NewzIntel.com

Category: Health

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Dovecot Day of Dreams promises fun for all the family

    Source: City of Liverpool

    The fantastical dreams and magical memories of a Liverpool community are to be celebrated in unique fashion next month.

    A dreamkeeping HQ is to be set up as part of a free family-friendly day of celebration, art and performances in the heart of the city’s Dovecot area.  

    On Saturday 3 May, Dovecot Dreamkeeping Society – a fictional organisation dedicated to preserving memories and dreams – will transform Hope Wellbeing Hub into Dreamkeeping HQ.

    Dovecot Multi-Activity Centre will be supporting the day and there will be a few surprise pop-ups in local businesses and Dovecot Park.

    Visitors can pop along to Dovecot Parade any time from 2pm-5:30pm to enjoy walkabout performances or to book a free space on one of the performance trails, which start at Hope Wellbeing Hub at 3:30pm or 4:30pm, go to: https://dovecotdayofdreams.eventbrite.co.uk  

    Meet weird and wonderful characters and encounter artworks – including mural by local artist John Culshaw – created in collaboration with over 300 community members of all ages from the Dovecot and Knotty Ash area, inspired by the dreams and memories of local people, gathered over a six-month residency led by artist Izzie Major.

    Izzie and her team of Dreamkeepers have embedded themselves into the community, delivering creative workshops at The Drive, Hope Wellbeing Hub, Dovecot Multi-Activity Centre, Channy’s Youthy at Dovecot Primary Dovecot Primary, Knotty Ash Primary, Nex Gen Academy, Brookside Retirement Home, Deaf Active and Smarties YPAS North Hub. Watch a short film of the workshops here.

    They have also invited local residents to join the Dreamkeeping Society. Following a series of drama workshops, these residents will be in character on the day. But don’t worry if you missed out because the Dreamkeeping Society still need your help as all is not well in their office in the sky. One of their most forgetful Dreamkeepers left an important file open overnight and some of the dreams have gotten loose! Book a place to join the mission to catch the lost dreams of Dovecot.

    Dovecot Dreamkeeping Society has been commissioned by Liverpool City Council’s Culture Liverpool team as part of its Creative Neighborhoods programme and supported by the UK’s Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF). The public art commission delivered by John Culshaw was funded by UK Shared prosperity fund Local Neighbourhood Fund.

    In the run-up to the day, John Culshaw will be holding a mural workshop on 13 April from 11am outside Dovecot Multi-Activity Centre, alongside a family fun day that takes place at Dovecot’s Hope Wellbeing Hub from 11am-3pm.

    Artist Izzie Major said:

    “Our project uses the weird and wonderful world of dreams to spark playfulness and creativity. It brings people together of all ages and all walks of life with a simple message: we are all artists and dreamers, we just need time and space away from our busy lives to come together and create, that’s what the Dreamkeeping Society is about. We’ve reached over 300 local residents with our workshops and now we want to make 3 May a fantastic day of celebration that showcases all the creativity and brilliant community initiatives we’ve experienced in the local area, we hope this day will be a building block of things to come.”

    Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Culture, Councillor Harry Doyle, said:

    “Over the last six months, Izzie and her team have been visiting community hubs, schools and care homes to creatively capture past memories and future aspirations, which residents can look forward to seeing represented at the finale celebration event. Sharing experiences, hopes and dreams can foster connections with others, creating a sense of unity and belonging and hopefully creating new memories together.”

    Resident participant Susie Williams said:

    “Myself and my children wanted to do something together as a family. My aim was to see my daughter gain more confidence as she is very shy. For my son I wanted him to gain more acting skills in a place he feels comfortable as he is deaf, so being able to join in with him was very beneficial for him as the sessions were visual too and so much fun for all ages. We all mixed in well together.

    To do this as a family was a fun way for us all to bond and to watch each other develop and grow. I have seen my daughter confidently perform in front of a group which she would never do in the past. I have seen my son become more expressive and even perform this eagerly without needing encouragement to take part. This wouldn’t have been possible without Izzy’s support or her wonderful sessions. She is very patient, bubbly and welcoming and has many wonderful skills of making sure people of all ages, backgrounds and disabilities feel welcome and able to express themselves! We have learnt so much and look forward to more sessions.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Muscovites are now monitoring their health indicators more often thanks to an electronic medical card

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    The popularity of the electronic medical record (EMR) in Moscow continues to grow: in 2024, residents used the service over 400 million times. This is 35 percent more than in 2023. Thanks to the EMR, residents of the capital have become more active in monitoring their health and have access to test results, examinations, and doctor recommendations at any time. This was reported by Anastasia Rakova, Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Social Development.

    “Five years ago, we opened access to an electronic medical record for Moscow patients, which has already become an integral part of the Moscow healthcare system. Thanks to the EHR, patients can see their medical data – tests, examinations and doctor’s appointments – at any time and in any place. In 2024, residents of the capital accessed the service over 400 million times, which is 35 percent more than last year. Since the opening of access to the electronic medical record, Muscovites have used it more than one billion times. This growth in popularity indicates that digital solutions are becoming useful and familiar tools in everyday life. More and more Muscovites are actively monitoring their health: more than 300 million records of pulse, pressure, sugar, oxygen in the blood and other important parameters have already been entered into the “Health Diary”, – noted Anastasia Rakova.

    The most active users of the electronic medical record are city residents aged 35 to 54 years. In second place are Muscovites over 55 years old, and in third place are residents of the capital from 18 to 34 years old. It is noted that most patients most often view their EMRs between 12:00 and 15:00.

    The electronic medical record contains the results of analyses and instrumental examinations, such as CT, MRI, ultrasound and fluorography, including images of medical images. The service provides access to medical examination protocols, information on dispensary observation and medical examination, data on ambulance calls, vaccination information, received prescriptions, hospital discharge summaries and a number of medical certificates. In addition, the EHR provides access to the hospital treatment history and other information online.

    One of the sections of the EHR popular with the capital’s residents is the “Health Diary”. It can contain various parameters: pulse and its rhythm, weight and height, body temperature, blood sugar and oxygen levels, blood pressure and information about angina attacks. Since last year, city residents can add health data to the electronic medical record through the mobile application “EMIAS. INFO” not only in text, but also by voice or using a photo. This option significantly reduces time costs and makes interaction with the service more convenient. In addition, Muscovites can independently add and download medical documents from the electronic medical record, as well as enter information about personal and family history in the sections “My data” and “My family history”.

    Muscovites can now enter data into their electronic medical records using voice and photo

    Last year, a new function became available in the electronic medical record for parents of newborns in intensive care and neonatology departments of children’s hospitals, maternity hospitals and perinatal centers – 24-hour video surveillance. Now parents can remotely monitor the condition of their babies. Moreover, they will be given access to the children’s EMR if the relationship is confirmed in their personal account on the mos.ru portal.

    All Moscow residents who have reached the age of 15 and have a compulsory medical insurance policy can use the electronic medical record. To do this, you need to register on the mos.ru portal. For those with a full account, the electronic medical record is available automatically, and those with a standard account will need to wait up to five working days after submitting an application. If the personal account of a parent with a full account contains confirmed data on minor children or wards, access to their EMR will be provided automatically.

    Moscow has been digitalizing its healthcare system for over 10 years. The basis of this process is now a single digital platform, which is supervised by the Moscow Social Development Complex and the capital Department of Information Technology. It provides personalized management of each patient at all stages – from diagnosis and treatment to follow-up. Thanks to the platform, all data on the health of city residents is available online to both doctors and patients.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect

    https: //vv.mos.ru/nevs/ite/152304073/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla, Cassidy Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Increase Access to Digital Health Services, Modernize Health Care System

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)

    Padilla, Cassidy Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Increase Access to Digital Health Services, Modernize Health Care System

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-La.) introduced bipartisan legislation to improve digital health services by allowing patients to easily search for and book health care appointments online while protecting personal health information. The Health Accelerating Consumers’ Care by Expediting Self-Scheduling (ACCESS) Act would increase patients’ access to modernized health care, safeguard patients’ personal health information, and ensure certainty for patients seeking digital health services.

    “Every American deserves easy access to physical and mental health care,” said Senator Padilla. “As provider wait times increase, integrating digital health programs into our health care system is essential to efficiently administering care. We cannot let scheduling obstacles prevent Americans in crisis from receiving care when they need it most.”

    “It’s enough to struggle with an illness. Patients should have easy access to the care they need,” said Dr. Cassidy. “There are plenty of tools to provide affordable, quality care. As a doctor, I’m focused on using them.”

    The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the demand for digital health services and other innovative practices. Under current law, however, there is no distinction between illegal referral practices and scheduling services that reduce the barriers associated with accessing necessary and appropriate care.

    The Health ACCESS Act would remove the regulatory ambiguity, allowing digital health and appointment booking platforms to work together to better serve patients. Doing so would improve access to care via user-friendly services, expand provider choice and scheduling availability, and enhance the overall health care experience and ecosystem. 

    The Health ACCESS Act is supported by Advanced Dermatology and Cosmetic Surgery, Boston Medical Center, Brownsville Community Health Center (FQHC), California Children’s Hospital Association, California Hospital Association, Circle Medical, Chronic Care Policy Alliance, Corewell Health, Digital Health New York (DHNY), GoHealth Urgent Care, Grow Therapy, HANYS (Health Assoc of NYS), Healthcare Leadership Council (HLC), Housing Works Community Healthcare (FQHC), Illinois Hospital Association, Indiana University Health, Intermountain Health, LabFinder, Main Line Health, Manhattan Cardiology, Medical Offices of Manhattan, Memorial Hermann Health System, Octave, SohoMD, Spring Branch Community Health Center (FQHC), Stanford Children’s Hospital, and The Dermatology Specialists.

    Senator Padilla has long been a leader in the fight to make health care more equitable in the United States. Last week, Senator Padilla joined Senators Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) in introducing bipartisan legislation that would increase access to specialty care for rural and underserved Medicare, Medicaid, and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) patients. Last year, Padilla, Senator Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) and Senator Cory Booker (D-N.J.) introduced the Health Equity and Accountability Act (HEAA) of 2024 to address health disparities among racial and ethnic minorities as well as women, the LGBTQ+ community, rural populations, and socioeconomically disadvantaged communities across the United States. Additionally, Padilla and Booker introduced the Equal Health Care for All Act, bicameral legislation that would make equal access to medical care a protected civil right to help address the racial inequities and structural failures in America’s health care system.

    Full text of the bill is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Labor’s $1 billion for mental health is good news for young people in particular – but leaves some gaps

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sebastian Rosenberg, Associate Professor, Health Research Institute, University of Canberra, and Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney

    mooremedia/Shutterstock

    The Labor government has announced it would invest A$1 billion in mental health if re-elected to provide more Australians – particularly young people – with “free, public mental health care”.

    The package includes:

    • $225 million to either build or upgrade 31 Medicare mental health centres

    • more than $200 million to build or upgrade 58 headspace services for young people

    • $500 million to establish 20 youth specialist centres for young people with complex needs

    • $90 million to support more than 1,200 training places for mental health professionals and peer workers.

    This is good news – but there are some important things that are left out.

    A focus on youth

    Some 75% of severe mental health problems develop before a person turns 25. We know intervening early improves clinical outcomes as well as prospects for completing education and maintaining employment in the future.

    So this focus on youth mental health is really welcome and needed. If we can execute it properly, it represents an investment not just in young people and their families, but will also see longer-term benefits for communities and the economy.

    Australia’s continued investment in a network of youth mental health services, headspace, is unique and positive. That said, multiple reviews have found there are often issues finding enough staff to provide appropriate care for the young people accessing these services.

    It’s crucial to ensure existing and new headspace centres have properly trained staff to deliver the required services. The new training places are welcome in this regard but will of course will take time to come on stream.

    The youth specialist centres would be new, and could fill an important gap.

    At present, we have federally funded Medicare services for mental health, such as GPs and psychologists. At the other end of the spectrum there are state-funded hospital inpatient and outpatient services for people with more severe problems.

    What has been missing is much in the middle, in the way of community mental health services. The new specialist centres for young people with complex needs may go some way to filling this gap, but we need more detail about how they’ll operate.

    The importance of holistic care

    This funding package has focused on new provisions for clinical and medical mental health care. While this is important, it neglects psychosocial care.

    Psychosocial services help keep people in stable housing, in employment, at school and enjoying some quality of life. This is what really matters to most people.

    The psychosocial workforce can be found in some of the non-government and charitable organisations providing mental health and community services. It includes people with a range of qualifications, with staff such as social workers, peer workers and others, who can help young people stay connected across these social determinants of health, while they receive treatment from clinical staff for their mental illness.

    Of those needing help for their mental health, a large proportion of young people face multiple concerns, including drugs and alcohol, sexual health or other issues such as unstable housing. So rather than simply seeing one clinician, someone with an eating disorder, for example, may need a team including a psychologist, a GP, a social worker, a dietitian, a nurse and others.

    It’s unclear whether the youth specialist centres would bring together multidisciplinary teams such as this, but it’s important they do, including professionals who can provide psychosocial care.

    A young person with a mental illness may also need help with everyday issues.
    ultramansk/Shutterstock

    Psychosocial support services have traditionally been very poorly funded in Australia. One option could be to set up new Medicare mental health centres to be managed by community sector organisations already using team-based service delivery models.

    Ultimately, while having more services is great, we need to think imaginatively and flexibly about who has the skills to best respond to young people’s needs. A heavy reliance on clinical and medical care, without psychosocial care, is a bit like trying to fight with one arm behind our back.

    A national analysis found that in 2022–23, 335,800 people aged 12–64 with severe mental illness would benefit from 21.9 million hours of psychosocial support services. A further 311,500 people with moderate mental illness would benefit from 3.3 million hours.

    Other questions we need answered

    Different groups face different levels of need and different barriers to accessing mental health care. So if we’re establishing new centres, we need to understand clearly things such as where the highest levels of psychological distress are, and what services will need to look like in areas where a high proportion of young people speak English as a second language.

    What’s more, young women are more likely to seek mental health care than young men. We need to ask what’s making accessing services less appealing to young men and address these issues.

    In a nutshell, we need to develop models of care tailored to local circumstances. This should involve working with local communities, rather than looking to impose centralised, one-size-fits-all solutions.

    We also need to know how well new services will be linked to existing services, such as hospitals, GPs, and non-government organisations providing psychosocial care. If we don’t invest properly in coordination, these changes could risk perpetuating the fragmentation which often hampers our current mental health system.

    Finally, we need a new level of accountability so we can tell whether what we’re doing is helping or not. We need regularly reported outcomes – such as hospital admissions among young people with mental illness – so we can understand system quality and performance, address any issues, and build our collective confidence that we’re meeting the needs of Australia’s young people.

    Without this, we risk well-intentioned investments failing to deliver better support.

    Sebastian Rosenberg does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Labor’s $1 billion for mental health is good news for young people in particular – but leaves some gaps – https://theconversation.com/labors-1-billion-for-mental-health-is-good-news-for-young-people-in-particular-but-leaves-some-gaps-254054

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Here’s a simple, science-backed way to sharpen your thinking and improve your memory

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ben Singh, Research Fellow, Allied Health & Human Performance, University of South Australia

    Centre for Ageing Better/Unsplash

    Many of us turn to Sudoku, Wordle or brain-training apps to sharpen our minds. But research is increasingly showing one of the best ways to boost memory, focus and brain health is exercise.

    Our new research reviewed data from more than 250,000 participants across 2,700 studies. We found exercise helps boost brain function – whether it’s walking, cycling, yoga, dancing, or even playing active video games such as Pokémon GO.

    Moving your body improves how we think, make decisions, remember things and stay focused – no matter your age.

    What the science says

    Our review adds to a growing body of research that shows regular physical activity improves three key areas of brain function:

    • cognition, which is your overall ability to think clearly, learn and make decisions

    • memory, especially short-term memory and the ability to remember personal experiences

    • executive function, which includes focus, planning, problem-solving and managing emotions.

    We conducted an umbrella review, which means we looked at the results of more than 130 high-quality research reviews that had already combined findings from many exercise studies. These studies usually involved people starting a new, structured exercise program, not just tracking the exercise they were already doing.

    To assess the effects on cognition, memory and executive function, the original studies used a range of brain function tests. These included things like remembering word lists, solving puzzles, or quickly switching between tasks – simple activities designed to reliably measure how well the brain is working.

    The improvements were small to moderate. On average, exercise led to a noticeable boost in cognition, with slightly smaller but still meaningful gains in memory and executive function.

    The benefits showed up across all age groups, though children and teens saw major gains in memory.

    People with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) showed greater improvements in executive function after physical activity than other population groups.

    The brain started responding fairly quickly – many people experienced improvements after just 12 weeks of starting regular exercise.

    Generally, the greatest benefits were seen in those doing at least 30 minutes of exercise on most days of the week, aiming for a total of about 150 minutes per week.

    Many people notice the difference after 12 weeks.
    Isaac Takeu/Unsplash

    What’s happening in the brain?

    Activities such as walking or cycling can increase the size of the hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for memory and learning.

    In one study, older adults who did aerobic exercise for a year grew their hippocampus by 2%, effectively reversing one to two years of age-related brain shrinkage.

    More intense workouts, such as running or high-intensity interval training, can further boost neuroplasticity – the brain’s ability to adapt and rewire itself. This helps you learn more quickly, think more clearly and stay mentally sharp with age.

    Another reason to get moving

    The world’s population is ageing. By 2030, one in six of people will be aged over 60. With that comes a rising risk of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and cognitive decline.

    At the same time, many adults aren’t moving enough. One in three adults aren’t meeting the recommended levels of physical activity.

    Adults should aim for at least 150 of moderate exercise – such as brisk walking – each week, or at least 75 minutes of more vigorous activity, like running.

    It’s also important to incorporate muscle-strengthening exercises, such as lifting weights, into workouts at least twice a week.

    Adults need 75 minutes of vigorous activity a week, or 150 minutes of moderate exercise – plus two sessions of strength training.
    Centre for Ageing Better/Unsplash

    Everyday movement counts

    You don’t need to run marathons or lift heavy weights to benefit. Our study showed lower-intensity activities such as yoga, tai chi and “exergames” (active video games) can be just as effective – sometimes even more so.

    These activities engage both the brain and body. Tai chi, for instance, requires focus, coordination and memorising sequences.

    Exergames often include real-time decision-making and rapid response to cues. This trains attention and memory.

    Importantly, these forms of movement are inclusive. They can be done at home, outdoors, or with friends, making them a great option for people of all fitness levels or those with limited mobility.

    Although you may already be doing a lot through daily life – like walking instead of driving or carrying shopping bags home – it’s still important to find time for structured exercise, such as lifting weights at the gym or doing a regular yoga class, to get the full benefits for your brain and body.

    Real-life applications

    If you’re a grandparent, consider playing Wii Sports virtual tennis or bowling with your grandchild. If you’re a teenager with signs of ADHD, try a dance class, and see if it impacts your concentration in class. If you’re a busy parent, you might be more clear-headed if you can squeeze a 20-minute yoga video session between meetings.

    In each of these cases, you’re not just being active, you’re giving your brain a valuable tune-up. And unlike most brain-training apps or supplements, exercise delivers far reaching benefits, including improved sleep and mental health.

    Workplaces and schools are starting to take note. Short movement breaks are being introduced during the workday to improve employee focus.

    Schools that incorporate physical activity into the classroom are seeing improvements in students’ attention and academic performance.

    Exercise is one of the most powerful and accessible tools we have for supporting brain health. Best of all, it’s free, widely available and it’s never too late to start.

    Ashleigh E. Smith receives grant funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council, the Medical Research Future Fund and is a Henry Brodaty mid-career fellow awarded from Dementia Australia Research Foundation.

    Ben Singh does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Here’s a simple, science-backed way to sharpen your thinking and improve your memory – https://theconversation.com/heres-a-simple-science-backed-way-to-sharpen-your-thinking-and-improve-your-memory-253751

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: ‘It Just Adds Another Layer of Stress’: Rainbow people’s experiences of abortion services in Aotearoa New Zealand

    Source: New Zealand Ministry of Health

    View all formats

    This research report was commissioned by the Ministry to help inform the Review of Certain Matters under the Contraception, Sterilisation, and Abortion Act 1977. It was one of three reports commissioned for three different consumer groups.

    The research report focuses on the experiences of rainbow people and provides insights into how abortion health care services are perceived and accessed by this group since changes to the law in 2020.

    This publication was prepared under contract to the Ministry of Health. The copyright in this article is owned by the Crown and administered by the Ministry. The views of the authors do not necessarily represent the views or policy of the Ministry of Health. The Ministry makes no warranty, express or implied, nor assumes any liability or responsibility for use of or reliance on the contents of this publication.

    Individual themes from the report for rainbow people

    The overarching theme from the report of rainbow people involved the structural heteronormative discrimination of the health system against the rainbow community. A central component of this discrimination was a lack of recognition of the reproductive potential, ability and needs of the rainbow population.

    Common themes from the three reports

    Three reports were commissioned of three different consumer groups, and a brief summary of the reports below outlines some common themes about abortion health care services since law change.

    Changes to the Contraception, Sterilisation, and Abortion Act 1977 have improved access to and quality of care in abortion services

    Where comparisons are made to abortion services prior to law change, these changes have improved the experience of the people involved in these reports. The ability to use telehealth, self-refer, and improvements in timeliness are particularly noted across the reports. The use of telehealth appears to be a useful option for some, while others had issues with the technology.

    The experience of abortion services is intersectionally dependant

    Intersecting layers of societal discrimination and inequity were described as key drivers of experience for rainbow and disabled people.

    Abortion is associated with social stigma

    Abortion remains a sensitive topic, particularly for rainbow and disabled people. However, providers of abortion services were overwhelmingly perceived to be accepting and non-judgmental, suggesting that the concerns expressed by some people interviewed reflected biases outside of the abortion services.

    The availability of information regarding abortion is variable

    All groups reported some difficulties in accessing information regarding abortion despite information being available through multiple mechanisms. However, once individuals were engaged with abortion services the quality and availability of information was reported as being adequate.

    The needs of individuals regarding contraception advice and abortion counselling is varied and complex

    The reports identified a potential issue regarding the availability and timing of abortion counselling. Regarding contraception, ongoing contraception appears to be discussed routinely as standard practice, although some individuals felt they were provided with limited options or not provided with a full explanation of the risks and benefits of the range of options offered.

    The other two reports, for Māori and Pacific peoples and disabled people are available here:

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Abortion Is a Human Right and Health Issue: Disabled people’s experiences of abortion services in Aotearoa New Zealand

    Source: New Zealand Ministry of Health

    View all formats

    This research report was commissioned by the Ministry to help inform the Review of Certain Matters under the Contraception, Sterilisation, and Abortion Act 1977. It was one of three reports commissioned for three different consumer groups.

    The research report focuses on the experiences of disabled people and provides insights into how abortion health care services are perceived and accessed by this group since changes to the law in 2020.

    This publication was prepared under contract to the Ministry of Health. The copyright in this article is owned by the Crown and administered by the Ministry. The views of the authors do not necessarily represent the views or policy of the Ministry of Health. The Ministry makes no warranty, express or implied, nor assumes any liability or responsibility for use of or reliance on the contents of this publication.

    Individual themes from the report for disabled people

    The over-arching themes from the report for disabled people was that provision of abortion services for people with disabilities is positioned within a wider societal attitude to disability and eugenics. The issue of abortion services for disabled people is presented as a human rights issue which is highlighted within the group of disabled people because of the association with inheritable disease. 

    Common themes from the three reports

    Three reports were commissioned of three different consumer groups, and a brief summary of the reports below outlines some common themes about abortion health care services since law change.

    Changes to the Contraception, Sterilisation, and Abortion Act 1977 have improved access to and quality of care in abortion services

    Where comparisons are made to abortion services prior to law change, these changes have improved the experience of the people involved in these reports. The ability to use telehealth, self-refer, and improvements in timeliness are particularly noted across the reports. The use of telehealth appears to be a useful option for some, while others had issues with the technology.

    The experience of abortion services is intersectionally dependant

    Intersecting layers of societal discrimination and inequity were described as key drivers of experience for rainbow and disabled people.

    Abortion is associated with social stigma

    Abortion remains a sensitive topic, particularly for rainbow and disabled people. However, providers of abortion services were overwhelmingly perceived to be accepting and non-judgmental, suggesting that the concerns expressed by some people interviewed reflected biases outside of the abortion services.

    The availability of information regarding abortion is variable

    All groups reported some difficulties in accessing information regarding abortion despite information being available through multiple mechanisms. However, once individuals were engaged with abortion services the quality and availability of information was reported as being adequate.

    The needs of individuals regarding contraception advice and abortion counselling is varied and complex

    The reports identified a potential issue regarding the availability and timing of abortion counselling. Regarding contraception, ongoing contraception appears to be discussed routinely as standard practice, although some individuals felt they were provided with limited options or not provided with a full explanation of the risks and benefits of the range of options offered.

    The other two reports, for Māori and Pacific peoples and rainbow people are available here:

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Abortion Services in Aotearoa New Zealand: The voices of wāhine on improving access

    Source: New Zealand Ministry of Health

    View all formats

    This research report was commissioned by the Ministry to help inform the Review of Certain Matters under the Contraception, Sterilisation, and Abortion Act 1977. It was one of three reports commissioned for three different consumer groups.

    The research report focuses on the experiences of Māori and Pacific peoples and provides insights into how abortion health care services are perceived and accessed by this group since changes to the law in 2020.

    This publication was prepared under contract to the Ministry of Health. The copyright in this article is owned by the Crown and administered by the Ministry. The views of the authors do not necessarily represent the views or policy of the Ministry of Health. The Ministry makes no warranty, express or implied, nor assumes any liability or responsibility for use of or reliance on the contents of this publication.

    Individual themes from the report on voices of wāhine

    The over-arching theme from this study was that abortion services had become safer and more accessible since the legislation changed, but ongoing improvements are required to move clinical care for abortions beyond the procedure itself in order to provide culturally safe and ongoing care for women. 

    Common themes from the three reports

    Three reports were commissioned of three different consumer groups, and a brief summary of the reports below outlines some common themes about abortion health care services since law change.

    Changes to the Contraception, Sterilisation, and Abortion Act 1977 have improved access to and quality of care in abortion services

    Where comparisons are made to abortion services prior to law change, these changes have improved the experience of the people involved in these reports. The ability to use telehealth, self-refer, and improvements in timeliness are particularly noted across the reports. The use of telehealth appears to be a useful option for some, while others had issues with the technology.

    The experience of abortion services is intersectionally dependant

    Intersecting layers of societal discrimination and inequity were described as key drivers of experience for rainbow and disabled people.

    Abortion is associated with social stigma

    Abortion remains a sensitive topic, particularly for rainbow and disabled people. However, providers of abortion services were overwhelmingly perceived to be accepting and non-judgmental, suggesting that the concerns expressed by some people interviewed reflected biases outside of the abortion services.

    The availability of information regarding abortion is variable

    All groups reported some difficulties in accessing information regarding abortion despite information being available through multiple mechanisms. However, once individuals were engaged with abortion services the quality and availability of information was reported as being adequate.

    The needs of individuals regarding contraception advice and abortion counselling is varied and complex

    The reports identified a potential issue regarding the availability and timing of abortion counselling. Regarding contraception, ongoing contraception appears to be discussed routinely as standard practice, although some individuals felt they were provided with limited options or not provided with a full explanation of the risks and benefits of the range of options offered.

    The other two reports, for rainbow people and disabled people are available here:

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Review of Certain Matters under the Contraception, Sterilisation, and Abortion Act 1977

    Source: New Zealand Ministry of Health

    View all formats

    This is the first periodic Review of Certain Matters under the Contraception, Sterilisation, and Abortion Act 1977.  

    The review identifies that some good progress has occurred. There is increased access to abortion services, with more providers, and an increase of locations of provision. In addition, we have Increased access to early abortion services through the telehealth services DECIDE as well as in primary health care and community settings through funded EMA medicines and clarification of funding available through the Primary Maternity Services Notice. The introduction of clinical guidelines to support clinical practice in abortion care and the Standard for Abortion Counselling in New Zealand have also been beneficial.

    However, there is work to do to improve access, especially for women seeking abortion health care who live in rural communities and who require surgical or follow-up health care. Cost, service consistency and access to counselling services also vary greatly across regions. 

    Scope of the review

    The scope of the review is set in the legislation and is focused on how the current law is working. This means that:

    • the review examines whether there is timely and equitable access to contraception services, sterilisation services and abortion services, including information and advisory and counselling services in relation to abortion services
    • the review includes consideration of the relative costs throughout New Zealand for people accessing those services
    • the review will not consider the rules regarding eligibility for access to these services, or their status as publicly funded health services.

    Under the legislation, the review must also include consideration of whether there is any evidence of abortions being sought solely because of a preference for the fetus to be of a particular sex.

    Related publications

    These reports were commissioned to help inform the review.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Healthier Choices for Canberrans

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    Healthier choices include food that features fresh ingredients.

    It’s one thing to eat healthy when you’re at home, but it’s another when you’re out and about. That’s why the ACT Government started Healthier Choices Canberra. The program makes it easier for you to find healthier food and drinks around Canberra.

    By registering with Healthier Choices Canberra, local businesses pledge to put healthier options front and centre.

    Every quarter, Healthier Choices Canberra award a participating business with the Local Leader Award.

    The most recent award winner is Eighty/Twenty café. The café has been serving healthy food for the past 10 years. There are eight locations across Canberra where locals can grab a healthy, fresh meal.

    “Food is our fuel and we believe everyone benefits from clean, natural and unprocessed whole foods,” Eighty/Twenty owner Aakash said.

    “But, sometimes in life, you deserve a treat or two. We make sure you don’t need to compromise. Our team handcrafts nutrient-boosting   smoothies, raw desserts and good coffee.”

    When asked what the popular healthier choices items are on his menu, Aakash has one word: bowls.

    “Our customers can’t get enough of bowls. Whether it’s our chermoula spiced lamb bowl or our green nourish bowl– they’re some of our greatest hits!

    “It’s not just savoury bowls though. Our granola bowl with poached pear, berry yoghurt and house made granola or our snickers acai bowl with peanut butter and cacao hits the spot with being rich, sweet and delicious, but still healthy.”

    With the temperature dropping, Aakash and his team have updated their menu with hearty options.

    “We’ve added a chia spiced porridge, braised beef cheeks, basil pesto linguine and beef linguine to our winter menu to keep our customers satisfied, warm and nourished.”

    While the temptation can be to stay warm on the couch and order takeaway, Aakash encourages his customers to get out and enjoy the crisp winter days.

    “Rug up and enjoy the outdoors. Go on walks and enjoy the blue skies and sunny (but cold) days we’re so lucky to have. Eat lots of warm salad that have enough protein and don’t forget treats – our vegan and gluten-free raw slices are a great option.”

    On the lookout for healthier food and drink options? Visit the Healthier Choices Canberra website to find a venue near you.

    Get ACT news and events delivered to your inbox, sign up to our email newsletter:


    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: ACT Budget: What’s in it for Woden, Weston Creek and Molonglo

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    Toilets will be installed at Ruth Park Playground in Coombs.

    2024–25 ACT Budget snapshot – Woden, Weston Creek and Molonglo

    • A new community services hub in Woden
    • The duplication of Athllon Drive
    • More housing for the region
    • Upgraded community facilities
    • More funding for mowing and horticulture

    With the ACT’s population set to reach 500,000 people by the end of 2027, the 2024–25 ACT Budget is funding the services and infrastructure this growing city needs.

    Through this year’s Budget, the ACT Government is delivering more public health services, providing cost of living relief for those who need it most, and improving housing choice, access and affordability.

    Some of the projects funded in Woden, Weston Creek and Molonglo include:

    A new community services hub for Woden

    The Budget includes funding a new Woden Community Services Hub.

    The Hub will replace the existing four buildings currently operated by Woden Community Service, bringing together community and government services within one facility.

    Integrating a walk-in health clinic, child and family services and other vital community services, the Hub will provide residents the support they need – efficiently and in one place.

    It will also offer more spaces for people to mix and meet as the region grows.

    More housing for the region

    The ACT Government’s Indicative Land Release Program for 2024–25 to 2028–29 will help cater to the ACT’s growing population.

    As part of the program, 11,028 new homes are planned for Woden Valley, Weston Creek and Molonglo Valley.

    Athllon Drive duplication

    Work to duplicate part of Athllon Drive is set to start in the coming months.

    The ACT Government will invest in the project through the 2024–25 ACT Budget, as part of a 50:50 funding agreement with the Australian Government.

    The project will see the duplication of 2.4 kilometres of Athllon Drive between Sulwood Drive and Drakeford Drive.

    This Budget will also provide support for:

    • planning for the extension of light rail to Woden
    • the construction of a new Woden Bus Depot and a new public transport interchange in Woden, which will incorporate facilities for light rail and connections with nearby active travel networks
    • the completion of John Gorton Drive, which includes a new bridge across the Molonglo River and a seven-kilometre dedicated off-road shared path for walking and cycling.

    New and upgraded community infrastructure

    The 2024-25 ACT Budget will support new and upgraded community facilities and infrastructure across the city.

    Projects include:

    • the construction of a new Emergency Services Station in the Molonglo Valley to house ACT Ambulance Service and ACT Fire & Rescue staff
    • upgrades to Phillip District Enclosed Oval
    • commencing construction of Stage 1 of the Stromlo District Playing Fields in Molonglo, which will include two rectangular playing fields, a modified AFL oval, LED lighting, a pavilion and site landscaping
    • new toilets at Ruth Park Playground in Coombs
    • an upgraded toilet at Mawson Shops.

    The Government will also respond to community feedback regarding resources at ACT libraries. There will be new portable phone chargers and more power boards and charging stations, in addition to improving building security.

    More funding for mowing and horticulture

    The combination of unpredictable weather and a growing city have increased demands on those taking care of Canberra’s grass, trees, weeds and gardens.

    The Budget will include funding for 10 full-time positions and eight additional mowers to deliver an expanded baseline capacity in our mowing teams.

    In the low season, mowing crews will assist with horticultural work across the city, including weeding, road edging and maintenance.

    More health services

    The 2024–25 ACT Budget is investing in health programs and infrastructure for the region.

    This includes investing in the continuing redevelopment Canberra Hospital and a new pathology and clinical support building on the campus.

    This Budget will also support the establishment of:

    • a community-based service in Molonglo for children at risk of delayed development and chronic health conditions
    • a Residential Treatment Centre for eating disorders in Coombs.

    Support for education

    The region will benefit from a new suite of system-wide literacy and numeracy initiatives, called Strong Foundations, being rolled out across ACT public schools. The program will ensure all students have access to consistent, high-quality literacy and numeracy education.

    This Budget will also support:

    • the expansion and modernisation of Garran Primary School
    • the delivery of Whitlam Primary School and Early Childhood Education Centre
    • planning for a new college for the Molonglo Valley
    • finalising construction of the new CIT Woden Campus.

    There will also be a range of school upgrades across Canberra as part of the ACT Government’s annual Asset Renewal Program.

    Find out what else has been funded as part of the 2024-25 ACT Budget by clicking here.

    11,028 new homes are planned for Woden Valley, Weston Creek and Molonglo Valley.

    Get ACT news and events delivered straight to your inbox, sign up to our email newsletter:


    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Expanding prescriber rights will increase access to medicines

    Source: New Zealand Government

    The Government is making changes to prescriber regulations, giving New Zealanders better access to medicines, Health Minister Simeon Brown and Associate Health Minister David Seymour say.“We are committed to ensuring Kiwis have access to timely, quality healthcare in their communities,” Mr Brown says.“Making our health system more efficient and enabling our health workforce to better care for their patients is a key part of this.“Changes to the Medicines Act introduced to Parliament last week will give nurse practitioners, who are highly skilled health professionals, increased prescribing rights within their scope of practice.“Nurse practitioners work in a range of environments, including in rural areas and in aged residential care, and provide a key role caring for patients.“These changes will mean Nurse Practitioners will be able to prescribe more medicines, providing more and better continuity of care for their patients. “They will also mean that when there are supply shortages of approved medicines, other professions, such as dentists, pharmacist prescribers, midwives, and registered nurse prescribers, will be able to prescribe replacement medicines that are funded by Pharmac.”Together, these changes are about increasing access to medicines for patients and supporting the Government’s objective of ensuring all New Zealanders have access to timely and quality healthcare.”The changes are included in the Medicines Amendment Bill, which amends the Medicines Act 1981.“The Medicines Amendment Bill also enables medicines to be approved in less than 30 days if the product has approval from two recognised overseas jurisdictions. This provides a quicker and easier option for pharmaceutical companies to get products approved in New Zealand,” Mr Seymour says.“We know expanding access to medicines significantly improves New Zealanders’ health and life outcomes.“We’ve already taken a range of actions to give Kiwis better access to medicines. In addition to regulatory changes, we have made a record investment in Pharmac and provided additional funding for cancer and other medicines. “The Medicines Amendment Bill also updates the settings for the Medicines Classification Committee, which has an important role in providing access to medicines. The Bill modernises the membership requirements for the Committee and removes outdated provisions from the Act.”The Government is also progressing work on a new Medical Products Bill, to replace the Medicines Act 1981. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for April 8, 2025

    ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on April 8, 2025.

    The latest update on NZ’s state of the environment is sobering – but there are glimmers of progress
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christina McCabe, PhD Candidate in Interdisciplinary Ecology, University of Canterbury Shutterstock/synthetick If left unaddressed, many environmental changes in Aotearoa New Zealand could threaten livelihoods, health, quality of life and infrastructure for generations to come, according to the latest update on the state of the environment. The Ministry for the Environment and StatsNZ produce an environmental assessment every three years, collating data and trends on air quality, freshwater and marine environments, the land and climate. The latest report shows that long-term drivers of change – including international influences, economic demands and climate change

    ‘Never our intention to mock Jesus’ – Naked Samoans respond to backlash over controversial poster
    By Susana Suisuiki, RNZ Pacific journalist Pasifika comedy troupe Naked Samoans is facing a backlash from some members of the Pacific community over its promotional poster. In the image, which has now been taken down, the Naked Samoans depicted themselves as the 12 disciples surrounding Jesus, a parody of The Last Supper. Several Pasifika influencers condemned the image online, with one person labelling it “disrespectful”. However, Naked Samoan group member Oscar Kightley told RNZ Pacific Waves he did not anticipate the uproar. Oscar Kightley talking to RNZ Pacific Waves. The award-winning writer has addressed the backlash as they gear up

    Here’s who topped the rankings in this year’s scorecard for sustainable chocolate – and which confectionery giant refused to participate
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephanie Perkiss, Associate professor in accounting, University of Wollongong Jiri Hera/Shutterstock With the Easter weekend now around the corner, the sixth edition of the Global Chocolate Scorecard has just been released. This is an annual initiative produced by Be Slavery Free, in collaboration with two Australian universities and a wide range of consultants and sustainability interest groups. It ranks companies across the entire chocolate sector – from major multinational producers through to retailers – on a wide range of sustainability policies and practices. This year, there have been some improvements across the

    This Easter, check out which chocolate brands are most ethical
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephanie Perkiss, Associate professor in accounting, University of Wollongong Jiri Hera/Shutterstock With the Easter weekend now around the corner, the sixth edition of the Global Chocolate Scorecard has just been released. This is an annual initiative produced by Be Slavery Free, in collaboration with two Australian universities and a wide range of consultants and sustainability interest groups. It ranks companies across the entire chocolate sector – from major multinational producers through to retailers – on a wide range of sustainability policies and practices. This year, there have been some improvements across the

    Open letter to NZME board – don’t allow alt-right Canadian billionaire to take over NZ’s Fourth Estate
    NZME directors ‘have concerns’ about businessman Jim Grenon taking editorial control NZME’s directors have fired their own shots in the war for control of the media company, saying they have concerns about a takeover bid including the risk of businessman Jim Grenon taking editorial control. In a statement to the NZX, the board said it was delaying its annual shareholders meeting until June and opening up nominations of other directors. NZME . . . RNZ report on NZME’s directors “firing their own shots in the war for control of the media company”. Grenon, a New Zealand resident since 2012, bought

    Why are some cats more allergenic than others? It’s not their coat length
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jazmine Skinner, Lecturer in Animal Science, University of Southern Queensland evrymmnt/Shutterstock Allergies can be debilitating for those who have them – even more so when the cause of the allergic reaction is a beloved pet. Second only to dust mites, the humble domestic house cat is one of the major causes of indoor allergens for people. But what is the actual source of the allergic response? And are certain breeds less allergenic than others? There are many myths and misconceptions related to cat allergens, so let’s debunk a few. Cats produce several

    Australia’s innovative new policies are designed to cut smoking rates – here are 6 ideas NZ could borrow
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Janet Hoek, Professor in Public Health, University of Otago Shutterstock/chayanuphol At the start of this month, when denicotinisation would have been due to come into effect in Aotearoa New Zealand (had the government not repealed smokefree laws), Australia introduced innovative smokefree policies to change the look, ingredients and packaging of tobacco products. New Zealand’s current goal is to reduce smoking prevalence to no more than 5% (and as close to zero as possible) among all population groups. However, realising this goal now seems very unlikely. Latest figures show 6.9% of the general

    Trump has Australia’s generic medicines in his sights. And no-one’s talking about it
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Deborah Gleeson, Associate Professor in Public Health, La Trobe University PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/Shutterstock While Australia was busy defending the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme against threats from the United States in recent weeks, another issue related to the supply and trade of medicines was flying under the radar. Buried on page 19 of the Trump’s administration’s allegations of barriers to trade was a single paragraph related to Australia’s access to generic medicines. These are cheaper alternatives to branded medicines that are no longer under patent. The US is concerned about how much notice

    New research shows digital technology is linked to reduced wellbeing in young kids. So what can parents do?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jacquelyn Harverson, PhD Candidate, School of Psychology, Deakin University Alex Segre/ Shutterstock Once upon a time, children fought for control of the remote to the sole family television. Now the choice of screen-based content available to kids seems endless. There are computers, tablets, phones and gaming consoles offering streaming services, online content and apps. Children also use devices at school, with digital literacy part of the Australian curriculum from the start of school. The speed and scale of this change has left parents, researchers and policymakers scrambling to catch up. And it

    3.5 million Australians experienced fraud last year. This could be avoided through 6 simple steps
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gary Mortimer, Professor of Marketing and Consumer Behaviour, Queensland University of Technology Zigres/Shutterstock About 14% of Australians experienced personal fraud last year. Of these, 2.1 million experienced credit card fraud, 675,300 were caught in a scam, 255,000 had their identities stolen and 433,000 were impersonated online. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics latest Personal Fraud Survey, between July 2023 and June 2024, Australians lost A$2.1 billion through credit card fraud. This was up almost 9% from the previous year. Even after reimbursements, the loss was still $477 million. These figures do

    What do medieval puzzles and the New York Times Connections have in common?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Knowles, Lecturer, Western Civilisation Program, Australian Catholic University Getty The New York Times Connections game asks players to categorise 16 words into four groups of four. For example, in one collection of 16, a category included “blow”, “cat”, “gold” and “sword”: these are all words that might come before “fish”. As described by puzzle editor Wyna Liu, completing the puzzle should feel “challenging and satisfying”. Players are encouraged to “think flexibly”. Liu says her job as puzzle designer is “to trick you”. Challenging word-based games are not a modern invention. In

    Selling your old laptop or phone? You might be handing over your data too
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ritesh Chugh, Associate Professor, Information and Communications Technology, CQUniversity Australia berdiyandriy/Shutterstock You’re about to recycle your laptop or your phone, so you delete all your photos and personal files. Maybe you even reset the device to factory settings. You probably think your sensitive data is now safe. But there is more to be done: hackers may still be able to retrieve passwords, documents or bank details, even after a reset. In fact, 90% of second-hand laptops, hard drives and memory cards still contain recoverable data. This indicates that many consumers fail to

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: Tip-off service launched to combat medical insurance fraud

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    A nurse prepares medicine for patients at the inpatient department of a hospital in Changde, central China’s Hunan Province, May 12, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    China’s National Healthcare Security Administration announced on Monday the launch of a tip-off service via its official WeChat account, enabling social organizations and the public to report leads on medical insurance fraud.
    Eligible informants will be rewarded with a one-time payment ranging from 200 yuan (about 27.8 U.S. dollars) to 200,000 yuan, according to the administration.
    Noting that the misuse of medical insurance funds undermines public interests, it urged the whole society to make efforts in combating fraud.
    In 2024, China’s medical insurance watchdogs recovered 27.5 billion yuan of misused medical insurance funds, with a total of 10,741 suspects arrested.
    The Chinese government has vowed to continue strengthening oversight of medical insurance funds to ensure every penny is maximized for the benefit of public health.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI This Week: Rep. Meeks Advocates for Stablecoin Regulations and Calls out Trump Administration for Cuts to HHS

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Gregory W Meeks (5th District of New York)

    April 4, 2025

    ICYMI This Week: Rep. Meeks Advocates for Stablecoin Regulations and Calls out Trump Administration for Cuts to HHS  

    Congressman Meeks Advocates for Regulations on Stablecoin during Financial Services Committee Markup Hearing 

    My constituents want to use payment stablecoins, as do our allies in developing nations on the continent of Africa and around the world. We must establish clear, high regulatory standards for stablecoin issuers. Certainty is key for companies, which is why I supported the STABLE Act during a recent Financial Services Committee Markup Hearing.  
    Rep. Meeks Joins a Letter Calling Out the Trump Administration for Cuts to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 

    I joined a letter led by Rep. Nikema Williams (GA-05) to Secretary Robert F. Kennedy condemning the cuts to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that include terminating 10,000 employees and dismantling health agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This is unacceptable. My democratic colleagues and I explained our disapproval of this recent action in the letter. You can read more, here.    
    Share Your Story: How Have You Been Impacted by President Trump’s Executive Orders?

    I’d like to hear from my constituents about how the Trump administration’s actions have affected you and your loved ones. Over the past few months, we’ve witnessed mass layoffs across government agencies, executive orders impacting various issues, threats against immigrants, potential tariffs on neighboring countries, and much more. 

     
    My office is working with state and local officials to learn more about how these actions could affect our district and provide resources for people who have been affected. 

    Please complete the form here to explain how these actions are affecting you and the organizations, nonprofits and businesses you support.  

    Sign up for my newsletter to get updates on this issue and others!

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Health – ProCare and Heidi Health partner to ease GP workload and boost patient care

    Source: ProCare

    In a step toward making healthcare more sustainable and whānau centric, ProCare has partnered with Heidi Health to reduce the administrative burden on GPs, helping them spend more time where it counts – with their patients.

    Heidi Health is an AI medical scribe that automates clinical documentation, enabling GPs to generate accurate notes in real-time during patient consultations. It also facilitates the seamless creation of essential documents, such as referral letters and patient summaries, directly from consultation notes.

    Bindi Norwell, CEO of ProCare, says: “We want to help equip doctors and nurses with the best tools to support them in their job. AI can transform the way our healthcare staff support their patients by reducing the administrative burden so they can focus on giving their patients the care and support they need.

    “At the heart of this partnership is a shared commitment to making healthcare more sustainable and accessible, with a clear focus on relieving the pressures on the primary care workforce, leaving more time for our clinicians to focus on shifting the dial for better health outcomes,” concludes Norwell.

    With Heidi’s ambient medical scribe taking detailed notes during the appointment, healthcare staff in the ProCare Network will experience a reduction in administrative tasks, giving them back valuable time to focus on what truly matters – caring for their patients and their communities.

    Dr Karl Cole, GP at Papatoetoe Family Doctors, has been using Heidi Health in his practice for more than 12 months, saying: “As a GP, time is one of my most precious resources. The Heidi AI scribe has helped me reclaim that time, making my job more sustainable and efficient.

    “I’m spending less time on my screen and more time actually engaging with my patients — it’s been a real game-changer,” says Cole.

    Dr. Thomas Kelly, CEO of Heidi Health, adds: “This partnership with ProCare is a pivotal step toward making our technology widely accessible to GPs across Aotearoa, ensuring they are supported in their work while enhancing the quality of care they provide. We are proud to be part of a partnership that values clinician wellbeing and aims to create better, more equitable health outcomes for everyone.”

    This partnership arrives at a time when Aotearoa’s healthcare system is facing significant challenges. Clinicians are stretched thin, and burnout is a growing concern. By streamlining the documentation process with AI-powered technology, ProCare in collaboration with Heidi Health aim to help alleviate these pressures, allowing clinicians to engage more meaningfully with patients and improve their overall work-life balance. In doing so, creating a more sustainable and supportive environment for primary care across New Zealand.

    About ProCare

    ProCare is a leading healthcare provider that aims to deliver the most progressive, pro-active and equitable health and wellbeing services in Aotearoa. We do this through our clinical support services, mental health and wellness services, virtual/tele health, mobile health, smoking cessation and by taking a population health and equity approach to our mahi. As New Zealand’s largest Primary Health Organisation, we represent a network of general practice teams and healthcare professionals who provide care to nearly 700,000 patients across Auckland. These practices serve the largest Pacific and South Asian populations enrolled in general practice and the largest Māori population in Tāmaki Makaurau. For more information go to www.procare.co.nz

    About Heidi Health

    Heidi Health’s AI-powered medical scribe streamlines time-intensive administrative tasks to reduce the cognitive load on clinicians. Supporting over one million patient consults per week and empowering clinicians to reclaim their time and deliver world-class patient care across 50 countries, Heidi Health’s technology transcribes and processes conversations between clinicians and patients to produce clinical notes and follow-up materials – from referral letters to assessments.

    Heidi Health adheres to international standards, including the NHS, HIPAA, GDPR, and Australian Privacy Principles, and has obtained enterprise-grade security certifications such as SOC2 and ISO27001. Founded in 2019 by a team of active and former medical professionals, Heidi is the most loved AI scribe by clinicians of all disciplines and specialties, from Emergency Departments to Neurology to Primary Care to Allied Health. Learn more at: https://www.heidihealth.com/en-nz

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Implementation of Phase Two of Mental Health Response Changes to start

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Police and Health NZ have completed Phase One of the Mental Health Response Change Programme and are preparing to begin Phase Two.

    Phase One of the joint agency approach commenced on 4 November 2024, and Phase Two was initially set to start on 31 March 2025.

    With Phase One complete, Phase Two will now start from 14 April with both agencies agreeing to a staged implementation across districts.

    Each district has been assessed for their readiness to implement the next phase, and as a result, districts will have varying starting points for the rollout.

    Moving the start of this phase by two weeks was recommended by the Mental Health Response Change Programme Governance Group (including Police, Ministry of Health, Health NZ, and Ambulance agencies), to allow districts to be ready.

    Police Assistant Commissioner Mike Johnson says one of the challenges agencies faced was discrepancies in the way section 109 of the Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act 1992 was interpreted with regard to handovers of detained person in emergency departments.

    “We now have Crown Law advice which provides the much-needed clarity on section 109 for Phase Two to commence.”

    The Police districts that will commence with Phase Two on 14 April are: Waitematā, Counties Manukau, Waikato, and Tasman (excluding Kaikoura). This corresponds to Health NZ’s Waitematā, Counties Manukau, Waikato (excluding Tokoroa and Taumarunui), Nelson-Marlborough, and West Coast districts.

    Police and Health NZ will be working closely with these teams and districts to support their preparation for the changes, and will continue work with other districts to get them ready to start Phase Two.

    “The safety of police and healthcare staff, and those in our community impacted by these changes, is a priority for us as we move forward,” Assistant Commissioner Johnson says.

    “Police will always respond when there is an offence or an immediate risk to life or safety and this will not change.”

    Health NZ Director of Specialist Mental Health and Addiction Karla Bergquist says Police and Health NZ, along with the Ministry of Health, Hato Hone St John, and Wellington Free Ambulance, have been working closely together on how agencies respond to mental health.

    “At the heart of these changes is ensuring people receive the right mental health care at the right time, and their safety and that of kaimahi delivering that care is paramount,” Ms Bergquist says.

    “This is why agencies have committed to safely phasing in these changes and working together to make adjustments to implementation timeframes when necessary.”

    The Phase Two changes remain the same and include:

    • 60-minute handover detained persons in EDs – Police who have detained a person under the MH Act and transported them for an assessment will remain in the ED for a maximum one hour before departing, unless they consider there is an immediate risk to life or safety.
    • Changes to mental health assessments in custody – If someone is placed under the MH Act while in a Police custody suite, they will need to be taken to a health facility within 30 minutes. Custody rules will ensure people in distress are assessed appropriately, preferably in a health setting.

    “We are committed to working together towards a system that supports everyone’s mental wellbeing, so people are supported to stay well, and have access to help that works for them.”

    Note: NZ Police and Health NZ districts are not the same (Police has 12, Health has 20), so there are some parts of a Police district which are not included in the comparable Health NZ district or vice versa.

    ENDS 

    Police media contact: media@police.govt.nz
    Health NZ media contact: hnzmedia@health.govt.nz

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: ACT Budget: What’s in it for Tuggeranong

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    The ACT’s horticulture and mowing teams will receive a funding boost.

    2024-25 ACT Budget snapshot – Tuggeranong

    • The duplication of Athllon Drive
    • More housing for Tuggeranong
    • Upgraded community facilities
    • More funding for mowing and horticulture

    With the ACT’s population set to reach 500,000 people by the end of 2027, the 2024-25 ACT Budget is funding the services and infrastructure this growing city needs.

    Through this year’s Budget, the ACT Government is delivering more public health services, providing cost of living relief for those who need it most, and improving housing choice, access and affordability.

    Some of the projects funded in Tuggeranong include:

    The duplication of Athllon Drive

    Work to duplicate part of Athllon Drive in Tuggeranong is set to start in the coming months.

    The ACT Government will invest in the project through the 2024–25 ACT Budget, as part of a 50:50 funding agreement with the Australian Government.

    The project will see the duplication of 2.4 kilometres of Athllon Drive between Sulwood Drive and Drakeford Drive in Tuggeranong.

    This Budget will also fund improvements to Sulwood Drive, including a new four-kilometre long and three-metre-wide off-road asphalt shared path.

    More housing for Tuggeranong

    The ACT Government’s Indicative Land Release Program for 2024–25 to 2028–29 will help cater to the ACT’s growing population.

    As part of the program, 150 new homes are planned for Tuggeranong.

    New and upgraded community facilities

    The 2024-25 ACT Budget will support new and upgraded community facilities and infrastructure across the city.

    This includes funding for:

    • the provision of sportsground lighting at Gordon District Playing Fields
    • the construction of the new southside hydrotherapy pool next to the Tuggeranong Lakeside Leisure Centre
    • improving safety and infrastructure at the Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve and the adjacent Woods Reserve/Gibraltar Falls precinct
    • Tuggeranong foreshore improvements
    • improving local shops at Calwell Group Centre, Lanyon Marketplace and the Monash commercial area
    • the development of a new ice sports facility
    • upgrades to Tuggeranong Arts Centre Theatre and Lanyon Homestead.

    The Government will also respond to community feedback regarding resources at ACT libraries. There will be new portable phone chargers and more power boards and charging stations, in addition to improving building security.

    More funding for mowing and horticulture

    The combination of unpredictable weather and a growing city have increased demands on those taking care of Canberra’s grass, trees, weeds and gardens.

    Funding for 10 full-time positions and eight additional mowers to deliver an expanded baseline capacity in our mowing teams.

    In the low season, mowing crews will assist with horticultural work across the city, including weeding, road edging and maintenance.

    More health services

    The 2024–25 ACT Budget is investing in health programs and infrastructure for Tuggeranong.

    This includes investing in the Canberra Hospital and a new pathology and clinical support building on the campus.

    Support for education

    The region will benefit from a new suite of system-wide literacy and numeracy initiatives, called Strong Foundations, being rolled out across ACT public schools. The program will ensure all students have access to consistent, high-quality literacy and numeracy education.

    There will also be a range of school upgrades across Canberra as part of the ACT Government’s annual Asset Renewal Program.

    This Budget also includes funding for:

    • roof upgrades at Calwell Primary School
    • improvements at the Calwell, Fadden, Gordon, Monash and Theodore Primary Schools
    • the enhancement of collaborative teaching spaces at Lake Tuggeranong College.

    Find out what else has been funded as part of the 2024-25 ACT Budget by clicking here.

    Work to duplicate part of Athllon Drive in Tuggeranong is set to start in the coming months.

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    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: ACT Budget: What’s in it for Gungahlin

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    Paths will be improved across the Gungahlin region.

    2024–25 ACT Budget snapshot – Gungahlin

    • A new North Gungahlin Health Centre
    • More community facilities for the region
    • Road upgrades across Gungahlin
    • Path improvements
    • More housing for Gungahlin

    With the ACT’s population set to reach 500,000 people by the end of 2027, the 2024–25 ACT Budget is funding the services and infrastructure this growing city needs.

    Through this year’s Budget, the ACT Government is delivering more public health services, providing cost of living relief for those who need it most, and improving housing choice, access and affordability.

    Some of the projects funded in Gungahlin include:

    The new North Gungahlin Health Centre

    The 2024–25 ACT Budget will include funding for the design and construction of a new health centre in North Gungahlin.

    The North Gungahlin Health Centre will be built on Kingsland Parade in Casey, conveniently close to the shopping centre and other facilities.

    The centre will provide more free health services closer to where people need them, with easier access to preventative health services and treatment for chronic disease.

    More community facilities

    The ACT Government is currently working through additional community uses for the remaining blocks on the 2.4-hectare site in Casey.

    This includes:

    • an indoor sports facility to provide local residents, sporting groups and organisations with access to better amenities
    • a new ACTAS Ambulance and Fire Station, which will enhance response times to emergency incidents as the Gungahlin community grows.

    The Government has already committed to a study on traffic and transport improvements surrounding the Casey Group Centre.

    The 2024–25 ACT Budget will also support:

    • design and construction of a Gungahlin Community Centre
    • Yerrabi District Park upgrades
    • upgrades to the Joint Emergency Services Centre
    • planning and design for a new combined emergency services site in Casey
    • a new community tennis facility in Gungahlin in partnership with Tennis Australia and Tennis ACT.

    Road upgrades across Gungahlin

    The Government will undertake planning for priority road works in the Gungahlin District identified from the Gungahlin Transport Plan.

    This includes possible road widening and intersection upgrades to deliver more efficient and sustainable transport modes to manage traffic growth and to improve safety and travel times.

    This initiative will be jointly funded through the National Partnership Agreement on Land Transport Infrastructure with the Commonwealth Government.

    Path improvements throughout the region

    Funding received through the 2024–25 ACT Budget will see improvements made to paths across the Gungahlin.

    Walkers, cyclists and those riding scooters can expect to see better line marking, completed missing links and more lighting as they exercise or head to and from work.

    More housing for Gungahlin

    The ACT Government’s Indicative Land Release Program for 2024–25 to 2028–29 will help cater to the ACT’s growing population.

    As part of the program, 3,045 new homes are planned for the Gungahlin region.

    More funding for mowing and horticulture

    The combination of unpredictable weather and a growing city have increased demands on those taking care of Canberra’s grass, trees, weeds and gardens.

    The Budget includes funding for 10 full-time positions and eight additional mowers to deliver an expanded baseline capacity in our mowing teams.

    In the low season, mowing crews will assist with horticultural work across the city, including weeding, road edging and maintenance.

    Support for education

    The region will benefit from a new suite of system-wide literacy and numeracy initiatives, called Strong Foundations, being rolled out across ACT public schools. The program will ensure all students have access to consistent, high-quality literacy and numeracy education.

    The Budget will also include funding to:

    • deliver a second college for Gungahlin
    • expand Margaret Hendry Primary School
    • the development of Agnes Shea High School in Taylor, which will cater to up to 800 students.

    There will also be a range of school upgrades across Canberra as part of the ACT Government’s annual Asset Renewal Program.

    Find out what else has been funded as part of the 2024-25 ACT Budget by clicking here.

    3,045 new homes are planned for the Gungahlin region.

    Get ACT news and events delivered straight to your inbox, sign up to our email newsletter:


    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: 2024-25 ACT Budget: Investing in health, housing and cost of living relief

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    The Budget includes further cuts to stamp duty to help more Canberrans buy a home.

    Health, housing and cost of living are at the forefront of the 2024-25 ACT Budget.

    This year’s Budget delivers more public health services – from new health centres in the suburbs to more elective surgeries across Canberra’s public hospitals.

    There is cost of living support for those who need it most, and further cuts to stamp duty to help more Canberrans buy a home.

    The Budget also provides more funding for city services and local infrastructure projects across the city.

    Health

    The Budget is investing in a stronger health care system that is more efficient, with lower rates of avoidable hospital admissions, reduced health inequalities, and improved health outcomes.

    This includes funding for work to complement the construction of the new North Canberra Hospital, as well as the second phase of the Canberra Hospital Master Plan.

    Funding in the 2024-25 Budget includes:

    Housing

    Through this year’s Budget, the ACT Government aims to increase housing access, choice and affordability.

    This includes expanding the Home Buyer Concession Scheme from 1 July, so more people are eligible for a full stamp duty concession on the first $1 million of property value.

    The Government has also temporarily expanded the stamp duty concession for off-the-plan unit-titled apartments and townhouses to include properties valued up to $1 million in 2024–25. This is an increase from the previous value of $800,000.

    Other initiatives funded in the Budget include:

    • expanding the Affordable Housing Project Fund to $80 million to grow the number of affordable rental properties
    • $108 million in extra funding for new public housing, and to improve existing public housing
    • a taskforce to improve repairs and maintenance of public housing and oversee a pilot for insourcing maintenance of two large multi-unit properties.

    Cost of living

    Following support for all households in the Commonwealth Budget, the ACT Government is offering targeted assistance for those in the community who need it most.

    This includes increasing the Electricity, Water and Gas Rebate (formerly, the Utilities Concession) for 2024-25 by $50. The increase will provide eligible households with a total rebate of $800 on their electricity bills.

    The Budget also includes a $250 one-off payment for ACT apprentices and trainees to help complete their training. The payment will support about 5700 local apprentices and trainees.

    The Future of Education Equity Fund has been boosted to ensure more families can access support in the 2024 school year. The Fund provides low-income families and independent students with a one-off payment to help with education costs such as music lessons or sporting equipment.

    Other cost of living initiatives include:

    • rebates of up to 50 per cent for pensioners on their general rates (capped at $750) and a $98 rebate for the Police, Fire and Emergency Services Levy
    • full motor vehicle registration concessions for all eligible recipients
    • extending the Rental Relief Fund to assist those experiencing rental stress or financial hardship
    • increasing the value of vouchers available through the Utilities Hardship Fund.

    Infrastructure

    This year’s Budget invests in recreation spaces for the community and ensures Canberra is a more attractive tour option for live music and entertainment.

    The 2024-25 Budget includes:

    • further support for upgrades to the Phillip District Enclosed Oval
    • commencement of construction of Stage 1 of the Stromlo Forest Park District Playing Fields
    • early design works for a new or expanded Canberra Stadium, a new Convention and Entertainment Centre, a reopened Telstra Tower, a new Manuka Oval Eastern Grandstand Project, EPIC and Canberra City Pool
    • continuation of design works for the expansion of the Belconnen Basketball Stadium and redevelopment of the Canberra Theatre Centre
    • upgrades to community arts, cultural and heritage facilities.

    Education

    The Government is committed to ensuring that children and young people have access to a quality education close to their homes.

    The 2024–25 ACT Budget funds a new suite of system-wide literacy and numeracy initiatives – called Strong Foundations.

    This approach will ensure all students at ACT public schools have access to consistent, high-quality literacy and numeracy education.

    The 2024-25 ACT Budget also includes funding to support:

    For more on the 2024-25 ACT Budget, visit the Treasury website.

    What’s in it for your region?

    Click on the map below to find out what’s been funded in the 2024-25 ACT Budget for your region.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Washington Delegation Honors WSU President Dr. Kirk Schulz

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Dan Newhouse (4th District of Washington)

    Headline: Washington Delegation Honors WSU President Dr. Kirk Schulz

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Members of the Washington Congressional Delegation congratulated Washington State University President Dr. Kirk Schulz on his outstanding tenure and retirement with a written statement in the Congressional Record. 

    The Congressional Record statement reads as follows:  

    Honoring the Legacy of Washington State University President Kirk Schulz 

    April 7, 2025

    Mr. Newhouse of Washington. Mister Speaker, I rise today, alongside my colleagues from Washington state, Representatives Suzan DelBene, Rick Larsen, Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, Michael Baumgartner, Emily Randall, Pramila Jayapal, Kim Schrier, Adam Smith, and Marilyn Strickland, to recognize and commend the distinguished tenure of Dr. Kirk Schulz as President of Washington State University (WSU). Since 2016, President Schulz has guided WSU through a period of immense growth, advancing research, student success, and statewide partnerships. As he prepares for retirement, we honor his leadership and dedication to higher education in Washington State.

    Under President Schulz’s tenure, WSU has strengthened its reputation as a world-class research institution, addressing critical challenges in agriculture, medicine, and clean energy. His efforts have ensured that students across our state have access to high-quality education, and his work with Washington’s congressional delegation has helped secure funding for key university initiatives.

    Each of Washington’s ten congressional districts has benefited from President Schulz’s leadership, reinforcing WSU’s role as an institution that serves all Washingtonians. I would like to highlight a few key impacts across the state:

    1st District: WSU has built strong partnerships with the region’s tech industry, working with companies in King and Snohomish counties to prepare students for careers in artificial intelligence, software development, and semiconductor manufacturing. These efforts ensure Washington remains at the forefront of technological advancement.

    2nd District: WSU’s agricultural extension programs in Northwest Washington have played a vital role in supporting farmers and sustaining fisheries in the region. WSU’s Everett campus provides entrepreneurs critical business management skills and trains engineers for the world-class aerospace and high-tech industries in Northwest Washington.

    3rd District: WSU Vancouver has expanded opportunities in STEM education, creating new pathways for students to enter high-demand fields like engineering and healthcare. By connecting with local industries and healthcare providers, WSU is strengthening Southwest Washington’s workforce and economic outlook.

    4th District: Home to some of the nation’s premier vineyards, Central Washington has benefited from WSU’s viticulture and enology programs. Through cutting-edge research and collaboration with winemakers, WSU has helped the region maintain its reputation as a world-class wine producer.

    5th District: WSU’s Pullman campus is a cornerstone of agricultural research, and the completion of the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) building has only strengthened that legacy. The facility provides farmers and food producers with critical innovations in crop science and food security, supporting one of Washington’s most essential industries.

    6th District: WSU researchers have been at the forefront of sustainable forestry and climate resilience efforts. Their work supports the health of Washington’s forests, which are vital for the economy, outdoor recreation, and the environment, ensuring these natural resources are protected for future generations.

    7th District: WSU’s collaborations with Seattle-area institutions have led to major advancements in medical research, including breakthroughs in cancer treatment and biomedical engineering. These efforts not only push the boundaries of science but also create opportunities for students to engage in life-changing research.

    8th District: With a focus on clean energy, WSU has led the way in developing innovative hydroelectric, wind, and solar power solutions. These advancements have benefited communities across the Cascades, helping Washington transition to a more sustainable energy future.

    9th District: The Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine has provided new opportunities for students from diverse backgrounds to enter the medical profession. By expanding access to healthcare education, WSU is addressing physician shortages and improving healthcare access across Washington.

    10th District: Military families near Joint Base Lewis-McChord have benefited from WSU’s extension programs, which provide educational support and workforce development opportunities. These initiatives ensure that service members and their families have access to the resources they need to succeed.

    Mister Speaker, as President Schulz concludes his tenure, we recognize his transformative impact on Washington State University and our communities. His leadership has strengthened WSU’s role as a center of innovation, education, and economic opportunity.

    I thank President Schulz for his years of service, and I look forward to seeing how WSU continues to grow and thrive in the years to come. 

    Members of the delegation personally congratulated Dr. Schulz on his retirement: 

    Rep. Susan DelBene (WA-01) said, “As Dr. Schulz prepares for retirement after his impactful tenure at Washington State University, I want to recognize his contributions to the students, the faculty, and the entire community. Under Dr. Schulz, WSU has become a leader in research and innovation, forging partnerships with tech companies in Washington’s 1st Congressional District to equip students with the skills needed for careers in artificial intelligence and software development. His legacy as president will continue to inspire and benefit students for years to come.” 

    Rep. Rick Larsen (WA-02) said, “During President Schulz’s tenure at Washington State University, tens of thousands of Cougars got a quality education and entered the workforce ready to succeed. Thank you President Schulz for your hard work, years of service and contributions to agriculture in Northwest Washington.” 

    Rep. Dan Newhouse (WA-04) said, “Under my friend President Schulz’s tenure, WSU has strengthened its reputation as a world-class research institution, addressing critical challenges in agriculture, medicine, and clean energy. His efforts have ensured that students have access to high-quality education, and his work with Washington’s congressional delegation has helped secure funding for key university initiatives.” 

    Rep. Emily Randall (WA-06) said, “President Schulz’s leadership can be felt across our entire community, as he has been a champion not just for education but for ensuring students have the resources they need to live and build their best lives. President Schulz and I worked closely together when I served as chair of the Higher Education and Workforce Committee in the Washington State Senate where I got to see first hand the care, intention, and passion he brought to this role — a legacy that will be hard to match.” 

    Rep. Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) said, “Thanks to President Schulz’s leadership, WSU’s students, faculty, and staff have played a significant role in groundbreaking innovations in the Seattle area and throughout our region, including supporting major advancements in medical research, cancer treatment, and biomedical engineering. There is no doubt that his partnership and leadership have positively impacted and inspired thousands of students across our district and our state. I wish him all the best as he enters retirement and this next chapter!” 

    Rep. Adam Smith (WA-09) said, “I appreciate the years of service of Washington State University President Kirk Schulz. Under his guidance, WSU has not only excelled as a world-class research institution but also expanded opportunities for students of diverse backgrounds and enabled student success. I wish him the best in his next chapter and look forward to seeing how his legacy continues to inspire WSU in the coming years.”

    Rep. Marilyn Strickland (WA-10) said, “Land grant universities are special, and I thank President Schulz for his commitment to student success and expanding opportunities for all students. Because of Schulz’s leadership, WSU has made a positive impact in my district, and communities across the entire state.” 

    ###  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Securing a successful future for the University of Dundee

    Source: Scottish Government

    Expert group convened to support institution.

    A team of experts from across academia, industry and local and national government will be convened to advise on the future success of the University of Dundee and its impact across the city region.

    Sir Alan Langlands, formerly Chief Executive of the Higher Education Funding Council for England and the NHS in England, will chair the University of Dundee Strategic Advisory Taskforce. Sir Alan was also Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Dundee and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Leeds.

    The group will meet for the first time this month to develop recommendations which will support the future of the University and its role in the wider city region. The Taskforce will focus on key issues linked to the recovery of the University, such as its teaching offering and its research strengths in key fields such as the life sciences.

    It will include representation from the University, Dundee City Council, business, trades unions, local further and higher education institutions and the Scottish Government.

    Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth said:

    “We are establishing this Taskforce to ensure the University of Dundee has all the important advice and expertise needed to recover and build a strong, secure and sustainable future.

    “The impact of the University’s teaching and world-leading research is profound, and its success is interwoven with the success of the Dundee city region. Ministers are determined that the institution – with a vibrant community of staff and students at its heart – will thrive long into the future.

    “We will draw on the expertise of the Taskforce to identify credible solutions and do everything possible to protect the interests of current and future students and staff. We will take account of all potential sources of funding and support, and we will continue to carefully consider any further asks of Government.”

    Sir Alan Langlands said:

    “It is a privilege to chair the University of Dundee Strategic Advisory Taskforce, and to advise Ministers, the University, the Scottish Funding Council and the City on this important matter.

    “These are very challenging times for a great many universities. At its core Dundee is a great University in a great City, transforming people’s lives and life chances through education, research and innovation, and contributing so much to the economic, social and cultural life of the city and beyond.

    The Scottish Government’s commitment to ensuring its long term future and impact, and protecting the interests of students and staff provides a strong foundation for the work of the Taskforce.”

    Professor Shane O’Neill, Interim Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Dundee, said:

    “We welcome the announcement of the Strategic Advisory Taskforce and the appointment of Sir Alan Langlands as its Chair.

    “Sir Alan of course has a longstanding connection to the University of Dundee and a strong understanding of its importance to the city, Scotland and the wider higher education and research environment.

    “We are committed to engaging fully with the Taskforce to ensure the future success and sustainability of the University.”

    Background

    • The Scottish Government has provided additional support for the universities sector this year totalling £25 million, on top of the £1.1 billion in the 2025-26 budget for university teaching and research.
    • The Scottish Funding Council has already provided £22 million to University of Dundee as support for liquidity, which is giving them the space and time to work through a plan for financial stability.
    • In addition to the advisory Taskforce, the Deputy First Minister is chairing a cross-Ministerial group to consider what further action the Scottish Government may be able to take to support the University as it continues to develop its Financial Recovery Plan.
    • The final membership of the Taskforce is currently being confirmed by the chair and will be announced in due course.
    • The Taskforce will advise the University, the Scottish Funding Council, Ministers and the City region. The University remains the legally responsible decision maker.

    Sir Alan Langlands FRSE Hon FMedSci

    Now semi-retired, Alan’s career spanned five decades in the NHS and universities. This included leadership roles in teaching hospitals in Edinburgh and London and as the Chief Executive of the NHS in England, Chief Executive of the Higher Education Funding Council for England, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Dundee and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Leeds.

    He has served as the inaugural chair of UK Biobank, chair of the Health Foundation, and is now the Chair of Trustees for Yorkshire Cancer Research. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and an Honorary Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences and five Medical Royal Colleges, with honorary doctorates awarded by a number of leading universities.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reed & Community Action Leaders Discuss Trump Administration Cuts Targeting Vulnerable RIers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed

    WARWICK, RI – Following a roundtable discussion with the leadership of Rhode Island’s seven community action programs (CAPs), U.S. Senator Jack Reed today addressed the Trump Administration’s mass-layoffs at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and other cuts that will impact Rhode Island and put at risk child care and preschool programs, home heating assistance, and other essential services.

    Rhode Island’s seven CAPs collectively serve more than 190,000 Rhode Islanders and help connect low-income individuals and families to health care, job training and skills building, energy assistance, affordable housing, and much more.

    Senator Reed joined Paul Salera, President & CEO of Westbay Community Action, at Westbay’s location in Warwick to detail how these cuts could decimate services and support for vulnerable Rhode Islanders and how uncertainty stemming from Trump Administration actions is impacting community organizations across the state.

    “As the Trump Administration plows ahead with erratic, misguided cuts and no analysis whatsoever on impacts to our communities, I met with leaders on the ground here in Rhode Island to get their feedback, hear their concerns, and discuss how we can work together to continue uplifting our most vulnerable neighbors,” said Senator Reed.  “The leaders I met with today know better than almost anyone how programs like the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, Head Start, the Administration for Community Living, and other critical supports strengthen our communities and help Rhode Islanders stay healthy, safe, and productive.  Eliminating the key staff who help Rhode Islanders and slashing funding just to give massive tax giveaways to a small group of billionaires will likely end up costing taxpayers much more in the long run and shifts increasing tax burdens onto our state and local communities.”

    Paul Salera, President & CEO of Westbay Community Action, said, “The Rhode Island Community Action Agencies are grateful to Senator Reed and his team for this opportunity to shed some light on all the Administration’s proposed cuts and what this will mean to the more than 190,000 Rhode Islanders we all serve.  It is a breath of fresh air knowing that Senator Reed is fighting for all of us to ensure that the much needed Safety Net programs stay intact for the most vulnerable in Rhode Island.”

    Last week, the Trump Administration moved forward with its plans to cut 20,000 federal employees at HHS. According to CBS News, Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. estimated that about 1 in every 5 of the employees who were fired at HHS were mistakenly let go.

    Rhode Island’s seven community action programs are: Westbay Community Action; Community Action Partnership of Providence; Tri-County Community Action; Blackstone Valley Community Action; Community Care Alliance; East Bay Community Action; and Comprehensive Community Action.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: New Hampshire Congressional Delegation Calls on Secretary Kennedy to Restore $80 Million in Federal Funding to Address Substance Use and Mental Health Crises

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen

    (Washington, DC) – U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a senior member of the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee, and Maggie Hassan (D-NH), a member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, alongside U.S. Representatives Chris Pappas (NH-01) and Maggie Goodlander (NH-02) are calling on U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to immediately restore $80 million in federal funding that New Hampshire relies on to address public health crises, including the substance use and mental health epidemics.

    The delegation wrote, in part: “During his first term, President Trump declared the opioid crisis a national public health emergency, stating, ‘We can be the generation that ends the opioid epidemic.’ It seems that is no longer a goal of the current administration. Last week, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) terminated approximately $80 million in public health funding for New Hampshire, including programs administered by both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).”

    They continued: “For New Hampshire, this harmful decision to eliminate funding weakens our state’s ability to respond to infectious disease outbreaks, cuts support services for individuals suffering from mental health crises and substance use disorders and undermines efforts to adequately care for rural and underserved populations […] Staff across the state have already been terminated, and these terminations include our vital community health workers serving our most at-risk populations. Communities and organizations across New Hampshire, including community health centers, hospitals, mental health providers, schools and small businesses, are currently left without resources and holding the bag on already promised funding.”

    They concluded: “Clawing back these funds does nothing to improve our state’s public health system. Instead, you are needlessly putting our communities’ health at risk and jeopardizing our constituents’ livelihoods and their organizations. We urge you to reinstate this vital funding immediately.”

    The full text of the letter can be found here.

    Senator Shaheen and the New Hampshire delegation have led efforts to address the substance use and mental health crises. Just last year, the delegation celebrated $29,890,890 in State Opioid Response (SOR) grants heading to New Hampshire to help address the substance use disorder epidemic. In recent years, Shaheen and Hassan successfully pushed HHS to maintain SOR funding levels for New Hampshire and avoid significant cliffs in funding year-over-year. Shaheen and Hassan’s efforts have led to a more than tenfold increase in federal treatment and prevention funding for New Hampshire.

    Shaheen has been vocal in her disapproval of the confirmation of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for HHS Secretary, including delivering remarks in opposition to his nomination on the Senate floor. Shaheen also recently called on Secretary Kennedy to reverse drastic funding cuts to the Affordable Care Act Navigator program, which helps Americans access quality, affordable health insurance coverage, including for Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program.

    Senator Hassan has spoken out about the dangers that Secretary Kennedy poses to the health and safety of Americans. Senator Hassan pushed Kennedy during multiple confirmation hearings and delivered remarks on the Senate floor highlighting the ways in which Kennedy’s abandonment of his prior support for reproductive freedom, lack of knowledge about the basics of the health care programs that he would oversee, and history of promoting dangerous anti-vaccine conspiracy theories put the health and safety of Americans at risk.

    Congressman Pappas led 50 of his House colleagues in urging HHS Secretary Kennedy to reverse the cancellation of over $12 billion in federal grants for state health services from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senate Intel Vice Chair Warner Presses Trump Administration on TikTok Extension, Potential Divestiture Deal

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner

    WASHINGTON – Today, Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Mark R. Warner (D-VA) wrote a letter to President Trump expressing concerns over the administration’s handling of the legally-required divestiture of the social media platform TikTok, including the decision by the administration to once again extend the deadline for TikTok’s parent company, China-based Bytedance, to continue to operate the service and collect Americans’ data.

    “The news reports around the extension suggest that the likely deal under consideration would not meet the clear statutory thresholds for eliminating ByteDance’s influence over TikTok’s U.S. operations,” Sen. Warner wrote. “Specifically, it would preserve a material, operational role for ByteDance by not only allowing it to retain a significant equity stake in the divested entity, but also an active role in technology development and maintenance, including over the algorithm governing content displayed to TikTok U.S. users. I also will note that the law passed by Congress only allowed for a single extension of no more than 90 days.  This second delay, announced April 4, 2025, is a clear violation of the law while also continuing to leave Americans vulnerable to malign influence operations conducted by an adversary country.”

    “A successful and comprehensive divestiture will require any successor to scrupulously prevent influence or access by ByteDance or other entities under the jurisdiction of the People’s Republic of China.  The deal being discussed undermines confidence that the divested app can be trusted to protect national security and ensure compliance with the law,” he continued.

    Sen. Warner also reiterated the role of Congress in regulating foreign and interstate commerce, emphasized that the bill that requires divestment passed with bipartisan support, and pressed the Trump administration to follow the law.

    He continued, “I strongly encourage you actually adhere to the law Congress passed and immediately convene an inter-agency team to evaluate any prospective divestiture based on genuine, risk-based criteria.  Any qualified divestiture must ensure a clean operational break from ByteDance and TikTok USA, including by preventing either company from continuing to develop, influence, or access personal data or source code (including the content recommendation algorithm) maintained by the divested company.”

    Sen. Warner long led the charge in Congress to combat foreign social media influence campaigns, and keep Americans’ sensitive personal data out of the hands of the Communist Party of China, and has been vocal about the national security threat that ByteDance poses. He has repeatedly said the only eligible buyers of the app are companies that are not beholden to a U.S. adversary.

    A copy of letter is available here and text is below.

    Dear President Trump:

    I write to express concerns with the extension that you announced on Friday April 4, 2025 to allow TikTok to continue its U.S. operations, as well as deep reservations with how you and other involved parties are carrying out the negotiations around the sale of TikTok. The news reports around the extension suggest that the likely deal under consideration would not meet the clear statutory thresholds for eliminating ByteDance’s influence over TikTok’s U.S. operations.  Specifically, it would preserve a material, operational role for ByteDance by not only allowing it to retain a significant equity stake in the divested entity, but also an active role in technology development and maintenance, including over the algorithm governing content displayed to TikTok U.S. users. I also will note that the law passed by Congress only allowed for a single extension of no more than 90 days. This second delay, announced April 4, 2025, is a clear violation of the law while also continuing to leave Americans vulnerable to malign influence operations conducted by an adversary country.

    In key respects, the reported deal or arrangement appears to closely resemble the proposed “Project Texas” partnership that ByteDance previously sought approval for through the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS).  As I and colleagues made clear at the time – and as CFIUS concluded in withholding its approval – such an arrangement would not sufficiently address the data security, counter-intelligence, and covert influence threats posed by ByteDance’s continued role in the provision of social media services in the United States.  More importantly, the bipartisan law the Congress overwhelmingly passed explicitly proscribes such an arrangement – both by categorically prohibiting a qualified divesture from being operated directly or indirectly (including through a parent company, subsidiary, or affiliate) by ByteDance, TikTok or a subsidiary or successor of either company, as well as by requiring that any qualified divestiture preclude “the establishment or maintenance of any operational relationship between the United States operations of the relevant foreign adversary controlled application and any formerly affiliated entities that are controlled by a foreign adversary, including any cooperation with respect to the operation of a content recommendation algorithm or an agreement with respect to data sharing.” 

    A successful and comprehensive divestiture will require any successor to scrupulously prevent influence or access by ByteDance or other entities under the jurisdiction of the People’s Republic of China.  The deal being discussed undermines confidence that the divested app can be trusted to protect national security and ensure compliance with the law. For instance, industry outlets currently note that the company announced to manage the divested operations, Oracle, has facilitated ByteDance’s access to controlled advanced semiconductors, raising concerns about its willingness to proactively safeguard U.S. interests. Perhaps more concerningly, Oracle has recently suffered two significant data breaches – including a compromise to sensitive health records hosted by its Oracle Health division, as well as a separate breach involving Oracle Cloud.  Each of these incidents – that Oracle has continued to publicly deny despite sustained reports of confirmation and of private acknowledgement to clients – raise questions about whether Oracle can be trusted as the custodian of sensitive TikTok user data.

    In addition, it appears that the efforts to facilitate a qualified divestiture have not followed the substantive, risk-based inter-agency process contemplated in the law.  Rather, reports have consistently painted a picture of an ad hoc process, driven by White House personnel.  Perhaps most concerning, you have explicitly suggested that your compliance with the statutorily mandated divestiture could be tied to negotiations over tariffs with the People’s Republic of China.

    Congress retains the constitutional authority to regulate foreign and interstate commerce.  I strongly encourage you actually adhere to the law Congress passed and immediately convene an inter-agency team to evaluate any prospective divestiture based on genuine, risk-based criteria.  Any qualified divestiture must ensure a clean operational break from ByteDance and TikTok USA, including by preventing either company from continuing to develop, influence, or access personal data or source code (including the content recommendation algorithm) maintained by the divested company.

    Sincerely,

     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murray, Sanders, DeLauro, Scott, Baldwin Demand McMahon Reverse Abrupt Policy Change Halting Funding for Schools Nationwide

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    Top appropriators and authorizers press Trump’s Department of Education for details about its’ abrupt halt of funding for state governments and school districts that adds a bureaucratic hurdle to reimbursement and will harm student recovery following the pandemic

    Washington, D.C. — Today, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee, Congressman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA-03), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Education and Workforce, and Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies, led a letter to Secretary Linda McMahon demanding a reversal of a new policy the Department of Education announced recently that suddenly upended departmental policy and imposed new red tape on states, which will prevent them from accessing pandemic relief funds they are counting on to support students’ learning.

    In their letter, the lawmakers press McMahon for immediate reversal of the Department’s revision to its longstanding liquidation extension policy for COVID-19 education recovery funding—warning that the Department’s change, along with the myriad other harmful actions taken at ED recently, seriously jeopardizes students’ learning and growth.

    “We write to request the immediate reversal of the Department of Education’s recent March 28, 2025, action to revise the liquidation extension policy for COVID-19 relief funds,” write the lawmakers. “Just over a month ago, the Department announced a policy change to the longstanding extension policy that imposed an additional step for processing of extension reimbursements. … However, on March 28, 2025, with many state extension requests having been approved more than six months ago,  the Department suddenly announced on March 28 that ‘the Department is modifying the liquidation period to end on March 28, 2025,’ the very same day as the announcement.”

    “In short,” the lawmakers state, “the Department changed the spending rules it affirmed just one month ago, without providing any notice, and imposing more federal red tape.”

    The lawmakers continue: “This abrupt and chaotic revision of policy is not helpful to students whose states, school districts, or institutions of higher education are uncertain about the Department’s commitments to implementing federal funding designed to support students. The March 28th decision is an imposition of an unauthorized layer of bureaucratic red tape on the expenditure of resources passed by Congress to support learning recovery for our nation’s students.”

    The lawmakers note that the abrupt change—coupled with the mass firings at ED—seriously threaten the ability of schools to support students’ learning: “When combined with the massive reduction in force announced earlier this month, the Department jeopardizes an estimated $4 billion from the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 and American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 in nearly all of our states and outlying areas and roughly 1,000 school districts nationwide. This action is particularly harmful to rural school districts that faced the greatest disruptions during the authorized program period. This will also have a disproportionate impact on $800 million reserved for identification and support for students experiencing homelessness, which was implemented slowly in many states. The March 28th decision of the Department improperly imposes its will on state and local budget decisions in a manner not contemplated by Congress.”

    The lawmakers note their alarm about the Department’s lack of recognition of the lasting effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on students, with the latest National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) scores showing national scores are below pre-pandemic levels in all grades and subjects.“We are alarmed by your lack of a recognition of the lasting effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on our nation’s students,”write the lawmakers. “Years after the COVID-19 pandemic, our schools and communities still have much work to do to help students recover and the Department’s termination of the remaining resources Congress passed for that purpose will only serve to delay and undermine our students’ recovery.”

    They also note Congress provided flexibility when providing the funding to ensure it best supports communities across the country:  “Congress intended the Secretary to support states and districts in their use of the flexibility under the law to ensure the unique needs of their communities were met and to implement evidence-based learning loss interventions. The Department is now trying to change the spending rules and impose an administrative hurdle by stating ‘the Department will consider an extension to your liquidation period on an individual project-specific basis.’…We are astonished by the amount of hypocrisy here from an administration that has repeatedly said it wants to return education to the states, including your recent statement that ‘Education is fundamentally a state responsibility. Instead of filtering resources through layers of federal red tape, we will empower states…’ Now, it appears the Department is turning its back on states by arbitrarily imposing more federal red tape.”

    The lawmakers also called out that while the Trump administration works to cut off this funding for schools, it is pushing to pass new tax cuts for billionaires: “Let’s be very clear: The abrupt change in the liquidation extension policy is yet another way this administration is seeking to strip educational opportunities for students in order to pay for tax cuts for billionaires and large corporations. President Trump and Congressional Republicans are intent in claiming any savings they can in the federal budget that they intend to use to pay for their tax cuts for billionaires and large corporations.”

    “We believe there is a better way,” they conclude. “We urge you to immediately rescind your March 28 revision to the longstanding liquidation extension policy. Further, we believe you should work with us to start properly executing our federal education laws as Congress intended.”

    In addition to Senators Murray, Sanders, and Baldwin, the letter was signed by Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Angus King (I-ME), Ed Markey (D-MA), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jeanne Shaheen (D-MO), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark Warner (D-VA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Ron Wyden (D-OR) in the Senate.

    In addition to Representatives DeLauro and Scott, the letter was signed by Alma Adams (D, NC-12), Donald Beyer (D, VA-08), Suzanne Bonamici (D, OR-01), Julia Brownley (D, CA-26), Shontel Brown (D, OH-11), André Carson (D, IN-07), Greg Casar (D, TX-35), Sean Casten (D, IL-06), Joaquin Castro (D, TX-20), Steve Cohen (D, TN-09), Joe Courtney (D, CT-02), Danny Davis (D, IL-07), Diana DeGette (D, CO-01), Chris Deluzio (D, PA-17), Mark DeSaulnier (D, CA-10), Sarah Elfreth (D, MD-03), Veronica Escobar (D, TX-16), Adriano Espaillat (D, NY-13), Dwight Evans (D, PA-03), Shomari Figures (D, AL-02), Jesús García (D, IL-04), Sylvia Garcia (D, TX-29), Vicente Gonzalez (D, TX-34), Jahana Hayes (D, CT-05), Chrissy Houlahan (D, PA-06), Jonathan Jackson (D, IL-01), Hank Johnson (D, GA-04), Robin Kelly (D, IL-02), Timothy Kennedy (D, NY-26), John Larson (D, CT-01), Summer Lee (D, PA-12), Lucy McBath (D, GA-06), Sarah McBride (D, DE-01), Jennifer McClellan (D, VA-04), Betty McCollum (D, MN-04), Kristen McDonald Rivet (D, MI-08), Jim McGovern (D, MA-02), LaMonica McIver (D, NJ-10), Donald Norcross (D, NJ-01), Johnny Olszewski (D, MD-02), Chellie Pingree (D, ME-01), Mark Pocan (D, MI-02), Andrea Salinas (D, OR-06), Linda Sánchez (D, CA-38), Terri Sewell (D, AL-07), Mikie Sherrill (D, NJ-11), Lateefah Simon (D, CA-12), Darren Soto (D, FL-09), Haley Stevens (D, MI-11), Mark Takano (D, CA-39), Dina Titus (D, NV-01), Rashida Tlaib (D, MI-12), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D, NY-12), Frederica Wilson (D, FL-24), and Eleanor Holmes Norton (D, DC-01) in the House.

    Full text of the letter is available HERE and below:

    Dear Secretary McMahon:

    We write to request the immediate reversal of the Department of Education’s (“the Department”) recent March 28, 2025, action to revise the liquidation extension policy for COVID-19 relief funds. Just over a month ago, the Department announced a policy change to the longstanding extension policy that imposed an additional step for processing of extension reimbursements. That policy stated “Beginning today, all future payments under the CARES Act, CRRSA Act, and ARP Act spent on allowable expenditures must be paid by the states in advance and then submitted to the U.S. Department of Education for reimbursement.” While the Department’s action added an unnecessary burden on states, it continued the longstanding extension policy established years ago in stating “All [COVID-19 Pandemic relief funding] expenditures must fall under the approved expenditures as outlined in guidance for ESSER, ARPA, and HEERF.”

    However, on March 28, 2025, with many state extension requests having been approved more than six months ago, the Department suddenly announced that “the Department is modifying the liquidation period to end on March 28, 2025”, the very same day as the announcement. Specifically, the Department stated that “The extension approval was issued recently, so any reliance interests developed are minimal…So you could not rely on the Department adhering to its original decision.” In short, the Department changed the spending rules it affirmed just one month ago, without providing any notice, and imposing more federal red tape.

    This abrupt and chaotic revision of policy is not helpful to students whose states, school districts, or institutions of higher education are uncertain about the Department’s commitments to implementing federal funding designed to support students. The March 28th decision is an imposition of an unauthorized layer of bureaucratic red tape on the expenditure of resources passed by Congress to support learning recovery for our nation’s students. When combined with the massive reduction in force announced earlier this month, the Department jeopardizes an estimated $4 billion from the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 and American Rescue Plan Act of 2021(“ARP Act”) in nearly all of our states and outlying areas and roughly 1,000 school districts nationwide. This action is particularly harmful to rural school districts that faced the greatest disruptions during the authorized program period. This will also have a disproportionate impact on $800 million reserved for identification and support for students experiencing homelessness, which was implemented slowly in many states. The March 28th decision of the Department improperly imposes its will on state and local budget decisions in a manner not contemplated by Congress.

    Second, we are alarmed by your lack of a recognition of the lasting effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on our nation’s students. The Department’s March 28 policy change asserts “Extending deadlines for COVID-related grants, which are in fact taxpayer funds, years after the COVID pandemic ended is not consistent with the Department’s priorities and thus not a worthwhile exercise of its discretion.” We are surprised to learn the Department is unaware of recent results of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (“NAEP”) which show “National scores are below pre-pandemic levels (2019) in ALL tested grades and subjects.” NAEP results also reveal “Gaps are growing between higher-performing and lower-performing students.” Further, chronic absenteeism still is too high with the latest data indicating “a majority of students still attended schools with 20% or higher levels of chronic absence. This serious absenteeism is in stark contrast to 2019, when slightly over a quarter of schools experienced such high levels of chronic absence.” Years after the COVID-19 pandemic, our schools and communities still have much work to do to help students recover and the Department’s termination of the remaining resources Congress passed for that purpose will only serve to delay and undermine our students’ recovery.

    Third, Congress intended the Secretary to support states and districts in their use of the flexibility under the law to ensure the unique needs of their communities were met and to implement evidence-based learning loss interventions. The Department is now trying to change the spending rules and impose an administrative hurdle by stating “the Department will consider an extension to your liquidation period on an individual project-specific basis.” This is despite the fact that such extensions to liquidation periods were noticed more than one year ago, with some granted more than six months ago, and that states assured to the Department that “The SEA will ensure that LEAs [school districts] use ARP ESSER funds for activities allowable under section 2001(e) of the ARP.” We are astonished by the amount of hypocrisy here from an administration that has repeatedly said it wants to return education to the states, including your recent statement that “Education is fundamentally a state responsibility. Instead of filtering resources through layers of federal red tape, we will empower states…”. Now, it appears the Department is turning its back on states by arbitrarily imposing more federal red tape.

    We would be heartened if the Department’s new policy was really intended to better support students. However, actions of the past two months tell a starkly different story. The Department has cancelled hundreds of millions in teacher training grants that were at work in addressing educator shortages and improving the quality of instruction in our schools. The Department has cancelled hundreds of millions of research and evaluation contracts on critical issues like an evaluation of transition supports for students with disabilities, which was intended to provide states and school districts with high quality evidence on approaches to support students with disabilities with their transition to post-school outcomes. The Department also cancelled an evaluation of the programs that receive the largest amount of funding appropriated for the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, depriving Congress and the Department of critical information about the implementation of those programs. The Department cancelled contracts for the Comprehensive Centers program, which—in addition to being statutorily required—were poised to provide effective capacity building support and technical assistance to states, school systems, and schools in addressing chronic absenteeism, and math and literacy learning, among other locally and regionally identified challenges. The Department also canceled the Long Term Trend NAEP for 17 year olds, which has been providing data on student achievement for decades. The Department has implemented a massive dismantling and reduction in staff, which has reduced the number of staff available at the Office for Civil Rights to protect the rights of all students. Finally, the massive reduction also appears to have delayed the processing of COVID-19 relief reimbursement requests prior to the announcement of the changed policy that is the subject of this letter.

    Let’s be very clear: The abrupt change in the liquidation extension policy is yet another way this administration is seeking to strip educational opportunities for students in order to pay for tax cuts for billionaires and large corporations. President Trump and Congressional Republicans are intent in claiming any savings they can in the federal budget that they intend to use to pay for their tax cuts for billionaires and large corporations. It is appalling to us that those billionaire and corporate giveaways are valued over the students in rural school districts that faced supply chain disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic that led to the districts’ need for these liquidation extensions, valued over students experiencing homelessness who have seen the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds dedicated to them spent down slowly, and valued over so many other students that will be attending schools that are already facing difficult budget choices for the next school year without the additional burden of this changed policy. That is, unless states undertake the newest burden put in place by your Department and are able to navigate the Department’s bureaucratic maze and receive funds for projects that may have been committed to years ago.

    We believe there is a better way. We urge you to immediately rescind your March 28 revision to the longstanding liquidation extension policy. Further, we believe you should work with us to start properly executing our federal education laws as Congress intended.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to first baby being born from a womb transplant in the UK

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Scientists comment on the first baby being born from a womb transplant in the UK.

    Dr Nicola Williams, Wellcome Lecturer in Ethics of Human Reproduction, Lancaster University, said: 

    “Clinicians, lawyers and ethicists from the UK have long been involved in research surrounding this novel transplant, and it is encouraging to hear of the birth of a healthy baby following the UK’s first uterus transplant. While this is a key milestone in developing this treatment, there is still much work to do to ensure that all can benefit. Crucially, this includes establishing the long-term safety of the procedure for recipients, donors, and children born after uterus transplantation. Given the novelty of the procedure and its high costs (both physical and financial) for donors and recipients, careful consideration needs to be given to balancing the risks and benefits of this procedure, and teams worldwide must work together to ensure safety, efficacy and the adequate monitoring of long-term health outcomes for all involved.”

     

    Dr Laura O’Donovan, Lecturer in Law, University of Sheffield, said:

    “This has been a long time in the making, and I’m so pleased for the recipient, her family and the clinical team. As the UK sees more of these transplants it will become increasingly important to discuss NHS funding priorities and access policies to ensure that the treatment is available as a real option for those with uterine factor infertility. For example, should uterus transplants be publicly funded, and who should be able to access them? – these are difficult decisions that NHS commissioners will need to make in the context of scarce resources and the current IVF postcode lottery, which has already resulted in unequal access to fertility treatment.

    Prof Adam Balen, Professor of Reproductive Medicine and Surgery, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said:

    “This is a fantastic achievement by the team lead by Professor Richard Smith who has been researching this very exacting surgical procedure for many years. This presents the opportunity for women to conceive a pregnancy without need for surrogacy, which until now has been the only option for women without a womb to have a baby.”

     

    Dr Ippokratis Sarris, Consultant in Reproductive Medicine, Director of King’s Fertility and Executive Committee Member of the British Fertility Society, said:

    “The birth of the first UK baby following a womb transplant is a remarkable milestone in reproductive medicine. It offers real hope to women with absolute uterine factor infertility, providing an alternative to surrogacy. While this complex procedure will only be suitable for a small number of women, it marks an extraordinary advance in science and care. Congratulations to the dedicated clinical and scientific team for their years of commitment, and to the courageous women who undertook this pioneering treatment.”

    Mr Stuart Lavery, Consultant in Reproductive Medicine/Honorary Associate Professor, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (UCLH), said:

    “This amazing event represents both a personal miracle for the couple involved but also a vindication for the team of surgeons and scientists who have for so many years worked tirelessly to get to this place. Like so many milestones in UK Reproductive Medicine, it takes a combination of a courageous patient and a committed and supportive medical team to push the scientific boundaries in the hope of helping more couples have the families they desire.”

    Prof Alison Campbell, Chief Scientific Officer, Care Fertility:

    “It’s truly incredible how science is making more families possible and to see this progress in reproductive medicine. The success of uterine transplantation is a huge milestone for people who believed it was impossible to carry a child. This news gives hope and promises to further expand reproductive freedom.”

    Prof Melanie Davies, Professor of Reproductive Medicine and Consultant Gynaecologist, University College London Hospitals, said:

    “The first UK birth after womb transplantation is a fantastic achievement. It is wonderful for the couple concerned, especially Grace who never thought she could carry a child, congratulations!  And it must be immensely satisfying for the team of doctors and scientists to see this outcome – in particular, congratulations go to Prof Richard Smith, who has held this vision for 25 years and had to overcome many hurdles on the way, not least raising the funds for the programme. It required skills from many specialities: gynaecology, pelvic surgery, organ transplantation, IVF, and maternal medicine. It is an exemplar of teamwork and dedication.

    “This gives hope to other women who have been born without a womb and may also help some young women who have needed a hysterectomy. The only alternative for these women is surrogacy, which is not easy to access and not always acceptable. Womb transplantation remains a challenging process, involving major surgery for the recipient, who will go through IVF before the procedure, and afterwards needs immunosuppressive drugs to avoid tissue rejection. The transplanted womb will need to be removed once her family is complete. The ethical aspects are thoughtfully considered, including the risk to the living donor who also undergoes major pelvic surgery.

    “This is not a world first, there have been a small number of successful births in other countries, notably in Sweden. But for the very first patient having a womb transplant in the UK to give birth so soon afterwards demonstrates the care that has been taken in preparing for this well-deserved success”

     

    Sarah Norcross, Director of the Progress Educational Trust (PET), said:

    “We at PET could not be happier to learn of the birth of Amy Isabel. This is a testament to many years of hard work and perseverance on the part of Professor Richard Smith, Isabel Quiroga, and the rest of the team at Womb Transplant UK, plus remarkable determination on the part of Grace Davidson and Amy Purdie. It has been little more than a decade since the world’s first ever live birth following a womb transplant, and now the UK has its own womb transplant success story. This news will give hope to other women who wish to carry a pregnancy, but who have no uterus of their own.”

    Prof Andrew Shennan, Professor of Obstetrics, King’s College London, said:

    “Although infertility is common, many women can achieve a pregnancy through assisted medical techniques such as IVF. Very few women have the problem related to an absent or abnormal uterus (about 1 in 500) but for them a womb transplant could be a solution rather than opt for surrogacy (using another woman to carry the pregnancy or adopt. The procedure is very specialised and requires immunosuppressive drugs and caesarean section, but these cases show it can be successful, now also in the UK.”

    All our previous output on this subject can be seen at this weblink:

    https://www.sciencemediacentre.org/expert-reaction-to-first-womb-transplant-performed-in-the-uk/

    Declared interests

    Dr Nicola Williams “I have previously co-authored papers and collaborated with members of the clinical team.”

    Dr Laura O’Donovan “I have previously collaborated with members of the clinical team.”

    Prof Adam Balen: “None to declare”

    Dr Ippokratis Sarris: “None to declare”

    Mr Stuart Lavery: “None to declare”

    Prof Alison Campbell “Alison Campbell is a minor shareholder in Care Fertility”

    Prof Melanie Davies “Nothing relevant to womb transplants, I am Professor of Reproductive Medicine with a special interest in fertility preservation”

    Sarah Norcross “PET is a charity which improves choices for people affected by infertility and genetic conditions.”

    Prof Andrew Shennan “No conflicts”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: More than 100,000 Baby Loss Certificates have now been issued 

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    More than 100,000 Baby Loss Certificates have now been issued 

    More than 100,000 baby loss certificates have now been issued to parents who have lost a pregnancy, allowing them to formally recognise their loss.

    • Thousands more parents have benefited from the scheme since it was extended in October 2024
    • Over 100,000 certificates have now been issued, helping parents formally recognise the loss of baby during pregnancy
    • The government remains committed to improving healthcare services and strengthening support for women and their families

    More than 100,000 baby loss certificates have now been issued to parents who have lost a pregnancy, allowing them to formally recognise their loss.

    Baby loss certificates offer a way of providing comfort and support to bereaved parents, who have gone through an unimaginable loss. They provide acknowledgement that their baby existed and mattered.

    Support groups have long campaigned for these certificates and have welcomed this news.

    The government is also committed to ensuring bereaved parents are better supported, and that the impact and importance of their loss is recognised. 

    Work to improve women’s health services and maternity outcomes in ongoing with thousands more midwives trained, and we are committed fulfilling our commitment to closing the Black and Asian maternal mortality gap.

    We are making progress already – cutting gynaecology waiting lists through our Plan for Change, boosting menopause support in the workplace, and revolutionising AI cancer screening for breast cancer through our £11 million AI EDITH cancer trial.  We are also utilising the independent sector to cut down waiting lists and provide more appointments – this includes for women’s health conditions such as endometriosis and breast cancer.

    Health Minister Baroness Gillian Merron said: 

    Losing a pregnancy can be devastating, and it is important that bereaved parents have the option to formally recognise the existence of their babies.  

    I would like to pay tribute to the bravery of countless women who have spoken up about their experiences, and to campaigners for their perseverance and great work promoting this service. From meeting with them, I know there is much to do to improve services on the ground. 

    We will always listen to women and families as we reform our NHS and maternity services, to make sure everyone gets the care and compassion they deserve.

    Baby loss certificates were first launched in February 2024 but were only available to those who had experienced a loss since September 2018. 

    The voluntary service was extended by this government in October 2024 to allow all parents to apply, no matter when they lost their baby.

    Sands’ Chief Executive Clea Harmer said:

    It’s wonderful that baby loss certificates have enabled so many bereaved parents in England whose lives have been touched by pregnancy loss to get official recognition that their babies existed and matter.

    The certificates are an important part of many people’s bereavement journey, and while we recognise they are not something everyone wants, we would like all bereaved parents to have that choice. Sands is here to offer understanding and emotional support for every bereaved parent and family, for as long as they need this.

    Baroness Floella Benjamin OM DBE said:

    The success of ‘Certificates of Loss’ is heartwarming as this was the vision of  Zoe Clark-Coates, founder of the Saying Goodbye charity, almost a decade ago. In parliament I was proud to work with her during those years as I personally knew what it was like to suffer several miscarriages. So applying for my certificates, like thousands of others, brought a great sense of comfort and formal recognition of our babies and I encourage others to so. 

    I hope this successful initiative will continue to provide solace to millions of parents long into the future.

    Lead Bereavement Midwife, George Eliot Hospital, Nuneaton and Co-lead and co-author of the ‘Independent Pregnancy Loss Review’, Samantha Collinge said:

    The announcement today that 100,000 baby loss certificates have been issued to parents is a significant milestone, not just for Zoe and myself, the co-chairs and co-authors of the ‘Independent Pregnancy Loss Review’ which recommended this scheme to the government but for the millions of people who have experienced pre-24 weeks baby loss.

    The huge number of certificates issued serves to demonstrate the real need for bereaved parents to have official recognition that their babies did exist and that their lives, however brief really do matter.

    Being able to signpost families in our care to the certification scheme is a huge step forward for myself and my colleagues in the care that we deliver along the pre -24 week loss pathway and it is truly heartwarming when parents tell me how receiving a certificate in recognition of their precious baby has really helped them in their grief journey.

    Zoe Clark-Coates MBE, Co-Chair & Author of The Pregnancy Loss Review 

    I am deeply moved by the overwhelmingly positive response from bereaved families to the new certificates of loss.

    After nearly a decade of leading the campaign for their introduction with Mariposa International (sayinggoodbye.org) and dedicating 5.5 years to co-chairing and authoring the pregnancy loss review where we were able to bring them to pass, I am profoundly relieved and honoured that this vital recognition is now in the hands of those who need it most.

    It is heartening to see that our efforts have provided comfort and acknowledgment during the most challenging times, and knowing these certificates will offer solace for decades to come is incredibly moving. We remain steadfast in our commitment to supporting every family on their grief journey.

    Vicki Robinson, Chief Executive of the Miscarriage Association, said:

    This is an important milestone and one that shows the vital role that recognition, support and understanding play in helping bereaved parents cope with their loss.

    However early a pregnancy is lost, it can be felt as a bereavement like any other as people try to come to terms with the end of a very special set of hopes, dreams, and plans for the future.

    These certificates provide official recognition that their baby existed, mattered, and will never be forgotten. The positive difference that makes to so many at an extremely distressing time cannot be overstated.

    In November, the government announced new regulations which will fortify bread with folic acid, reducing neural tube defects by 20% in the UK. Alongside this, an extra £57 million has been allocated for Start for Life services to help expectant and new mothers with a range of services, from breastfeeding and mental health support. 
    Background information

    Any parent can apply for a certificate following a loss before 24 weeks, or 28 weeks for a loss that happened before October 1992. Applicants must be at least 16 years of age and live in England.

    Request a baby loss certificate

    Updates to this page

    Published 8 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Over 1,500 extra GPs recruited to fix front door of the NHS

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    Over 1,500 extra GPs recruited to fix front door of the NHS

    New figures show an extra 1,503 GPs have been recruited since 1 October thanks to government action.

    • New figures show over 1,503 extra GPs have been hired through new scheme since 1 October
    • Major recruitment boost comes after government removed red tape which made it difficult for surgeries to hire doctors
    • Increased GP capacity will help fix the front door of the NHS and increase appointments to bring back the family doctor
    • Milestone builds on Plan for Change’s progress, which has delivered two million appointments seven months early, and cut waiting lists by 193,000

    New figures show an extra 1,503 GPs have been recruited since 1 October – thanks to government action.

    The recruitment boost, part of the government’s Plan for Change will help to end the scandal of patients struggling to see a doctor – easing pressure on GPs and cutting waiting lists. Alongside changes to the GP contract for 2025-26, these additional GPs will help end the 8am scramble for appointments which so many patients currently endure every day.

    When the government came into office, unnecessary red tape was preventing practices from hiring newly qualified GPs, meaning more than 1,000 were due to graduate into unemployment. At the same time, there were also 1,399 fewer fully qualified GPs than a decade prior, showing how years of underfunding and neglect had eroded GP services.

    The government cut the red tape and invested an extra £82 million to allow networks of practices to hire the GPs, with the funding continuing past this year thanks to the extra funding announced at the Budget.

    People in communities across England will be more readily able to receive the timely care they deserve, helping to shift healthcare from hospitals to the community.

    Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting, said:

    Rebuilding our broken NHS starts with fixing the front door. We inherited a ludicrous situation where patients couldn’t get a GP appointment, while GPs couldn’t get a job. By cutting red tape and investing more in our NHS, we have put an extra 1,503 GPs into general practice to deliver more appointments.

    The extra investment and reforms we have made will allow patients to book appointments more easily, to help bring back the family doctor and end the 8am scramble.

    It is only because of the necessary decisions we took to increase employer National Insurance that we are able to recruit more GPs and deliver better services for patients. The extra investment and reform this government is making, as part of its Plan for Change, will get the NHS back on its feet and make it fit for the future.

    Dr Amanda Doyle, National Director for Primary Care and Community Services, said:         

    I would like to thank the general practice teams that have employed significantly more than the 1,000 extra GPs promised to provide care for patients.

    Improving access to general practice is an NHS priority and GP teams are delivering 29 million appointments every month – up a fifth since before the pandemic.  

    But we have more to do to make it easier for patients to see their local GP, so practice teams should continue to use this funding to best effect by recruiting more GPs, so more patients can be seen more quickly.

    The recruitment of an additional 1,503 GPs was made possible by the tough but fair decisions the Chancellor took at the Budget to fix the foundations of the NHS, enabling the government to provide almost £26 billion to get the NHS back on its feet and make it fit for the future.

    Thanks to these decisions, the government has already delivered over two million extra appointments since July, meeting its target seven months early, and brought the waiting list down by 193,000.

    Last year, the department added GPs to the additional roles reimbursement scheme (ARRS) and provided extra funding, meaning that GPs could be recruited more quickly by primary care networks (PCNs).

    The government has since provided the biggest boost to GP funding in years – an extra £889 million on top of the existing budget for general practice in 2025-26.

    The investment comes alongside new reforms to modernise general practice. GP surgeries must now allow patients to request appointments online throughout working hours from October, freeing up the phones for those who want to book over the phone, and making it easier for practices to triage patients based on medical need. More patients will also be able to book appointments with their regular doctor if they choose to, to bring back the family doctor.

    Cutting waiting times and improving access to health care for patients is one of the government’s top priorities in its Plan for Change which is driving forward reform of the health service to rebuild our NHS and improve living standards, which are growing at their fastest rate in two years.

    Notes to editors:

    Updates to this page

    Published 8 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Mental Health Australia welcomes ALP’s comprehensive platform for mental health

    Source:

    The country’s peak mental health body Mental Health Australia welcomes the Australian Labor Party’s $1bn election commitment to significantly increase access to free mental health supports across the country, along with a much needed boost to grow the workforce.

    See full media release at the PDF attached below. 

    MIL OSI News –