Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt announced today that on December 21, 2021, Piney Ridge Center, a residential treatment facility for children suffering from sexual behavior disorders and mental health illnesses, entered into a civil settlement agreement with his office for billing MO HealthNet, the Missouri Medicaid program, for therapy services that it did not provide […]
(Missouri Independent) – Missouri state employees counting on seeing a big raise in their February paychecks may be disappointed, as lawmakers fiddle with a $5.4 billion spending bill pushed by Gov. Mike Parson. When the Republican governor in December proposed a 5.5 percent pay raise for all state workers, he said he wanted it in effect by […]
Missouri could ban hospitals and long-term care centers from restricting visitors, including during an emergency. A state House committee is reviewing the bill sponsored by State Representative Brian Seitz, a Republican from southwest Missouri’s Branson. State Representative Ashley Aune, a Democrat from Kansas City, says medical professionals should be making the health care […]
(Missouri Independent) – Gov. Mike Parson proposed massive new spending on infrastructure and college buildings, and still found money to set aside for pensions and future revenue shortfalls, in the budget submitted Wednesday to lawmakers. Missouri will enter the new fiscal year with nearly $3 billion in surplus general revenue, an anticipation of record future tax collections, […]
The North Central Missouri Mental Health Center Board of Directors will discuss accounting practices and potential policy updates. The board will meet at the Mental Health Center in Trenton on January 25th at 4:30 pm. The meeting can also be attended via Zoom. The meeting ID is 823 0882 2150, and the passcode is 486992. […]
Several defendants received prison sentences or probation on Thursday in Grundy County Circuit Court. Mercer County Associate Judge Matthew Krohn was appointed to preside during the proceedings in Division One of Circuit Court. Princeton resident James LeRoy Houk saw his probation revoked on two drug-related counts and was sentenced to four years with the Missouri […]
(Missouri Independent) – Faced with over a year’s delay from the state social services department on implementing extended mental health care for new moms, a bipartisan effort now aims to expand health care coverage more broadly for low-income pregnant women. Legislation filed last week by Sens. Elaine Gannon, R-De Soto, and Jill Schupp, D-Creve Coeur, would extend […]
(Missouri Independent) – Two years ago, a company led by an influential Republican businessman faced off with the state’s environmental regulators over whether it needed to do additional testing for a chemical that health officials worried could pose a cancer risk to the company’s workers. The Moberly manufacturing facility, Orscheln Products LLC, is owned by […]
Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt proposed a Parents’ Bill of Rights ahead of the next legislative session in January. The Parents’ Bill of Rights would protect parents’ rights to have a well-informed say in their children’s education, strengthen parents’ abilities to take action related to their children’s education, and increase transparency in Missouri’s schools. “A […]
Governor Mike Parson announced five appointments to various boards and commissions and filled two-county office vacancies. Robert Connell, of Troy, was appointed to the Amber Alert System Oversight Committee. Mr. Connell has been with the City of St. John Police Department since 2002 and has continuously advanced through the ranks to his current position as Police Chief. […]
Health advocates are pressing the U.S. Senate to pass the Build Back Better Act after it passed the House last month. The bill would improve Medicaid and CHIP, the federal Children’s Health Insurance Program, by offering 12 months of continuous coverage to children who qualify and making federal CHIP funding permanent. Casey Hanson, director of outreach and […]
From supply-chain issues to rising food costs, local food shelves are navigating a sea of obstacles in gathering enough supplies for those needing help. Iowa locations say to meet the nutritional needs of clients, the public could help in a variety of ways. The Food Bank of Siouxland, which covers several counties in northwestern Iowa, […]
An election of officers will be held at the North Central Missouri Mental Health Center Board of Directors annual meeting next week. The board will meet at the mental health center in Trenton on November 15 at 4:30 in the afternoon. The meeting will also be available on Zoom. The meeting ID is 864 2158 9324, […]
(Missouri Independent) – Missouri and Kansas residents may be drinking unsafe amounts of arsenic, nitrates, and other chemicals — even if their provider is meeting federal drinking water requirements, according to data published Wednesday by an environmental group. The Environmental Working Group released its most up-to-date tap water database, compiling testing information for water utilities across the […]
The Drug Enforcement Administration, along with its law enforcement partners, has removed close to 745,000 pounds of unneeded prescriptions from medicine cabinets across the country as part of DEA’s ongoing commitment to turn the tide against the U.S. opioid epidemic. Following last month’s 21st National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, the program has removed more than […]
Women and young people have faced increased behavioral health challenges since before the pandemic, according to a new report, which assessed the state of well-being for women and children. The study from the United Health Foundation looked at more than 100 measures, from physical health to emotional, social, and behavioral health determinants. Dr. Ravi Johar, chief […]
Multiple reports were given at the North Central Missouri College Board of Trustees meeting October 26th. President Doctor Lenny Klaver gave updates on what are considered three key strategies for success in the college’s Plan 2025: accreditation, expansion, and funding. Regarding accreditation, Klaver called the Higher Learning Commission’s 10-year review last month a “major milestone.” […]
U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced a significant expansion of access to high-speed internet, health care, and educational services for millions of rural Americans nationwide. Today’s announcement continues to move forward President Biden’s Build Back Better Agenda by prioritizing economic growth in rural America and investing in the backbone of our country […]
The North Central Missouri Mental Health Center Board of Directors will discuss a Chillicothe addition/bid proposal next week. The board will meet at the mental health center in Trenton on October 26th at 4:30 p.m. The meeting will also be available on Zoom. The meeting ID is 811 5498 3226, and the password is 278000. […]
The use of telehealth services – a combination of telephone, video, and other online tools – peaked during COVID closures, and Coloradans still are opting for remote visits, according to new data. Social isolation and other disruptions saw mental and behavioral telehealth visits rise dramatically. Cari Frank – vice president for communications with the Center […]
