Janssen Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine

Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services: “Missouri vaccinators to resume use of Johnson & Johnson vaccine”

Missouri COVID-19 vaccinators will resume use of the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine. This decision was made following the announcement by the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that it has studied and confirmed that the pause on its use can be lifted. It was concluded that the known […]

Indictment news graphic

Missouri pharmacy owner and technician indicted on 34 counts related to Medicaid fraud, forgery and identity theft

Shane Becker, owner of the Old Town Pharmacy LLC, and Montserrat Ortega-Saucedo, a pharmacy technician at Old Town Pharmacy, were both indicted on 34 total counts in Cole County on Wednesday, April 21, 2021. A Cole County grand jury returned 26 counts of Violations Involving Health Care Payments (Class D Felony), 6 counts of Forgery […]

Girls Team a Huddle sports

LGBTQ advocates oppose bills seen as harmful to trans youth

The Missouri House of Representatives advanced a bill aimed to ban transgender kids from participating in girl’s sports, which advocates said is the latest in a growing list of legislative attacks on trans youth across the country. More than 250 anti-LGBTQ bills have been introduced in 2021 alone, according to the Human Rights Campaign. Shira Berkowitz, communications […]

Medicaid Expansion in Missouri

Audio: Parson responds to full House and Senate committee rejecting his Medicaid expansion funding request

The Missouri House and the Senate Appropriations Committee have voted against Governor Parson’s request to fund Medicaid expansion. Parson, a Republican, asked for more than 100-million dollars to fund the voter-approved measure that would allow other 275-thousand low-income adults to become eligible for government-funded healthcare. During a press conference at the Missouri Capitol, Governor Parson […]

Justice Department

Justice Department releases $58 million in solicitations to combat the distribution of illicit drugs and improve officer wellness

The Justice Department announced that the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) has released approximately $58 million in three grant solicitations that will advance community policing, help combat the dual scourges of opioid and methamphetamine use, and promote the health and safety of our nation’s law enforcement officers. “The grant solicitations announced will […]

CRP Website Revised (Conservation Reserve Program website)

USDA expands and renews Conservation Reserve Program in effort to boost enrollment and address climate change

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today that USDA will open enrollment in the Conservation Reserve Program with higher payment rates, new incentives, and a more targeted focus on the program’s role in climate change mitigation. Additionally, USDA is announcing investments in partnerships to increase climate-smart agriculture, including $330 million in 85 Regional Conservation Partnership Program […]

USDA Sign

USDA invests $35 million in rural water, energy, and biofuel infrastructure in Missouri

U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Missouri Acting State Director D Clark Thomas announced the agency is investing $35,046,000 in critical infrastructure that will help rural Missouri communities build back better and stronger while prioritizing climate-smart solutions and environmental stewardship. USDA is making the investments under the Water and Environmental Program, the Rural Energy for […]

North Central Missouri Mental Health Center

Agenda for next meeting of North Central Missouri Mental Health Center Board of Directors includes services for incarcerated individuals

The North Central Missouri Mental Health Center Board of Directors next week will discuss agency services eligible to be provided to incarcerated individuals. The meeting will be held at the mental health center of Trenton and on Zoom on April 27th at 4:30 in the afternoon. The Zoom meeting ID will be 99535808670, and the […]

Life Options Green Hills Pregnancy + Health Center

Audio: Life Options Green Hills provides free and confidential services; Diaper Drive to benefit organization set to kick off April 26

Life Options Green Hills Pregnancy and Health Center of Trenton provides free and confidential services to residents in the nine-county Green Hills area. Services include pregnancy testing, limited first trimester ultrasounds, and pregnancy, prenatal, and parenting education. Executive Director Rachael Brothers says the center also provides a fatherhood education program.     She explains that […]

Missouri’s work toward vaccine accessibility for those with disabilities highlighted at national level

Representatives from Missouri’s COVID-19 vaccine planning team will present to a national audience on the state’s efforts toward prioritizing those with disabilities for vaccination. The White House COVID-19 Response Team and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are hosting the virtual forum – Breaking Down Barriers for People Who Have Challenges Accessing COVID-19 Vaccination. […]

Wright Memorial Physicians’ Group now scheduling COVID-19 vaccinations for non-patients

Wright Memorial Physicians’ Group in Trenton is opening COVID-19 vaccinations to all area residents, 18 and older. Previously, the clinic was only vaccinating established patients. “Our first priority was to ensure our established patients had the opportunity to get vaccinated,” said Shane Lynch, Practice Manager, Wright Memorial Physicians’ Group. “We’re now ready to move on […]

Birth Control Graphic Final Version

Biden administration to reverse birth control access restrictions

The Biden administration has taken the first steps in the regulatory process to eliminate the domestic gag rule, which forced more than 900 reproductive-health clinics nationwide to leave the Title X family-planning program and lose major amounts of funding. Rachel Fey, vice president for policy and strategic partnerships at the contraceptive-access advocacy group Power to Decide, said the […]

Dr. Randall Williams

Audio: Missouri House Health Committee Chairman says former DHSS Director Williams “Did a fine job”

Two key Missouri lawmakers from opposite parties view Tuesday’s resignation of state Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) Director, Dr. Randall Williams, very differently. Missouri House Health and Mental Health Policy Committee Chairman Rep. Mike Stephens (R-Bolivar) praises Dr. Williams, while House Minority Leader Crystal Quade (D-Springfield) says the resignation was long overdue. Chairman Stephens says Williams […]