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Yolo County Health Digest



Should California Community Colleges Offer Bachelor’s Degrees in Nursing? Universities Say No

09/05/2024

Lawmakers approved two bills to allow some community colleges to provide bachelor’s degrees in nursing. That’s setting up another conflict with the California State University, which already offers these bachelor’s degrees.

Respiratory Problems in South Sacramento Under Investigation

09/05/2024

CapRadio reports on an air monitoring program seeking to determine the cause of respiratory illnesses in South Sacramento.

Health Care in California: How the State Made Almost Everyone Eligible for Coverage

09/03/2024

Almost everyone in California has health insurance. That trend reflects about a decade and a half of policymaking designed to expand access to health care. The state’s average uninsured rate has dropped from nearly one in four Californians in 2009 to less than one in ten today.

These Middlemen Say They Keep Drug Prices Low. California Lawmakers Don’t Buy It

08/27/2024

Pharmacy benefit managers attempt to negotiate cost savings for insurers. California is considering new rules that would require them to pass their discounts on to consumers.

Millions of Californians Have Medical Debt. It Wouldn’t Hurt Your Credit Under Proposed Rules

08/26/2024

About 4 in 10 Californians are carrying medical debt. Lawmakers are advancing a bill that would prevent that debt from affecting credit scores.

Lawmakers Say Newsom Staff ‘Inflated’ Cost of Failed Health Care Bills

08/26/2024

A trio of California Democratic lawmakers say they’re frustrated by high cost estimates that helped kill their health care legislation. Did the Newsom administration inflate the numbers to quietly kill the bills?

They Delivered 5,600 Babies. They Blame California Rules for Putting Them Out of Business

08/25/2024

Birth centers are popular options for families who want to deliver a baby outside of a hospital. Nineteen of them closed in California in the past decade, deepening the state’s maternity care crisis.

Sacramento Teens Experiencing Vaping Addiction

08/19/2024

There's an increase of Sacramento area teens becoming addicted to nicotine.

Cache Creek and Lake Washington Health Advisory Issued

08/18/2024

A health advisory has been issued by Yolo County health officials noting toxic algal blooms in Cache Creek and Lake Washington.

West Nile Cases in Yolo County

08/16/2024

Two human cases of West Nile virus requiring hospitalization have been confirmed in Yolo County.

Dangerous Herbicide Used on California Crops Banned

08/07/2024

The chemical, used for decades, can harm babies’ developing brains. Farmworkers and people living near fields are most at risk. The EPA issued a rare emergency order.

A Look Back at the Hottest Recorded July

08/02/2024

A look at the hottest July ever recorded in the Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys and what's to come.

A Soil Fungus That Can Kill Is on the Rise in California: What to Know About Valley Fever

08/01/2024

About 80 Californians die every year after contracting Valley fever, a fungal disease that typically affects the lungs. A recent outbreak was traced to a music festival in Kern County.

CA Indoor Heat Rule Put on Fast Track

07/25/2024

After years of delay, a new California regulation to protect indoor workers from extreme heat is now in effect.

West Nile Cases in Yuba and Stanislaus Counties

07/24/2024

The first two human cases of West Nile virus this season were reported in Yuba and Stanislaus Counties.

California Sent a Mentally Ill Man to a State Hospital. Then It Charged Him $760,000

07/17/2024

California State Hospitals can bill patients for the care they receive during confinement. The charges often run in the tens of thousands of dollars, putting vulnerable people in debt for years.

Can California’s Health Care Providers Help Solve the State’s Homelessness Crisis?

07/10/2024

Taking advantage of new state funds, some California healthcare providers are starting to offer what their homeless patients really need: housing.

A Guide to Protecting Yourself from Mosquitos (and West Nile Virus)

06/28/2024

It's mosquito season, and West Nile virus has been detected in Yolo, Sacramento and San Joaquin Counties. CapRadio presents a guide to staying safe.

Yolo Mosquitos Test Positive for West Nile

06/27/2024

On June 26, the Yolo County Mosquito Vector Control District reported mosquitos sampled from Dunnigan tested positive for the West Nile virus.

Drinking Water of Almost a Million Californians Failed to Meet State Requirements

06/25/2024

Almost 400 suppliers, two-thirds in communities of color, don’t meet safety and reliability standards. Fixing them would cost billions.

‘Total System Breakdown’: California Firefighters With PTSD Face a Workers’ Comp Nightmare

06/25/2024

Even when suicidal, California firefighters struggle to find medical help and navigate the workers’ comp morass to pay for it.

COVID Frequently Asked Questions

06/24/2024

As COVID infections increase, CapRadio provides answers to frequently asked questions.

Yolo County Measles Cases Reported

06/21/2024

The Yolo County Health and Human Services Agency announced two local confirmed cases of measles.

The California Maternity Wards That Are Staying Open

06/06/2024

Over the last decade, nearly 50 maternity wards have closed across California, with more than half shutting down in just the last four years.

Why CA Families Are Getting a Tax Surprise for Health Care

06/04/2024

For families seeking affordable health insurance, the state’s health insurance marketplace, Covered California, can provide major relief. But if they’re not careful, they can get hit by an unexpected federal tax bill.

Sacramento City Council Approves Electric Appliance Plan

05/15/2024

In its May 14 meeting, the Sacramento City Council unanimously approved a plan to encourage residents and businesses to replace gas appliances with electric.

Counties Prepare for Mosquito Season

05/14/2024

Mosquito vector control agencies are preparing for mosquito season in San Joaquin and Sacramento counties.

Verge Evictions Highlight Need for More Inclusive Practices in Sacramento Arts Scene, Artists of Color Say

04/26/2024

Dozens of members of the National Union of Healthcare Workers, including vocational nurses, social workers, kitchen and janitorial staff, picketed outside the Sutter Center for Psychiatry

Bill Would Allow Arizona Abortion Providers to Practice in California Temporarily

04/24/2024

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

Newsom Calls Out Republican Abortion Policies in New Ad Running in Alabama

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 Sets Nation’s First Water Standard for Cancer-Causing Contaminant

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.

In San Francisco’s Chinatown, a CEO Works With the Community to Bolster Hospital

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.

Featured

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Learn what's getting into Californians’ lungs and why it matters.
States have expansive powers to protect the health of the general public.
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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.
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.
Nurturing Yolo County Families
Yolo County families have many places to find help, including early childhood development services, after-school activities, and recreational opportunities.
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