Placer County Local News: Health


All Local Health News articles contributed by our local media allies and other local newsrooms.

Image caption: From nitrates to arsenic to “forever chemicals,” California’s water supply faces a serious pollution threat.
Dirty Water: California Faces a Water Contamination Crisis

Almost one million California residents are forced to drink from contaminated water supplies, or pay for bottled water. Economic inequality makes the crisis worse. What is the state doing to fix it?

Image caption: Though life expectancy has declined in recent years, Californians still live longer than most Americans.
Want to Live a Long, Healthy Life? Move to California

Life expectancy in California exceeds all but three other states, but how long you live depends on which county you live in. They're not all equal. Why? The answer may lie in political policies.

Image caption: These government entities and nonprofit groups can help individuals find a brighter outlook on life.
Finding Piece of Mind

Feeling stressed? Confused? Or just a little blue? Help is just a phone call away for residents of Placer County.

Image caption: The California mental health crisis is tied to both homelessness and rising crime.
California’s Mental Health Crisis: How We Got Here

How the California mental health crisis emerged out of the state’s history of deinstitutionalization and laws designed to protect the mentally ill, as well as the communities around them.

Image caption: Access to abortion in California is limited in many areas, though state laws protect a woman’s right to choose.
Abortion Rights in California, Explained

California has historically been ahead of the rest of the country in expanding the legal right to abortion services. Here’s what state laws say today, and how we got here.

Image caption: Mosquitos kill about 725,000 people every year, worldwide.
Taking a Bite Out of the Mosquito Population

The pesky mosquito can be deadly as well as annoying. Here’s how local governments in California have been waging war on mosquitoes for more than a century.

Image caption: California will soon be getting a new hotline number as an alternative to 911 for mental health crises.
988, the New Mental Health Emergency Number, Explained

California will soon add a new emergency hotline service with the number 988. Here’s the story behind that new service, and the original 911 number.

Image caption: States have expansive powers to protect the health of the general public.
The State’s Broad Power to Protect Public Health, Explained

Since long before the COVID-19 pandemic, states have possessed broad authority to protect public health, even to suspend laws and commandeer private property. Here’s why, and how it works.

Image caption: A smoky blanket of particulate matter hovers over San Francisco’s skyline.
Getting Acquainted With AQI

Learn what's getting into Californians’ lungs and why it matters.

Auburn Journal logo From Auburn Journal...

04/25/2024
Image for display with article titled Placer County Offering Drug Take-Back on April 27

Placer County is offering free anonymous drug drop-offs at various locations throughout the county on April 27, from 10AM to 2PM

California Local Pin Marker From Los Angeles Times...

04/24/2024
Newsom-backed bill would allow Arizona abortion providers to practice in California as the Republican-led state restricts access.

California Local Pin Marker From Los Angeles Times...

04/21/2024
California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s new ad blasts GOP efforts to make it harder for people to leave states with abortion bans and seek treatment elsewhere.

California Local Pin Marker From CalMatters...

04/17/2024
Water suppliers say the costs will be massive, with rates increasing for many consumers. Known as the “Erin Brockovich” chemical, hexavalent chromium is found statewide.

California Local Pin Marker From California Healthline...

04/16/2024
Chinese Hospital, located in the heart of this city's legendary Chinatown, struggles with many of the same financial and demographic challenges that plague small independent hospitals in underserved areas across the country.

California Local Pin Marker From EdSource...

04/09/2024
These professionals provide essential services, but their pay and working conditions do not reflect their value, and their health suffers.

California Local Pin Marker From California Healthline...

03/28/2024
Disputes between insurers and providers can lead to entire hospital systems suddenly leaving the plans.

California Local Pin Marker From EdSource...

03/28/2024
Evictions have exacerbated homelessness nationwide, increasing the rate of homeless infants and toddlers. Most of those children are not enrolled in early education programs.

California Local Pin Marker From CalMatters...

03/27/2024
After bringing his story all the way to the University of California Board of Regents, a disabled UC Berkeley student has prompted the UC to ensure emergency evacuation chairs are in every multi-storied building in the 10-university system.

California Local Pin Marker From KFF Health News...

03/25/2024
Lawyers from the conservative Christian group that won the case to overturn Roe v. Wade are returning to the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday in pursuit of an urgent priority: shutting down access to abortion pills for women across the country.

Sierra Sun logo From Sierra Sun...

03/21/2024
Image for display with article titled Empowering Farms, Enriching Communities: Inside the Force of Tahoe Food Hub

The Tahoe Food Hub isn't just about providing fresh produce; it's a comprehensive endeavor that promotes regenerative farming practices, fosters fair market opportunities for family farms, and strives to enhance access to locally sourced food.

California Local Pin Marker From California Local...

03/10/2024
Image for display with article titled YoloCares: Helping Families Navigate Life’s Final Stages

For more than four decades, YoloCares has helped families navigate life’s final stages.

California Local Pin Marker From California Healthline...

03/10/2024
California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced Monday that he is throwing his weight behind legislation to bar medical debt from showing up on consumer credit reports, a Democratic-led effort to offer protection to patients squeezed by health care bills.

California Local Pin Marker From Los Angeles Times...

03/08/2024
Proposition E broadens police surveillance powers and Proposition F mandates drug screening and treatment for people receiving county welfare benefits who are suspected of drug use.

California Local Pin Marker From Los Angeles Times...

03/01/2024
A report of a 12 month study which ended in February indicates almost half of those cited for drug usage were not residents of the city, leading to questions about city approaches to drug addiction.

California Local Pin Marker From CapPublicRadio...

02/27/2024
The monthly rate of antidepressants being dispensed to young people increased about 64% more quickly during the coronavirus pandemic, according to a study in the journal Pediatrics.

California Local Pin Marker From California Healthline...

02/26/2024
Health providers and addiction experts warn the funding structure is unstable for a California initiative that steers patients with substance use disorder into long-term treatment.

California Local Pin Marker From California Healthline...

02/20/2024
The United States is knee-deep in what some experts call the opioid epidemic's "fourth wave," which is not only placing drug users at greater risk but is also complicating efforts to address the nation's drug problem.

California Local Pin Marker From California Healthline...

02/15/2024
For weeks, Anthem Blue Cross enrollees who receive health care from the University of California were in suspense, as the health system and one of its largest insurance partners struggled to reach a new contract.
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