leadership Northwest and Clark County Public Health to seek Robert Wood Johnson Foundation funding to collect local data on immigrant families' experiences accessing services.

Clark County is stepping up to support immigrant families by backing a grant that aims to uncover the barriers they face in accessing vital health and social services.

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#ClarkCounty #WA #CitizenPortal #SocialServices #ClarkCountyImmigrants #HealthAccess #CommunitySolutions

House orders bill to remove notarization for 96‑hour mental health detention affidavits HB1977 was ordered perfected and printed after sponsors said it will remove notarization requirements for detention and evaluation applications and related documents when completed by qualified peace officers, medical staff, or hospital employees, simplifying access in rural and emergency settings.

A groundbreaking bill aims to eliminate notarization for mental health detention affidavits, making emergency care more accessible in rural areas.

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#MO #RuralSupport #CitizenPortal #EmergencyCare #MissouriMentalHealth #HealthAccess

House designates Feb. 28, 2026, as Rare Disease Day to spotlight families and research Representative Whitworth introduced and the House adopted House Resolution 251 to designate Feb. 28, 2026 as Rare Disease Day in Michigan, highlighting the experiences of Mighty Max Majeski and urging support for research, clinical trials and access to care.

Michigan is officially recognizing Rare Disease Day on February 28, 2026, to shine a light on families like Mighty Max Majeski's and the urgent need for support and research.

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#MI #CitizenPortal #CommunityAwareness #ResearchSupport #HealthAccess

Missouri's House just passed a bill to align with federal hemp regulations, but a controversial last-minute amendment could jeopardize small businesses and patient access to vital products!

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#MO #CivicAccountability #CitizenPortal #PublicSafety #MissouriHemp #HealthAccess

Committee advances package: prosthetics accountability, PBM reforms and consumer-protection bills The Business and Insurance Committee cleared multiple bills, including a prosthetics-contracts accountability bill and several PBM reforms and consumer-protection measures. Votes ranged from unanimous approvals to narrow 7-2 margins on some items.

The Oklahoma Senate has just passed groundbreaking bills aimed at enhancing prosthetic accountability and reforming pharmacy benefit managers, setting the stage for significant consumer protections!

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#OK #PharmacyReform #CitizenPortal #RentalDisclosure #HealthAccess

Committee advances annual cannabis bill that professionalizes licensing board and allows pharmacy access to low-THC products Third-substitute HB 389 would replace a seven-member volunteer medical-cannabis licensing board with a three-person professional board, permit a small transaction fee to fund regulation, reclassify certain low-THC products as medical cannabis for pharmacy sale, and shift program responsibilities to the Department of Agriculture and Food.

Utah is shaking up its medical cannabis framework with a new bill that professionalizes the licensing board and enhances access to low-THC products in pharmacies!

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#UT #PatientSupport #CitizenPortal #RegulatoryReform #HealthAccess

Committee advances bill to eliminate follow-up copays for cervical cancer diagnostic testing The House Committee on Health Care voted to send Senate Bill 15 27 A to the floor with a do-pass recommendation after testimony that out-of-pocket costs for diagnostic follow-up (colposcopy, biopsy, pathology) discourage timely care. The committee voted unanimously in favor.

Oregon's Senate Bill 15 27 A aims to eliminate out-of-pocket costs for cervical cancer follow-up testing, making timely care more accessible for all.

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#OR #FinancialBurden #HealthAccess #CervicalCancer

Texas Health Resources highlights community-impact grant; CASA for the Cross Timbers to lead local outreach in Erath County Texas Health Resources presented its Community Impact grant and named CASA for the Cross Timbers lead grantee for the Erath County collaboration; county partners outlined events and a 50-person pathway program to connect residents with social workers and services.

Erath County is set to transform community health with a groundbreaking grant supporting nearly 30 local nonprofits, focusing on vital needs like transportation and food access!

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#ErathCounty #TX #CitizenPortal #SocialDeterminants #CommunityCollaboration #HealthAccess

Committee advances bill to expand school access to epinephrine and liability protections The House Education Committee reported Substitute Senate Bill 5,240 out of committee with a due‑pass as amended after adopting a striking amendment (H3616.1) that broadens school staff authority to administer pre‑measured epinephrine, expands liability protections, and requires training documentation.

A new bill is making waves in Washington, empowering schools to administer life-saving epinephrine without a prescription—could this be the key to preventing anaphylactic emergencies?

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#WA #CitizenPortal #EducationReform #PublicSafety #HealthAccess

Assembly designates Feb. 28 as Rare Disease Day, highlights patient advocates and insurance barriers The Assembly adopted ACR 132 recognizing Feb. 28 as Rare Disease Day after multiple members and patient advocates described long diagnostic delays, insurance denials and the need for research. Sponsor Assemblymember Dixon and caucus leaders urged bipartisan support; the clerk recorded 71 coauthors and the resolution passed via voice vote.

California has officially designated February 28 as Rare Disease Day, shining a light on the struggles faced by millions living with rare conditions.

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#CA #CitizenPortal #ResearchFunding #HealthAccess

Alaska committee hears Washington, Colorado reports on public-option plans as possible tools to curb premiums State and national experts told the House Labor and Commerce Committee that public-option programs can lower premiums and out-of-pocket costs but require careful design — particularly provider engagement, reimbursement limits and potential federal waivers — and that models differ between states.

Alaska's healthcare future could hinge on innovative public-option plans, promising to lower premiums and out-of-pocket costs if designed with local needs in mind.

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#AK #AffordableCare #CitizenPortal #PublicOption #AlaskaHealthcare #HealthAccess

House adopts amendment to clarify access to self‑administered hormonal contraceptives in SB 477 The South Carolina House adopted Amendment No. 1 to Senate Bill 477, adding language to allow emancipated minors under 18 to obtain prescriptions for self‑administered hormonal contraceptives and clarifying intrauterine devices are excluded; the bill received second reading, 109‑5.

The South Carolina House just passed a groundbreaking amendment allowing emancipated minors to access hormonal contraceptives without parental consent!

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#SC #LegislativeReform #CitizenPortal #SouthCarolinaHouse #YouthEmpowerment #HealthAccess

Nebraska committee hears bill to add early literacy to well‑child Medicaid/CHIP visits LB970 would direct DHHS to submit a Medicaid state-plan amendment (with an amendment to use CHIP funds) to add a brief early-literacy promotion component to well-child EPSDT visits for children birth–5; proponents said the Reach Out and Read model is brief, evidence-informed and already operates in Nebraska clinics.

Nebraska's new bill could change the future of early literacy by integrating book distribution into well-child visits for kids under 5—could this be the key to better reading outcomes?

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#NE #EarlyLiteracy #CitizenPortal #ChildDevelopment #HealthAccess

Panel advances bill requiring AEDs at government sporting facilities, sets delayed enforcement date Sen. Stanley’s SB87 would require operational automated external defibrillators at government sporting facilities used for organized athletics, with tiered device counts and a July 1, 2028 enforcement date; the subcommittee voted 8‑0 to report and refer to appropriations.

A new bill aims to save lives by requiring automated external defibrillators at government sporting facilities, but enforcement won’t kick in until 2028!

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#VA #CitizenPortal #PublicSafety #CommunityWellbeing #HealthAccess #VirginiaSports

Utah Senate Committee advances bill to make moratorium on minors’ gender-affirming medical care permanent The Senate Judiciary Committee heard extended testimony for and against HB 174, adopted an amendment delaying parts of the ban by one year, and voted to recommend the bill favorably as amended. Supporters cited alleged harms and questioned the DHHS review; opponents and clinicians warned of mental-health harms and loss of access.

The Utah Senate Committee is on the brink of making a controversial decision that could permanently restrict gender-affirming medical care for minors, sparking intense debate over the health and well-being of transgender youth.

Get the details!

#UT #CitizenPortal #MentalHealth #HealthAccess