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San Benito County Health Articles



Benito Link logo LOCAL NEWS
Local Walnut Farm Tied to E. Coli Outbreak

Lea este articulo en español aquí.

Hilltromper Silicon Valley logo LOCAL NEWS
Tips on Ticks for Lyme Disease Awareness Month

Partly due to global warming and the proliferation of ticks, Lyme disease is the fastest growing infectious disease in the US. Here’s how to protect yourself.

SanBenitocom logo LOCAL NEWS
San Benito Health Foundation Receives $1.3M Grant

The office of California 18th District Rep. Zoe Lofgren announced this week that the San Benito Health Foundation will receive $1,385,218 in funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for healthcare centers in San Benito County.

SanBenitocom logo LOCAL NEWS
Hospital Board to Appeal Bankruptcy Decision

The San Benito Health Care District announced that it is planning to appeal the U.S. Bankruptcy Court’s ruling that denied the district’s Chapter 9 filing for Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital. 

SanBenitocom logo LOCAL NEWS
Court Rejects Hollister Hospital’s Bid to Go Bankrupt

The U.S. Bankruptcy Court has struck down the Chapter 9 filing by the San Benito Health Care District (SBHCD), refuting its claims that Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital is insolvent. The court also brought into question the methods of the district …

Gilroy Dispatch logo LOCAL NEWS
County Celebrates Opening of Expanded Valley Health Center Morgan Hill

The new Valley Health Center clinic in Morgan Hill—formerly known as the De Paul Health Center—is now open, offering expanded healthcare coverage for residents of South County and surrounding areas.

SanBenitocom logo LOCAL NEWS
Hospital Admin Doubts Feasibility of Local Takeover Offers

After a preliminary evaluation of the four proposals submitted to the San Benito Health Care District seeking to take over Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital, the two letters of intent submitted by local entities “still lack significant financial information.”

Gilroy Dispatch logo LOCAL NEWS
Local hospitals thrive five years after county purchase

After nearly losing two critical medical centers in Santa Clara County five years ago to bankruptcy, both are now thriving and experiencing tremendous growth under the stewardship of Santa Clara Valley Healthcare, according to county officials.

Image caption: A new law seeks to prevent cars from speeding, which causes about one of every three traffic fatalities.
If Drivers Won’t Slow Down, Proposed Law Requires Cars Do It for Them

“Intelligent” speed-limiting technology will be required in all new California cars starting in 2027, if a new law authored by San Francisco Senator Scott Wiener passes.

Image caption: Los Angeles voters can take a step toward reducing traffic violence with a measure on the March ballot.
Can Traffic Deaths in Los Angeles be Reduced With a Ballot Measure?

With traffic deaths now regularly topping 300 per year, Measure HLA on the March 5 ballot gives Los Angeles voters the opportunity to force their reluctant city to implement new traffic safety measures.

Image caption: California traffic deaths dropped by 12 percent in the first three months of 2023, but road fatalities remain at crisis levels.
Death on the Roads: Traffic Fatality Crisis Far From Over

As the COVID pandemic eased, so did the epidemic of death on the road. Somewhat. But the ongoing crisis of traffic fatalities remains at high levels with early numbers form 2023 appearing to top 4,000 in California.

Image caption: Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas chats with Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer on the first day of the new legislative session Wednesday.
California Legislature Opens 2024 Session With Packed Agenda

State lawmakers reconvene with a lot of problems to fix, but not a lot of money to spend on solutions with a projected $68 billion budget deficit.

Image caption: When the calendar turns to 2024, undocumented Californian adults will become eligible for the state's public health insurance program, Medi-Cal.
All Undocumented Californians Eligible for Medi-Cal for First Time

Undocumented Californians are leaving health care clinics with “smiles” after they learn they’re newly eligible for Medi-Cal insurance. The health insurance expansion was decades in the making for immigrant advocates.

SanBenitocom logo LOCAL NEWS
2024 law makes opiate antagonists more widely available, liability free

A Naloxone kit in 2017. The medication is used for the emergency treatment of known or suspected opioid overdose. Brand names of the drug are: Narcan, Evzio, LifEMS Naloxone, Narcan Neonatal and Narcan Prefilled. (New Brunswick/Nouveau-Brunswick via Bay City News) …

Image caption: Ambiance rides often save lives, but they can also ruin the lives of families slapped with expensive surprise bills for the emergency service.
Surprise Ambulance Ride Bills Banned Under New Law

Surprise ambulance bills can leave families deeply in debt after a medical emergency. A new state law that forces insurance companies to negotiate payments is expected to save Californians tens of millions of dollars a year.

Featured

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.
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.
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
Here's the story behind that new service, and the original 911 number.
Mosquitos kill about 725,000 people every year, worldwide.
Taking a Bite Out of the Mosquito Population
How local government tries to control the world’s deadliest wild animal—the mosquito.
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
But even in California, access to abortion services in many areas remains limited.
The California mental health crisis is tied to both homelessness and rising crime.
UPDATE: California’s Mental Health Crisis: How We Got Here
The making of Gov. Newsom's plan to help get mentally ill Californians into treatment.
Help is available for people who feel like they’re falling apart.
Finding Peace of Mind
Find help from these websites, telephone hotlines and organizations
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
Californians live longer than people in all but three states, but not all counties are equal.
From nitrates to arsenic to “forever chemicals,” California’s water supply faces a serious pollution threat.
Dirty Water: California Faces a Water Contamination Crisis
In a state that declares water a “human right,” more than 2 percent of its residents have no drinkable water.
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