Health
Senate reaches compromise with House Republicans on abortion funding
House Republicans got a restriction on abortion funding back into the state budget Tuesday, but it is so scaled back it will likely impose no new limits or demands on providers. Under a compromise crafted by Sen. Jeb Bradley, a Wolfeboro Republican, abortion providers will have to show they are not using state money for […]
Health care providers say ‘no problem’ on new OSHA standards
Under a new safety rule from the federal Occupational Health and Safety Administration, health care providers in nearly all settings have 30 days to assess their COVID-19 hazards, write a plan for mitigating virus spread, and erect barriers when safe distancing is impossible. New Hampshire providers say that won’t be a heavy burden. “Safety of […]
Medical experts challenge lawmakers’ thinking on abortion ban
The 24-week abortion ban headed to Gov. Chris Sununu’s desk would do more than just dictate a deadline providers say is medically dangerous. It would require a mother to carry a fetus that cannot live on its own. And it threatens doctors with prison time, requires a costly and unreliable medical procedure, and requires providers […]
In long-term care settings, reliable statistics on staff vaccinations elusive
Statistics make plain why vaccinating long-term care health workers is critical. Residents in these places account for 65 percent of the state’s coronavirus deaths, a tally so high New Hampshire led the nation at one point. The statistics, however, do a poor job tracking the vaccination rate among those health care workers even though evidence […]
Sununu announces end to state of emergency
Gov. Chris Sununu announced an end to New Hampshire’s state of emergency Thursday, 16 months after invoking executive powers at the onset of a deadly pandemic. During a weekly press conference addressing the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Sununu said that the state of emergency would sunset Friday evening. “The state of emergency is […]
State looks out of state for children’s mental health care
With approximately 30 children waiting each day in emergency rooms for psychiatric care, the state is talking with three out-of-state hospitals about providing 10 to 15 in-patient beds for their mental health needs. Department of Health and Human Services Commissioner Lori Shibinette has not named the hospitals but told the Senate Health and Human Services […]
Senate committee unanimously rejects ‘medical protective custody’ proposal
A state proposal to give hospitals their own power to detain people in emergency rooms while deciding their mental health needs was rejected, 4-0, by a Senate committee Tuesday following a two-hour public hearing where no one voiced support. “While the issues identified in this are important and need a resolution, we’ve run out of […]
Remote public hearing on ER hold proposal for mental health patients set for Tuesday
The public will get its first chance Tuesday to weigh in on a controversial new proposal that would let hospitals – as well as the state – detain people in emergency rooms until they can be connected with mental health treatment. The length of that proposed hold is just one of many unanswered questions surrounding […]
ACLU-NH raises concerns about proposed change to ER hold rules for mental health patients
This story was updated June 4, 2021 at 10 a.m. with new information. The American Civil Liberties Union of New Hampshire has joined those raising concerns about a last-minute legislative request from state officials that would allow hospitals – in addition to the state – to hold someone against their will for up to three […]
Commentary: School nurses have a big job – is 1 for every 750 kids really enough?
When many people think of a school nurse, they imagine a person who hands out Band-Aids for boo-boos. But school nurses do so much more. They are school leaders who address the physical, mental, and emotional health needs of students. As the COVID-19 pandemic played out, many school nurses took on even greater responsibilities. These […]
Proposal would change ER hold rules for mental health patients
The Department of Health and Human Services proposed last-minute legislation Friday that would allow hospitals – in addition to the state – to detain mental health patients in their emergency rooms for up to three days to determine whether they could be treated without an involuntary admission to the state hospital. Hospitals, which like other […]
‘Get a shot and have a beer’: Biden touts vaccination incentives
WASHINGTON — Free child care during COVID-19 vaccine appointments. Late-night appointment slots on Fridays. And free beer for everybody over 21 if President Joe Biden’s vaccination goal is reached next month. These are some of the latest incentives and strategies lined up by the Biden administration to boost national vaccinations against COVID-19 leading up to the […]