Category: Health

MIL-OSI USA: Department of Labor investigation of 33-year-old worker’s fatal injuries finds Huntsville countertop company failed to protect employees from stone slabs
Source: US Department of Labor

HUNTSVILLE, AL – A U.S. Department of Labor workplace safety investigation has found that a Huntsville countertop installation company could have prevented a 33-year-old employee from being struck by a stone slab weighing thousands of pounds by following federal safety standards at a Huntsville job site.

Investigators with the department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration determined that employees of Huntsville Granite and Marble LLC were using a forklift to take stone slabs off a storage rack when the slab became unsecured and struck the worker. OSHA found that an improperly secured load and a damaged rigging hook with a missing safety latch contributed to the incident.

OSHA determined the company violated federal regulations by doing the following:
- Failing to develop and institute safe procedures, including worker training, for moving stone slabs.
- Permitting workers to use a damaged rigging hook missing the safety latch.
- Allowing workers to use worn and damaged security straps.
- Failing to ensure forklift attachments were manufacturer approved.
- Neglecting to evaluate forklift operators’ performance at least every three years.
“Huntsville Granite and Marble didn’t uphold its duty to keep workers safe,” said OSHA Area Office Director Joel Batiz in Birmingham, Alabama. “With the right procedures, equipment, and training, this tragedy could have been avoided. We call on employers to make workplace safety a priority and use OSHA resources to safeguard their employees.”

OSHA issued five serious citations to Huntsville Granite and Marble for violations related to its failures to protect workers from struck-by, crushed-by and fall hazards. OSHA has proposed $29,035 in penalties to address the violations, an amount set by federal statute.

Established in 2006, Huntsville Granite and Marble LLC is a family-owned company serving North Alabama and Southern Tennessee. The company has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

Learn more about OSHA.

MIL OSI USA News –
January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: B.C. election: Debate over the rights of gender-diverse youth continues as their school safety declines

Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Elizabeth Saewyc, Director & Professor, School of Nursing & Executive Director, Stigma and Resilience Among Vulnerable Youth Centre, University of British Columbia

The treatment of gender-diverse youth in some Canadian schools has become a contentious issue. (Alex Van der Marel/Health and Well-being Report), CC BY-SA

The treatment of sexual minority and gender-diverse youth in Canadian schools continues to be a contentious issue among parents and political parties, particularly in provinces like Alberta and British Columbia.

In the run-up to the upcoming B.C. election, discussions around a sexual minority framework for schools and the SOGI 123 initiative are prominent.

What is SOGI 123?

Introduced into B.C.’s public schools in 2016, SOGI 123 aims to make schools safer and more inclusive for students of all gender identities and sexual orientations. The initiative provides resources to help educators combat and address discrimination and bullying, and foster supportive and inclusive environments for 2SLGBTQ+ students.

The push for SOGI 123 was informed by a 2014 study which included data from the McCreary Centre Society’s 2013 BC Adolescent Health Survey. That study showed that schools with an established Gay Straight Alliance or Gender Sexuality Alliance, along with anti-homophobic policies, lowered the odds of sexual minority students reporting discrimination, mental health issues and suicide attempts compared to students in schools without such initiatives. Notably, heterosexual students also benefited from these inclusive settings.

In 2018, a subsequent BC Adolescent Health Survey of more than 38,000 youth aged 12-19 — including almost 1,000 children who identified as gender diverse — revealed that gender-diverse youth, including those identifying as transgender or non-binary, faced high rates of bullying, both in-person and online. The findings highlighted the importance of strong school and family relationships, which were linked to better mental health and lower rates of substance use and suicidal thoughts.

Despite hopes that SOGI 123 would bridge the health and well-being disparity gap for gender-diverse and cisgender youth, recent events may be undermining those efforts. Over the past two years, there has been a notable rise in vocal opposition to the rights of trans and non-binary students across the country, with schools becoming a backdrop for protests and counter-protests.

In response to these challenges, researchers at the University of British Columbia teamed up again with McCreary Centre Society to analyze the BC Adolescent Health Survey data from 2023 to see what, if anything, has changed for trans, non-binary, and questioning young people in B.C. since 2018.

Key findings from the 2024 report

Improved family support: Some positive findings from the 2024 report include improved family support for gender-diverse youth with a noted reduction over time in these young people running away or getting kicked out of home.

Decreased feelings of safety: Results for students’ experiences at school were less positive, with decreases in feeling safe at school for both gender-diverse and cisgender youth. Gender-diverse young people were the least likely to report feeling safe in different parts of their school, and particularly in less supervised locations such as changing rooms and washrooms.

Increased reports of bullying: The majority of gender-diverse youth had experienced at least one type of in-person or online bullying in the past year, and rates of experiencing online bullying were at least twice those of cisgender boys.

Rising discrimination: Compared to five years earlier, there was an increase in gender-diverse youth reporting they had experienced discrimination, and the majority had experienced at least one form of discrimination in the past year. The most common location where discrimination occurred was at school: 32 per cent of trans girls and 57 per cent of trans boys reported they had experienced discrimination at school, compared to 29 per cent of cisgender girls and 20 per cent of cisgender boys.

School connectedness is crucial for mental well-being: Similar to past studies, strong school connections remained a strong protective factor for health and well-being, linked to reduced suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts. For example, trans boys with the highest school connectedness were 99 per cent less likely to report seriously considering suicide in the past year compared to those with lower school connections. Likewise, trans girls with strong connections were 8.7 times more likely to report good or excellent mental health compared to other trans girls with low school connections.

B.C. election issue

As the debate about SOGI 123 continues during this election cycle, the recent data from more than 76,000 Grade 7-12 students serves as a crucial and timely reminder.

It highlights the importance of considering the experiences and perspectives of B.C.’s youth in discussions about how to create safe and inclusive school environments for all.

Elizabeth Saewyc receives funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Public Health Agency of Canada, and the US National Institutes of Health. She also provides consultation to the World Health Organization, UNICEF, and other UN Agencies on adolescent health indicators and health measures.

Annie Smith 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. B.C. election: Debate over the rights of gender-diverse youth continues as their school safety declines – https://theconversation.com/b-c-election-debate-over-the-rights-of-gender-diverse-youth-continues-as-their-school-safety-declines-239922

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: University Research – Tongan-led solutions needed to overcome barriers to bowel cancer screening – Otago University

Source: University of Otago

The National Bowel Screening Programme is failing to deliver screening equitably to Pacific New Zealanders, but there are ways to improve it, research led by the University of Otago, Wellington has found.

The researchers held two talanoa focus groups in 2021, asking Tongan-born New Zealanders over 60 how the programme could be made more effective and equitable. They also talked to four Pacific experts working for the screening programme.

The researchers are some of the first to ask Tongan New Zealanders about their experiences with the bowel screening programme. The results of their study are published in the New Zealand Medical Journal.

Lead researcher Dr Viliami Puloka, from the University’s Department of Public Health, says the participants overwhelmingly supported a ‘by Tongan, for Tongan’ approach to screening.

“Many Tongans die unnecessarily from bowel cancer because the programme, while available, isn’t accessible to them. Taking a Tongan approach was recommended by all the participants and experts involved in the study.”

Dr Puloka says only 35 per cent of Tongan people are screened, compared with 58 per cent of New Zealanders overall. Pacific peoples are 60 per cent more likely to die from bowel cancer compared to New Zealanders of European heritage.

The study found Tongans were very motivated when it came to looking after their health, but that the programme was not meeting their needs, he says.

“It was important for us to understand what the road blocks are and how to empower people. Tongans stressed the collective nature of their society and the need to deliver the programme to the community, something that would only really be effective from a Tongan provider.

“The programme can be delivered equitably if there is the will to do so. What is required is courage and the political will to shift the power and resources necessary to ensure equitable outcomes.”

He says the recently announced lowering of the age at which bowel screening starts to 50-years-old for Pacific peoples is an essential step in increasing the accessibility of the programme.

But he says it does not take away the need to reimagine the programme from a Tongan and a Pacific perspective.

While the study focused on the Tongan community, Dr Puloka says the findings may also provide valuable insights into the needs of other Pacific peoples.

The research was independently funded by the Cancer Society of New Zealand.

Notes:

The research paper, ‘Polokalama Fekumi ki he Kanisā ‘o e Halanga-me’atokoní—Ko e vakai ‘a e Tongá: Tongan New Zealanders’ views on how to ensure the National Bowel Cancer Screening programme works well for the Tongan community’ is published in the New Zealand Medical Journal.

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Health – ‘Get ready for Flying Doctors’ – Fast-track Aussie approval increases urgency for NZ funding fix – Genaro

Source: GenPro

New Zealand needs to properly fund general practice or it will lose even more doctors to Australia.

From October 21, Australia is introducing a new fast-track process which means an expedited pathway for general practitioners to work across the ditch.

“The fast-track process means a GP who qualified as a fellow of the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners after 2012 is deemed to have a similar qualification to that in Australia, which means they will see patients sooner. Get ready for Flying Doctors,” said Angus Chambers, Chair of the General Practice Owners Association of Aotearoa New Zealand.

New Zealand is already struggling to retain doctors in New Zealand and recruit from overseas, Dr Chambers said.

“According to OECD data, New Zealand has about 3.62 doctors per 1,000 people, well behind Australia’s 5.48. The fast-track process will make that worse.” (ref. http://www.oecd.org/en/data/indicators/doctors.html )

And according to Te Whatu Ora, New Zealand is 485 GPs short, with this number expected to grow to a shortage of between 753 and 1043 doctors in the next 10 years. (ref. http://www.thepress.co.nz/nz-news/350286694/nz-almost-500-gps-short-briefing-reveals )

Years of underfunding general practices and limits on increasing patient charges have resulted in many practices closing, reducing their services, or not taking on new patients. Financial stresses and greater patient need have resulted in many GPs retiring or moving overseas, adding pressure to already under-resourced practices.

“Australia’s doctor shortage is less severe than New Zealand’s, but the Australian government has in less than a year made speedy changes to its approval process and other reforms.

“By comparison the New Zealand government and Te Whatu Ora seem resigned to the gutting of general practice, and instead want to boost tele-health, pharmacy, and nurse-led care. While these have a place, patient care is optimised in a face-to-face visit with a local GP,” Dr Chambers said.

“If we are to retain our existing GP work force and grow the numbers entering the profession in Aotearoa, we need to be able to match the terms and conditions offered by Australian practices. We need the opportunities here to be attractive and competitive compared to Australia and beyond if we want to have a general practice service in future.

“We also need to stem the flow of GPs out of New Zealand general practice. They are already pouring out with retirements, often at earlier ages than in the past, going to secondary care, or leaving New Zealand for jobs offshore, especially Australia.”

“The government must as a matter of urgency increase its support of primary healthcare, overhaul the current out-of-date funding model, and help increase the supply of medical professionals into primary healthcare,” said Dr Chambers.

GenPro, which represents about half of all general practices in Aotearoa, is ready to work with the Minister of Health and the Health NZ Commissioner to develop the solutions needed.

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

January 24, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Preventing falls: Google Street View offers a quick way to assess risks for older New Zealanders

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Angela Curl, Senior lecturer, Department of Population Health, University of Otago

Google Street View has fast become a tool for people trying to get the feel for a community, look at real estate – and sometimes prank the tech giant when its mapping car drives by. But it also has the potential to help prevent falls and injuries in New Zealand’s urban environments.

Falls are a leading cause of injury and accidental death among older adults, but identifying the location of risks outside is labour and time intensive.

In our new research, we have created a tool using Google Street View to audit the places where people walk.

The goal of our new tool – Fall-SAFE – is to identify the risks in New Zealand’s built environments and create a database for local councils and community groups to understand where an older person might fall – and why.

A costly risk

Annually, one-in-three people over 65 are injured in a fall. This figure rises to one-in-two for people over 80.

In 2023 alone, ACC received 236,985 new claims for falls from people over the age of 60. Many of these falls resulted in serious injury, such as a hip fracture, hospitalisation or even death.

It’s not just older people who are at risk of falling – though they are, by far, the largest group. Last year, ACC paid out NZ$2.15 billion to cover claims for falls.

The flow-on effect from falls extends further than just medical recovery. Older people who have fallen outside, or who fear falling due to perceived risks, may be less willing to go for walks. They then miss out on the physical, mental and social benefits of this sort of activity.

Assessing the environment

Using data from ambulance service Hato Hone St John, we identified 2,117 falls between July 2016 and June 2018 in urban areas involving adults aged 65 and over. Wellington was excluded as the city uses a different ambulance service.

Auditors then used Google Street View to assess the locations of these falls and identify risks in the built environment that might have contributed. These risks included trip hazards, uneven foot paths, obstructions (such as overgrown bushes) and slopes.

Auditors used a “drop-and-spin” approach to their assessment, where they completed a 360° audit of the fall location. The Google Maps imagery was set to be as close to the date of the accident as possible.

Drop-and-spin virtual audits are quicker than physical audits, but similarly reliable. Furthermore, drop-and-spin virtual audits enable assessment over large geographic areas that would be difficult to examine in person.

Understanding New Zealand’s streets

After examining the different fall sites, we gained a better understanding of where falls happened and the hazards that could have contributed to the falls.

Half of all the falls had occurred in residential locations (49.1%) and one quarter occurred in commercial locations (22.4%). A further 16.2% of the falls had occurred in “other” locations (such as rural or industrial areas).

Over 60% of fall sites had at least one trip hazard due to poorly maintained footpaths. The most common obstructions were manholes, service covers or grates (71.5 %), poles (65.4%), utility boxes (46.6%) and overhanging vegetation (39.5%). Other obstructions such as bus shelters, chairs and tables, or drains were noted at 64.5% of the sites.

Three-quarters of the falls had occurred in locations that had a flat or gentle slope (76.3%). Only 15.5% of the falls had occurred on a moderate slope, while 8.2% had occurred on a steep slope.

Most (95.6%) of the fall locations had a normal kerb height (ten centimetres). Few locations had no kerbs (2.3%) or storm drains (2%). Streetlights were present in most fall locations, either on one side of the street (including partial or very sparse locations) (54%) or on both sides (44%). Streetlights were not visible in 0.9% of sites.

Of all the locations we assessed, just under 6% had no obvious risk whatsoever. This seems to indicate that external hazards were a contributing factor to the vast majority of falls – though without information from the person who fell, it is hard to know for sure.

A cheaper and faster option

The current approach to assessing the safety of urban environments – sending people out to physically look at a footpath to identify issues – can be time consuming and costly.

And the money to do the work is simply unavailable. Several councils, including Hamilton and Masterton, have announced significant cuts in funding from the New Zealand Transport Agency to maintain and repair footpaths and cycle lanes.

Another problem is that these assessors may not fully understand the experiences of older people in these locations. A hazard for someone aged 65+ may not seem like one for someone in their 30s or 40s.

Understanding the factors that contribute to a fall for older people – such as obstructions and trip hazards – allows city planners to address problems in the built environment.

Our free auditing tool provides a way for councils and advocacy groups to look at environments to understand the risks. Our research applied this to places where we know people had fallen, but the tool can be used to assess the risk of any environment.

Investing the time and effort now to address these fall risks early could save money – and lives – further down the track.

Angela Curl receives funding from Healthier Lives and Ageing Well National Science Challenges and Lotteries Health.

– ref. Preventing falls: Google Street View offers a quick way to assess risks for older New Zealanders – https://theconversation.com/preventing-falls-google-street-view-offers-a-quick-way-to-assess-risks-for-older-new-zealanders-241343

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

January 24, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Cheap grog, new drunkenness offence and mandatory rehab: why 9 experts think proposed NT alcohol reforms would be a disaster
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cassandra Wright, Alcohol and other Drugs Program Lead, Menzies School of Health Research

logoboom/Shutterstock

The new Northern Territory government is planning a swathe of changes to alcohol policy.

If implemented, these changes fly in the face of what evidence shows works to reduce alcohol-related harms. Some are also out of step with the rest of Australia.

Among our concerns are plans that would lead to harmful alcohol products becoming cheaper, alcohol becoming more easily available, criminalising public drunkenness, and a particularly worrying type of mandatory alcohol treatment – all of which evidence suggests will cause more harms.

No one is downplaying the magnitude and complexities of alcohol-related issues in the NT. But we hope the territory government will pay more heed to the evidence and voices of those most impacted.

Alcohol-related harm in the NT is complex

Alcohol-related harms in the NT are significantly higher (for both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people) than elsewhere in Australia.

In the territory, these harms contribute to health and social outcomes costing at least A$1.4 billion a year. Alcohol harms result in costs related to health care, deaths, crime, policing and child protection.

Aboriginal communities in the NT have for decades cried out for solutions and services that effectively respond to alcohol-related harm. Instead, they found their lives made part of a political football match on law and order. Policies have been reactive and mostly ineffective. They’ve been overturned at each election.

Now, the new NT government is discussing changes that promise to exacerbate the very issues it aims to address.

1. Cheap alcohol that contributes most harm would be on the market

The World Health Organization recognises that raising the price of alcohol is one of the most effective ways for governments to reduce alcohol-related harm.

So some governments around the world, including in the NT, have set a price below which alcohol cannot be sold, known as the minimum or “floor price”. This targets cheap, high-strength alcohol associated with patterns of drinking that cause the most harm.

The new NT government plans to repeal this, despite evidence showing this works to reduce harms.

Since the NT alcohol floor price was set at $1.30 per standard drink in 2018, there has been a:
- 14% reduction in alcohol-related assaults in Darwin and Palmerston
- 11% reduction in domestic and family violence assaults
- 21% reduction in domestic and family violence assaults involving alcohol
- 19% reduction in alcohol-related emergency department attendances.
Originally, experts recommended a $1.50 floor price but this was reduced to $1.30 after a backlash from alcohol industry lobbyists. Had the policy not been watered down, evidence suggests the impacts above would likely have been greater.

The floor price has likely also lost some of its initial impact as it has never been indexed for inflation.

The best available research shows the floor price has reduced alcohol-related harms with no evidence of unintended consequences or negative impacts on the alcohol industry, despite claims otherwise.

Researchers and experts from around the world have been writing to NT ministers urging them to reconsider repealing this effective policy.

This includes researchers from the United Kingdom and Canada, who have coauthored this article. In these countries, evidence on the effectiveness of minimum pricing has been used to increase the floor price by 30%, not abolish it.

2. Bottle shops could be open longer

There are also proposals to repeal current restrictions on bottle shop trading hours. Such restrictions are highly effective in reducing alcohol harms, including violence.

Our paper from earlier this year found that in the town of Tennant Creek, restrictions to reduce trading hours and introduce purchase limits at bottle shops resulted in a 92% reduction in alcohol-involved domestic and family violence assaults.

Preliminary analyses of the reduced trading hours introduced in Alice Springs following Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s visit in early 2023 also suggest a clear reduction on violence rates.

Bottle shops would be open for longer, making alcohol more easily available.
AustralianCamera/Shutterstock

3. New public drunkenness offence

Ministers were also set to pass laws to create a new offence for “nuisance” public intoxication (also known as public drunkenness). This would allow police officers to arrest people and fine them up to $925, in addition to current powers to seize and tip out alcohol from people drinking in prohibited areas.

This is at the time when nearly every other jurisdiction in Australia is in the process of decriminalising public drunkenness, making the NT out of step with the rest of the nation.

The NT’s proposed new laws on public drunkenness would criminalise more people who are already locked out from our society, placing them at risk of the negative, intergenerational and preventable impacts that often arise from contact with the justice system.

4. Mandatory rehab

Mandatory alcohol treatment was also an election commitment.

In its previous term of government, mandatory alcohol treatment was focused on people with a public intoxication offence rather than providing quality care to people with alcohol dependence in life-saving circumstances. If the same model is reintroduced, this is potentially harmful and at best ineffective.

In the NT, this model of mandatory alcohol treatment had no better outcomes than for those who may not have received any treatment at all. But it cost the taxpayer three times as much.

Where to from here?

Researchers, health professionals and partner organisations have urged the NT government to reconsider these decisions, as we have well-founded concerns these may worsen the very issues the government aims to address.

There’s no need to guess the outcomes of changing, repealing or introducing alcohol policies. We can draw on robust evidence, including extensive research from the NT, on what works in our communities.

Cassandra Wright receives funding from the Australian Research Council, National Health and Medical Research Council, Music NT, NT Motor Accident Compensation Commission and Commonwealth government Department of Health.

Beau Jayde Cubillo receives funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council and Fisheries Research Development Corporation on behalf of the Australian Commonwealth.

John Holmes receives funding from the UK National Institute for Health and Care Research and has previously received funding from UK Research & Innovation, the Wellcome Trust, Alcohol Change UK and other similar public health charities and government bodies. He has received funding from NHS Health Scotland (now part of Public Health Scotland) to evaluate the impact of minimum unit pricing in Scotland. He has also received funding from UK and international governments to model the potential impact of minimum unit pricing in various jurisdictions.

Mark Mayo receives funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council, Ian Potter Foundation, Ramaciotti Foundation.

Mark Robinson currently receives, or has previously received, funding from Health and Wellbeing Queensland, Queensland Health, National Health and Medical Research Council, and Australian government Department of Health and Aged Care. He was a member of the Consumption and Health Harms Evaluation Advisory Group for the evaluation of minimum unit pricing led by Public Health Scotland.

Michael Livingston receives funding from the Australian Research Council, the National Health and Medical Research Council, HealthWay, VicHealth and the Commonwealth Department of Health. He is on the board of the Alcohol and Drug Foundation.

Nicholas Taylor receives funding from the Australian Research Council, the Cancer Council, VicHealth, the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council, the Northern Territory government, and the Queensland government Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability.

Sarah Clifford receives funding from National Health and Medical Research Council, Music NT, and NT Motor Accident Compensation Commission.

Tim Stockwell receives funding from the Canadian Cancer Society, the the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research and the Canadian Institutes for Health Research. He has accepted travel expenses from IOGT-Sweden, the Swedish temperance society. He has been an expert witness in court cases in Canada relating to contested liquor licence applications and damages for the victims of alcohol-related violence and road crashes. He has received research funds, travel expenses and minor personal fees for conducting public health related research for government-owned alcohol retail monopolies in Finland, Sweden and Canada.

– ref. Cheap grog, new drunkenness offence and mandatory rehab: why 9 experts think proposed NT alcohol reforms would be a disaster – https://theconversation.com/cheap-grog-new-drunkenness-offence-and-mandatory-rehab-why-9-experts-think-proposed-nt-alcohol-reforms-would-be-a-disaster-241373
MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –
January 24, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Why are some Australian students having to pay to do PE at public schools?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jessica Amy Sears, Lecturer, School of Education, Charles Sturt University

mattimix/Shutterstock

Health and physical education is one of the key subjects students learn at school. In Australia it is mandatory for students from the first year of school to Year 10.

It involves theory and practical components to help students manage their health and wellbeing. This includes healthy eating habits, sexual health, cyber safety and mental health. It also incorporates fundamental movement skills (such as throwing and catching), sports (such as swimming, gymnastics and football) and team-building.

Because it is a core, compulsory part of the curriculum it is supposed to be free for students at government schools. But our research shows some students are being asked to pay – and those who cannot are missing out.

Our research

In our recent study, we looked at the staffing and delivery of health and physical education in New South Wales government schools.

We surveyed 556 schools, which make up about 30% of public schools in the state. This included primary and high schools with a mix of locations and levels of advantage.

We used an online survey, which was completed by the teacher in charge of health and physical education.

Many schools are outsourcing lessons

We asked survey respondents who was teaching health and physical education to students at their schools. Some schools were using more than one option.
- For all schools: 67% were using external provider, 44.5% were using a specialist teacher and 55.4% were using another teacher.
- For primary schools: 78.4% were using an external provider, 17.9% were using a specialist teacher and 48% were using another teacher.
- For high schools: 44.8% were using an external provider, 95.9% were using a specialist teacher and 69.2% were using another teacher.
Previous research has shown how schools outsource to external providers to “fill the gap” of teachers lacking confidence and competence to provide quality health and physical education lessons.

This study did not measure how frequent outsourcing was, however, comments from respondents suggests it is regular. For example, one teacher said: “a typical [outsourced] class would have one lesson a week for a term”.

Another teacher similarly said

one 40 min[ute] lesson per week. Company comes in with equipment and young university students to run different activities. They also assess our students for us.

Another teacher told us:

We use [company name], they offer different sports/programs that run for one lesson a week per term.

Families are being asked to pay

Of the schools who were outsourcing lessons, 78% of the schools outsourcing lessons said they were asking parents to help pay for these lessons.

One respondent told us, the costs were “A$45 for one term, $80 for two”.

Of this group, 64% reported students who did not pay did other school work (either for health and physical education or another core subject). About one fifth of schools said students that don’t pay just had to “sit and watch”.

This suggests some students are missing out on basic learning opportunities at school for financial reasons. As one teacher told us:

the school uses some off-campus sporting/gaming facilities that students can choose to pay extra for instead of free on-campus teacher run [activities].

Some students are just made to ‘sit and watch’ if they can’t pay.
nannycz/Shutterstock

Why is this a problem?

The outsourcing of health and physical education lessons comes in the middle of an ongoing teacher shortage in Australia and around the world.

A 2024 UN report estimates a global shortage of more than 44 million teachers, with many teachers teaching outside of their areas of expertise.

Specific shortages of health and physical education teachers have been noted for more than a decade.

However, outsourcing lessons away from qualified teachers, is a significant concern. Little is known about the external providers’ qualifications or quality. Unlike teachers, they are not subject to registration requirements or professional standards.

Even more concerning is some students are missing out on lessons or some components of lessons because their families have not been able to pay.

This links to wider concerns about unequal access to sport in the school system. This includes some private schools with new Olympic pools and boat ramps when other public schools don’t have access to council playing fields.

More research is needed

Our study suggests more research is needed. We need further information on staffing, outsourcing and lesson delivery in other areas of the country and in other subjects.

We need to be sure all students are being taught the core curriculum, free of charge and by qualified teachers – ideally specialists.

Jessica Amy Sears is affiliated with ACHPER (Australian Council for Health, Physical Education and Recreation) NSW.

Rachel Wilson 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. Why are some Australian students having to pay to do PE at public schools? – https://theconversation.com/why-are-some-australian-students-having-to-pay-to-do-pe-at-public-schools-239489
MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –
January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI: b1BANK Promotes Jerry Vascocu to President

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

BATON ROUGE, La., Oct. 17, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — b1BANK, the banking subsidiary of Business First Bancshares, Inc. (Nasdaq: BFST), announced today that N. Jerome “Jerry” Vascocu Jr. will be the bank’s new president, reporting to Jude Melville, who will retain the title of chairman and CEO.

Vascocu, who joined b1BANK in 2022 as chief administrative officer, oversees the coordination of banking, operations, risk and credit functions for the bank. He has also led several functions for the bank including correspondent banking, wealth management, human resources and marketing, where he recruited additional strong teammates, developed new products and introduced new technology.

“With an extensive and varied 30-year career, Jerry’s proven leadership and broad-based banking experience is especially relevant to the challenges and opportunities we anticipate facing as we continue to grow our impact on behalf of clients across the regions in which we operate,” said Jude Melville, chairman and CEO of b1BANK. “Most important, he’s a good person and I look forward to partnering with him in this new role.”

Before joining b1BANK and relocating to Baton Rouge, La., Vascocu led the development and implementation of client-focused strategies for commercial banking teams across the Southeast at First Horizon Bank. During his 17-year career at IBERIABANK and First Horizon, he also served as market president in multiple markets across Louisiana and Arkansas. Vascocu started his banking career immediately after earning his Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Vanderbilt University.

“b1BANK continues to build momentum in all our markets and across our various business units. This is a direct result of our teams’ dedication to our clients and to the communities we serve,” said Vascocu. “I am fortunate to be part of a great organization and thankful for the opportunity to serve in an expanded leadership role. I am excited about what is ahead for b1BANK.”

Vascocu remains focused on community development, economic development, education and healthcare, having served in board leadership roles across Louisiana most recently for One Acadiana, Ochsner Lafayette General Hospital and Foundation, University of Louisiana at Lafayette College of Business and Athletic Foundation.

About Business First Bancshares, Inc.

As of June 30, 2024, Business First Bancshares, Inc., (Nasdaq: BFST) through its banking subsidiary b1BANK, had approximately $6.7 billion in assets, $6.1 billion in assets under management through b1BANK’s affiliate Smith Shellnut Wilson, LLC (SSW) (excludes $0.9 billion of b1BANK assets managed by SSW) and operates Banking Centers and Loan Production Offices in markets across Louisiana and Texas, providing commercial and personal banking products and services. Commercial banking services include commercial loans and letters of credit, working capital lines and equipment financing, and treasury management services. b1BANK was awarded #1 Best-In-State Bank, Louisiana, by Forbes and Statista and is a multiyear winner of American Banker’s “Best Banks to Work For.” Visit b1BANK.com for more information.

Misty Albrecht
b1BANK
225.286.7879
Misty.Albrecht@b1BANK.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6f3fe29c-03e2-468c-afd8-4ed162d7727e

The MIL Network –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: North Carolina Health and Human Services Secretary Kody H. Kinsley Travels to Buncombe and Henderson Counties
Source: US State of North Carolina

Headline: North Carolina Health and Human Services Secretary Kody H. Kinsley Travels to Buncombe and Henderson Counties

North Carolina Health and Human Services Secretary Kody H. Kinsley Travels to Buncombe and Henderson Counties
hejones1
Thu, 10/17/2024 – 16:03
North Carolina Health and Human Services Secretary Kody H. Kinsley traveled to Henderson and Buncombe counties Thursday to survey damage and meet with people impacted by Hurricane Helene. Secretary Kinsley was joined by Senators Jim Burgin and Julie Mayfield and began the day meeting with people who have relocated to one of the state-operated shelters in Fletcher, N.C. The group then traveled to the Henderson County Department of Public Health and spoke to Health Director Dave Jenkins and Social Services Director Lorie Horne. The visit to Henderson County concluded with a stop by the Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Center in the Blue Ridge Commons Shopping Center. Beginning tomorrow, people impacted by Hurricane Helene who are not currently an FNS participant will be able to apply for assistance to buy food for their families.

The Secretary then traveled to Asheville to meet with people impacted by the catastrophic damage Hurricane Helene left behind. He toured BeLoved Asheville, which is a community-based organization that provides assistance to those who need it. During the visit, Secretary Kinsley highlighted the following points in storm recovery:

The health and well-being of people impacted by Hurricane Helene continue to be a top priority for NCDHHS as it works to ensure communities have access to food, infant formula, medical care and life-saving medication.
- 400,000 gallons of water supplied to Buncombe County and 140,000 gallons to Henderson County.
- 98,000 hot meals provided to Buncombe County and 50,000 hot meals provided to Henderson County.
- More than 1 million meals ready to eat supplied to Buncombe County and 304,000 meals ready to eat supplied to Henderson County.
- Eight pallets (between 120-144 cases of formula per pallet) of formula sent to 34 feeding sites across impacted counties.
  
  6,411 cases of infant formula received in Buncombe County
  
  2,805 cases of infant formula received in Henderson County
- More than 11 million diapers distributed to impacted counties through partnership with Diaper Bank of NC.
- Worked in partnership with the NC Medical Board to track all open community medical practices.
  
  More than 100 are open in Buncombe County
  
  37 are open in Henderson County
- Each of the 25 counties with major damage and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Tribal Area have at least one pharmacy open and filling prescriptions. Visit http://www.ncdhhs.gov to search for open pharmacies and medical practices.
Whether directly or indirectly, millions of people in North Carolina have been impacted by Hurricane Helene. Natural disasters are traumatic for individuals, families and communities, and there is no right or wrong way to feel.
- NCDHHS has ramped up staffing at the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Folks in immediate crisis or contemplating self harm should not hesitate to call.
- The Disability Disaster Hotline, 800-626-4959, provides information, referrals and guidance to people with disabilities and their families during disasters.
- The Disaster Distress Helpline specializes in post-disaster trauma and provides counseling services 24/7. If you would like to speak with someone, please call or text 1-800-985-5990.
- People can walk into a clinic for mental health or substance use care the same way urgent care clinics help people with immediate physical health needs. Blue Ridge Health in Brevard, N.C., is open and accepting patients.
- Mobile Crisis teams can send trained clinicians to a home, community or shelter to respond to an urgent need. To get connected with a mobile crisis team, you can call Vaya Health at 1-800-849-6127.
More than 300,000 people in or near flood-impacted areas in western North Carolina are estimated to rely on private wells, and the number on septic systems is estimated to be slightly higher.
- Wells that were damaged or submerged in flood waters require disinfection first and then must be tested to ensure the water is safe to use.
- Individuals can contact their local health department for assistance with disinfection or to get a well testing kit.
  
  NCDHHS has distributed more than 1,900 free private well water collection kits to local health departments.
  
  NCDHHS is working with FEMA and the EPA to establish certified mobile testing laboratories in high-need locations to support local testing efforts.
Individuals in 25 western counties and EBCI households who reside in the 28719 zip code impacted by Hurricane Helene can apply for help buying food through the Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP).
- D-SNAP is open to individuals and households not currently receiving FNS benefits who were impacted by the storm. There are some income requirements, but it varies depending on impact, so we encourage everyone to apply.
- A family of four may be eligible to receive up to $975.
- On Oct. 18, people can apply by phone, online or in person. For more information, go to http://www.ncdhhs.gov/dsnap. If you think you may be eligible, please call the D-SNAP Virtual Call Center at 1-844-453-1117.
- The application period will close on Oct. 24, 2024.
Other SNAP Flexibilities:
- People who have EBT cards have more time to report a food loss as a result of Hurricane Helene. 
- EBT cards can be used to purchase hot prepared foods from retailers that accept EBT. This applies to all 100 counties in North Carolina and the nearly 700,000 households enrolled in the program.
- EBT cards had 70% of the previous month’s benefits automatically reloaded onto their EBT card due to losing food from sustained power outages.
“My heart goes out to everyone who has lost a loved one or is facing the devastating impacts of this storm. Seeing the western North Carolina communities come together to care for and support each other is inspiring. We will continue to work hard now and over the coming weeks, months and years to help rebuild.” — NC Health and Human Services Secretary Kody H. Kinsley.

Photos available HERE.
Oct 17, 2024

MIL OSI USA News –
January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Health Minister to attend international meetings in the Philippines and Singapore

Source: New Zealand Government

Health Minister Dr Shane Reti will travel to Manila this weekend, leading New Zealand’s delegation to the World Health Organization’s Western Pacific Regional Committee Meeting.

“Significant health challenges remain in our diverse Western Pacific region, which is also prone to the impacts of climate change,” says Dr Reti.

“Being represented at and engaging in Manila for the 75^th regional meeting will signal New Zealand’s commitment to working collectively on solutions for global and regional health issues.

“It will also be a landmark meeting for our Pacific neighbours. It is highly significant that the first WHO Regional Director from the Pacific, Dr Saia Ma’u Piukala of Tonga, will present his vision for addressing the region’s health priorities over the next five years.

“Although I have already met a number of Pacific Ministers of Health this year, this will be a further opportunity to demonstrate our shared support for very important work.”

While in Manila, Dr Reti will address the Regional Committee on WHO governance matters and health issues of importance to New Zealand. This includes sharing the Government’s new direction for health and key features of New Zealand’s health strategy.

He will also undertake bilateral meetings with ministerial counterparts before returning to New Zealand via Singapore, for additional meetings.

“New Zealand and Singapore value a longstanding relationship, built on mutual respect. We are looking for new opportunities to collaborate, including in the health sector,” Dr Reti says.

Dr Reti leaves New Zealand on 19 October and returns on 24 October.

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: A new Western State Hospital breaks ground, and a promise is kept

Source: Washington State News

Story Body

On Thursday morning, state leaders gathered in Lakewood to break ground on a new hospital to be built on the Western State Hospital campus. The hospital will be a secure facility with 350 beds to serve forensic patients (those accused of a crime and ordered by a court to receive treatment before trial).

Construction of the new Forensic Center of Excellence will complete by 2029.

This project turns a page in state history. Washington state is a different place than it used to be. Western State Hospital is a different place than it used to be. And under the direction of Gov. Jay Inslee, the state’s approach to behavioral health care is different than it used to be.

It’s all change for the better.

Read the full story on Gov. Jay Inslee’s Medium

MIL OSI USA News –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta Announces Criminal Charges Against Southern California Dentist for Medi-Cal Fraud

Source: US State of California

Thursday, October 17, 2024

Contact: (916) 210-6000, agpressoffice@doj.ca.gov

Husam Aldairi, along with five other individuals, were charged for defrauding the state’s healthcare program of nearly $900k

SAN DIEGO – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced the filing of criminal charges against Southern California dentist, Husam Aldairi, along with five employees of his dental practice, for their allegedly fraudulent billing scheme that allegedly defrauded the state Medi-Cal program of nearly $900,000.

Husam Aldairi, Rawaa Attar, Lilyan Krikorian, Inci Narin, Laith Alani, and Fadi Shammas, have been charged with conspiracy to commit a crime and Medi-Cal fraud, both felonies.

“When providers defraud Medi-Cal, it not only undermines the integrity of the program, but it also poses a significant threat to the patients who rely on its critical services for their health and well-being,” said Attorney General Bonta. “At the California Department of Justice, we will continue to hold accountable those who perpetuate Medi-Cal fraud. We must ensure that the program remains reliable and accessible in providing quality healthcare to those who need it most.”

Aldairi’s clinics contracted with Borrego Community Health Foundation, a Federally Qualified Health Center that serves Medi-Cal patients, to provide dental services to underserved populations and communities. Aldairi was entitled to reimbursement for each patient visit, rather than the specific services performed. However, Aldairi allegedly fraudulently billed for services that were either not rendered, or not rendered over multiple days, as was claimed to maximize profit from Medi-Cal reimbursements. Aldairi and his employees allegedly fraudulently billed more than $847,000 between 2016 and 2020.

It is important to note that criminal charges must be proven in a court of law. Every defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

The Division of Medi-Cal Fraud and Elder Abuse receives 75 percent of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a grant award totaling $69,244,976 for Federal fiscal year (FY) 2025. The remaining 25 percent is funded by the State of California. FY 2025 is from October 1, 2024 through September 30, 2025.

A copy of the criminal complaint is available here.

# # #

MIL OSI USA News –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Murder charge laid after man found critically injured in Whangamarino dies

Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

To be attributed to Detective Senior Sergeant Kristine Clarke:

A 32-year-old Auckland man has been charged with murder, following the death of a man found critically injured on Hampton Downs Road, Whangamarino earlier this week.

The victim, a 43-year-old man, had been transported to Auckland Hospital in a critical condition and tragically has since passed away.

A 32-year-old man was arrested in Papakura last night (17 October) and will be appearing in Manukau District Court today.

Police would still like to hear from anyone who was travelling on Hampton Downs Road between 10pm on Sunday 13 October and 1am on 14 October, particularly if you have dashcam footage.

If you can help, please update us online now or call 105.

Please use the reference number 241014/2225.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre.

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: NSW Government commits $75 million to deliver much-needed infrastructure for Western Sydney homes
Source: New South Wales Premiere

Published: 18 October 2024

Released by: Deputy Premier, Minister for Planning and Public Spaces, Minister for Western Sydney

The Minns Labor Government is investing $75 million to build roads, parks, infrastructure and improved town centre access for more than 42,000 new homes across Western Sydney.
Special Infrastructure Contributions fund critical supporting infrastructure for homes such as state and regional roads, primary and secondary schools and emergency, health and bus services.

For more than a decade, fast-growing communities in Western Sydney have not received their fair share of infrastructure. Delivering on its commitment to support essential infrastructure for the communities taking the most housing, the Minns Labor Government is delivering new grant funding to help build better communities.

The $75 million in round 6 of the Special Infrastructure Contribution grant funding targets councils in specific local government areas in the Western Sydney Growth Centres such as Blacktown, Camden, Campbelltown, Hawkesbury, The Hills and Liverpool.

The grant funding aligns with the National Housing Accord target of 377,000 new, well-located homes across NSW by 2029.

Previous grant rounds have supported long-awaited projects for growing communities, including:
- More than $34 million toward the Memorial Avenue Road Upgrade at Kellyville in North West Sydney, which is currently underway.
- More than $20 million toward the new Edmondson Park primary and high schools. Approvals have now been received for the high school, with construction set to get underway in the near future.
The key driver of these projects has been the significant population growth experienced by Western Sydney, which has not been matched by the infrastructure these communities need.

The Minns Labor Government is committed to building a better NSW with more homes, paired with vital infrastructure, as we take action to address the housing crisis.

This grant is also open to state agencies including Communities and Justice, Education, Transport for NSW, NSW Health, NSW Police, Fire and Rescue NSW and the Planning Ministerial Corporation.

The grant funding for the Special Infrastructure Contributions $75 million Round 6 will open for nominations at 9am on Friday 18 October and close midnight on Monday 16 December 2024.

The Special Infrastructure Contributions will continue to apply until 30 June 2026 when the Housing and Productivity Contribution will apply to the current area of the Western Sydney Aerotropolis.

For more information visit: https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/plans-for-your-area/infrastructure-funding/special-infrastructure-contributions/western-sydney-growth-area-sic

Deputy Premier and Minister for Western Sydney Prue Car said:

“Western Sydney is one of the largest growth areas in our state but is lacking the infrastructure to support vibrant and well-connected communities.

“New roads, open spaces, active transport and town centre access will make housing across these six LGAs possible, especially in Blacktown and The Hills.

“Western Sydney was left behind by the previous government, we are not only building new homes but we are building the infrastructure to support better communities.”

Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said:

“The Minns Government is committed to delivering new, well-located homes where they are needed most.

“In order to build a community, residents need access to a local school, connecting roads and critical services.

“This funding means supporting infrastructure is being delivered alongside new homes.”
MIL OSI News –
January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Senator Markey Statement on Study Showing Methadone is More Effective Than Other Drugs to Treat Opioid Use Disorder

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey

Senator Markey’s Modernizing Opioid Treatment Access Act (MOTAA) would expand access to methadone for the treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD)

Washington (October 17, 2024) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), chair of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Subcommittee on Primary Health and Retirement Security, today released the following statement after the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) released a study showing methadone is more effective than buprenorphine and naloxone for opioid use disorder (OUD).

“The study released today demonstrates that methadone is an essential and effective treatment for opioid use disorder. In fact, more people stayed in treatment when on methadone compared to buprenorphine and naloxone. Amid tens of thousands of people dying every year from opioid overdose, this study reiterates that it is unacceptable to keep this evidence-based, life-saving medication behind antiquated guardrails. My Modernizing Opioid Treatment Access Act would take a carefully considered step forward in expanding access to this medication by allowing the most highly trained addiction physicians in the country prescribe methadone to their patients that could be picked up at a pharmacy. To stand in the way of its passage is to keep in place outdated guardrails that cost people’s lives. Congress must pass the Modernizing Opioid Treatment Access Act.”

In March 2023, Senators Markey and Rand Paul (R-Ky.), along with Representatives Norcross and Bacon, introduced their bipartisan and bicameral MOTAA, which would represent the first major reform to methadone in half a century and is supported by hundreds of clinicians and medical organizations. In December 2023, MOTAA passed the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee. In December 2022, Senator Markey secured his bipartisan Opioid Treatment Access Act (OTAA)—legislation that reduces wait times for patients qualifying for methadone medication treatment and expands access to methadone clinics—into the end-of-year omnibus spending package. That same month, Senator Markey also applauded proposed changes by the Department of Health and Human Services to remove barriers to OUD treatment, such as allowing people to take home doses of methadone medication, which are key provisions included in the OTAA.

MIL OSI USA News –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Grassley and Bipartisan Senators Advocate for Veterans by Pushing for C&P Exam Improvements

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) today led a bipartisan letter to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) demanding answers on the steps it is taking to ensure veterans’ access to quality, timely compensation and pension examinations (C&P exams) amid allegations contracted services and insufficient federal oversight have negatively impacted veterans. Joining Grassley are Sens. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.).
“[T]he overall management and oversight of VA vendors that provide C&P exams must improve. As the department relies more on contracted examiners, it should also remain committed to ensuring that veterans are properly looked after,” the senators wrote.
“The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024, requires the department to provide oversight of C&P exams and to apply standards of timeliness and quality performance for [Veterans Health Administration] examiners and your contracted vendors. It also requires a mechanism for veterans, such as the ones described in this correspondence, to lodge complaints with the [Veterans Benefits Administration] to provide for a resolution to the unnecessary barriers put in front of our veterans. As we await the report from the department, our concerns for veterans persist,” they concluded.
Grassley and his colleagues cited the following reported issues riddling C&P exam processes:
VHA examiners are operating under limited capacity. A Jasper County, Iowa veteran said the VA expected him to travel 97 miles one way for a C&P exam rather than see a provider in nearby Des Moines.
Contracted vendors are mismanaging appointments. A contractor assigned a Rindge, New Hampshire veteran to an appointment in Maine. When the veteran explained he couldn’t attend appointments there, the contractor suspended his claim.
Contracted vendors are not maintaining their facilities. The VA Office of the Inspector General (OIG) found some contractor facilities are noncompliant with the Americans Disabilities Act, as well as Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards.
The VA is not conducting proper oversight of contracted employees. The VBA said it cannot verify subcontracts into which exam vendors enter. While the VA must at minimum verify the contractors, the VA OIG found the department has not complied with contractor vetting requirements.
Read the full letter HERE.
-30-

MIL OSI USA News –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Q&A: Breast Cancer – 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed in her lifetime

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
Q: Is early detection and treatment for breast cancer moving in the right direction?
A: As a lead sponsor of the bipartisan Breast and Cervical Cancer Treatment Act of 2000, I’m glad to see measurable strides indicating early detection and breast screenings are helping to lower female death rates from breast cancer. The 24-year-old federal law expanded on earlier legislation that directed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to create the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP). Our bill allowed states to offer patients diagnosed with cancer under this federal program to access treatment services through Medicaid. It provides a lifeline of hope for tens of thousands of patients who otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford timely access to cancer screening, diagnostics and treatment. In 2023, the federal program provided cancer screening and diagnostic services to 273,989 women, diagnosing 1,761 invasive breast cancers. Although we’ve made progress in the battle against breast cancer, more work remains. The National Cancer Institute estimates 310,720 Americans will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2024 and 42,250 people will lose their battle to the disease. The CDC says breast cancer is still the second most common cancer among women in the United States, following skin cancer diagnoses. Breast cancer also is the second leading cause of cancer death among women, following only lung cancer. Raising public awareness is central to advancing strides for life-saving prevention, detection and treatment.
Losing a beloved mother, wife, aunt or sister to breast cancer is a devastating loss to families in communities across the country. I encourage Iowans to check in with their loved ones. Take advantage of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month to prompt a friend or family member to make their screening appointment. Non-invasive mammography screenings can alert health care providers long before symptoms arise. A recent FDA rule requires mammography facilities to include a breast density assessment as part of a patient’s medical report. Having this information can help lead to better patient outcomes. My wife Barbara is a 37-year breast cancer survivor. She credits early detection for putting her on the road to healing and recovery.
Q: What efforts have you led to help cancer patients survive and thrive?
A: From my consistent support for breast cancer research, including the Department of Defense Breast Cancer Research Program, I also steered bipartisan legislation across the finish line to enact the Lymphedema Treatment Act that closes a coverage gap for Medicare patients for physician-prescribed compression therapy items, including for breast cancer survivors. I’m a vocal champion for rural health care initiatives to ensure patients in Rural America aren’t left behind, such as expanded medical residency positions to grow Iowa’s health care workforce and efforts to strengthen stability and security for rural hospitals and clinics that are the safety net providers for millions of Americans. From the Senate Finance Committee, which has jurisdiction over federal health care programs, I champion policies to help ensure rural hospitals, local pharmacies and health care clinics keep their doors open for the community. I also keep the spotlight shining on market-driven solutions to reduce drug costs and lower barriers to care, such as expanding telehealth services and cutting red tape for kids with complex medical needs. Oncology patients can avoid the expense and tiring experience of a long road trip by seeing health care providers via the convenience and flexibility provided by a telehealth appointment. The bipartisan infrastructure law I supported is helping expand internet access needed for rural health clinics to provide telehealth services, including diagnosis and prescribing medicine. I’ve also joined a bipartisan effort to push for an expansion of Medicare coverage for telehealth services and make permanent pandemic-era telehealth flexibilities. I’ll continue pushing to lower barriers to care and raise awareness so that the one in eight women diagnosed with breast cancer survives and thrives to enjoy a high quality of life for years to come.
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Free or low-cost screening services are available for eligible recipients, learn more at https://www.cdc.gov/breast-cervical-cancer-screening/about/screenings.html#IA

MIL OSI USA News –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Grassley and Bipartisan Senators Advocate for Veterans by Pushing for C&P Exam Improvements

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) today led a bipartisan letter to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) demanding answers on the steps it is taking to ensure veterans’ access to quality, timely compensation and pension examinations (C&P exams) amid allegations contracted services and insufficient federal oversight have negatively impacted veterans. Joining Grassley are Sens. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.).
“[T]he overall management and oversight of VA vendors that provide C&P exams must improve. As the department relies more on contracted examiners, it should also remain committed to ensuring that veterans are properly looked after,” the senators wrote.
“The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024, requires the department to provide oversight of C&P exams and to apply standards of timeliness and quality performance for [Veterans Health Administration] examiners and your contracted vendors. It also requires a mechanism for veterans, such as the ones described in this correspondence, to lodge complaints with the [Veterans Benefits Administration] to provide for a resolution to the unnecessary barriers put in front of our veterans. As we await the report from the department, our concerns for veterans persist,” they concluded.
Grassley and his colleagues cited the following reported issues riddling C&P exam processes:
VHA examiners are operating under limited capacity. A Jasper County, Iowa veteran said the VA expected him to travel 97 miles one way for a C&P exam rather than see a provider in nearby Des Moines.
Contracted vendors are mismanaging appointments. A contractor assigned a Rindge, New Hampshire veteran to an appointment in Maine. When the veteran explained he couldn’t attend appointments there, the contractor suspended his claim.
Contracted vendors are not maintaining their facilities. The VA Office of the Inspector General (OIG) found some contractor facilities are noncompliant with the Americans Disabilities Act, as well as Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards.
The VA is not conducting proper oversight of contracted employees. The VBA said it cannot verify subcontracts into which exam vendors enter. While the VA must at minimum verify the contractors, the VA OIG found the department has not complied with contractor vetting requirements.
Read the full letter HERE.
-30-

MIL OSI USA News –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Q&A: Breast Cancer – 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed in her lifetime

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
Q: Is early detection and treatment for breast cancer moving in the right direction?
A: As a lead sponsor of the bipartisan Breast and Cervical Cancer Treatment Act of 2000, I’m glad to see measurable strides indicating early detection and breast screenings are helping to lower female death rates from breast cancer. The 24-year-old federal law expanded on earlier legislation that directed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to create the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP). Our bill allowed states to offer patients diagnosed with cancer under this federal program to access treatment services through Medicaid. It provides a lifeline of hope for tens of thousands of patients who otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford timely access to cancer screening, diagnostics and treatment. In 2023, the federal program provided cancer screening and diagnostic services to 273,989 women, diagnosing 1,761 invasive breast cancers. Although we’ve made progress in the battle against breast cancer, more work remains. The National Cancer Institute estimates 310,720 Americans will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2024 and 42,250 people will lose their battle to the disease. The CDC says breast cancer is still the second most common cancer among women in the United States, following skin cancer diagnoses. Breast cancer also is the second leading cause of cancer death among women, following only lung cancer. Raising public awareness is central to advancing strides for life-saving prevention, detection and treatment.
Losing a beloved mother, wife, aunt or sister to breast cancer is a devastating loss to families in communities across the country. I encourage Iowans to check in with their loved ones. Take advantage of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month to prompt a friend or family member to make their screening appointment. Non-invasive mammography screenings can alert health care providers long before symptoms arise. A recent FDA rule requires mammography facilities to include a breast density assessment as part of a patient’s medical report. Having this information can help lead to better patient outcomes. My wife Barbara is a 37-year breast cancer survivor. She credits early detection for putting her on the road to healing and recovery.
Q: What efforts have you led to help cancer patients survive and thrive?
A: From my consistent support for breast cancer research, including the Department of Defense Breast Cancer Research Program, I also steered bipartisan legislation across the finish line to enact the Lymphedema Treatment Act that closes a coverage gap for Medicare patients for physician-prescribed compression therapy items, including for breast cancer survivors. I’m a vocal champion for rural health care initiatives to ensure patients in Rural America aren’t left behind, such as expanded medical residency positions to grow Iowa’s health care workforce and efforts to strengthen stability and security for rural hospitals and clinics that are the safety net providers for millions of Americans. From the Senate Finance Committee, which has jurisdiction over federal health care programs, I champion policies to help ensure rural hospitals, local pharmacies and health care clinics keep their doors open for the community. I also keep the spotlight shining on market-driven solutions to reduce drug costs and lower barriers to care, such as expanding telehealth services and cutting red tape for kids with complex medical needs. Oncology patients can avoid the expense and tiring experience of a long road trip by seeing health care providers via the convenience and flexibility provided by a telehealth appointment. The bipartisan infrastructure law I supported is helping expand internet access needed for rural health clinics to provide telehealth services, including diagnosis and prescribing medicine. I’ve also joined a bipartisan effort to push for an expansion of Medicare coverage for telehealth services and make permanent pandemic-era telehealth flexibilities. I’ll continue pushing to lower barriers to care and raise awareness so that the one in eight women diagnosed with breast cancer survives and thrives to enjoy a high quality of life for years to come.
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Free or low-cost screening services are available for eligible recipients, learn more at https://www.cdc.gov/breast-cervical-cancer-screening/about/screenings.html#IA

MIL OSI USA News –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: October 17th, 2024 JEC Chairman Martin Heinrich Hosts “Pro-Worker, Pro-Business Opportunities” Roundtable

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich
PHOTOS & VIDEO
Heinrich highlights how federal legislation is expanding pathways to in-demand jobs in New Mexico
ALBUQUERQUE — U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Chairman of the U.S. Joint Economic Committee (JEC), hosted a “Pro-Worker, Pro-Business Opportunities” roundtable to talk directly with New Mexicans about how federal legislation he helped pass into law is creating careers in high-demand sectors and strengthening New Mexico’s health care, skilled trades, early childhood education, and union workforce.

Heinrich Hosts “Pro-Worker, Pro-Business Opportunities” Roundtable on October 17, 2024.
“The manufacturing and clean energy renaissance driven by historic investments from the Infrastructure Law, the Inflation Reduction Act, and the CHIPS and Science Act is creating career opportunities across New Mexico. We need to build on this momentum by expanding access to apprenticeships, supporting new, high-quality jobs in the building and skilled trades, growing pathways to health care careers, and strengthening our early childhood education workforce. I will continue fighting to address workforce shortages, build the middle class, grow our economy, and provide more New Mexicans with the careers they can build their families around in their home communities,” said Heinrich.
Thanks to recently enacted legislation that Heinrich helped pass into law, like the Inflation Reduction Act and Infrastructure Law, New Mexico is now at the center of a clean energy “manufacturing renaissance,” which is creating hundreds of jobs in New Mexico that people can build their families around.
Heinrich discussed his work with community leaders to create more pathways to in-demand careers, including through jobs training and registered apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs. He also highlighted the success of the domestic manufacturing tax credits in the Inflation Reduction Act and CHIPS and Science Act that have expanded clean energy and semiconductor manufacturing in New Mexico.
Through his role as Chairman of the U.S. Joint Economic Committee (JEC), Heinrich has held hearings on job training in the clean energy sector, the domestic boom in manufacturing, and investing in early childhood education. Heinrich has also released reports on growing registered apprenticeship programs, job training for the clean energy transition, the manufacturing renaissance, addressing rural health worker shortages, the economic benefits of early childhood education, employing women in the clean energy sector, and growing the labor force in New Mexico.
Heinrich has long been committed to creating new pathways to careers for New Mexicans in the communities where they grew up, while tackling shortages in in-demand sectors like health care and early childhood education.
Heinrich introduced the Apprenticeship Pathways Act, legislation to create pathways to careers for high school students by expanding access to apprenticeship programs for occupations with high need, including the building trades, healthcare, manufacturing, technology, telecommunications, and early childhood education.
Earlier this year, Heinrich introduced the Pre-Apprenticeships To Hardhats (PATH) Act, legislation to strengthen the pipeline for careers in New Mexico, address rising workforce shortages, and grow the state’s economy through quality pre-apprenticeship programs.
In March, Heinrich introduced the Providing Resources and Opportunities for Health Education and Learning (PRO-HEAL) Act, legislation that will tackle the health care provider shortage in New Mexico and nationwide by expanding pathways to high-quality, in-demand health care careers that medical professionals can access in their communities. Specifically, the PRO-HEAL Act addresses medical provider shortages by incentivizing states and institutions of higher education to expand or create health care provider pipeline programs, particularly in underserved and rural communities. The legislation is inspired by the success of the Combined BA/MD Degree Program at the University of New Mexico, where over 65% of students who have graduated from their program practice medicine in New Mexico.
Last year, Heinrich introduced the Pathways to Health Careers Act, legislation that reauthorizes and modernizes the Health Profession Opportunity Grant (HPOG) program to help address health care shortages in New Mexico and across the country and create pathways to high-quality, in-demand health care careers.
The HPOG program has a proven track record of successfully educating workers for jobs in the health care industry, while also providing career coaching, job placement, and a mix of other support services. The Pathways to Health Careers Act would restart and expand the HPOG Program, providing $425 million to make HPOG available nationwide from FY2024 through FY2028 and includes set asides for Tribes and U.S. Territories.
In 2021, Heinrich introduced the Championing Apprenticeships for New Careers and Employees in Technology (CHANCE in Tech) Act, legislation to create earlier pathways to high-paying careers in the information technology (IT) industry.
Investments in Clean Energy and Advanced Manufacturing:
Heinrich has been fighting hard to pass legislation and secure investments that are growing the state’s economy, building the middle class, and expanding high-quality jobs New Mexicans can build their families around.
In 2022, Heinrich helped author and pass into law the landmark Inflation Reduction Act,which has created a manufacturing renaissance in the state and established New Mexico at the center of the nation’s clean energy future. Heinrich marked the two-year anniversary of the legislation being signed into law in August, highlighting how its incentives have expanded and spurred a number of new clean energy projects across New Mexico.
Earlier this year, Heinrich highlighted $20 million from the Inflation Reduction Act for Pajarito Powder to scale production of components for electrolyzers and fuel cells. Heinrich invited the U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm to tour the facilities of Pajarito Powder in Albuquerque, N.M.
In June, the N.M. Delegation welcomed $23.9 million from the CHIPS and Science Act for SolAero, an Albuquerque, N.M.-based manufacturing company, to increase its production of compound semiconductors for spacecraft and satellites, as part of an expansion and modernization of their facility. Heinrich, Luján, and Stansbury, along with Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham and Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller, welcomed U.S. Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves and White House CHIPS Coordinator Ryan Harper to New Mexico to highlight this investment.
In April, Heinrich and Luján welcomed Energy Secretary Granholm to break ground on a new 216,000-square-foot Array Technologies manufacturing campus — a $50+ million investment located on Albuquerque’s Westside — which will employ over 300 additional New Mexicans to facilitate the production, assembly, design, engineering, and customer service of solar tracking technology.
That same day, Heinrich, Granholm, and Vasquez participated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the production of the first wind towers coming off the Arcosa Wind Towers manufacturing line. The ribbon-cutting ceremony came nearly nine months after Heinrich welcomed President Biden to the Belén manufacturing facility — a $60 million investment that will have a $314 million economic impact and create 250 jobs in the region.

MIL OSI USA News –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Casey Announces More than $18.4 Million for Workforce Development, Community Revitalization in Pennsylvania Coal Communities

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Pennsylvania Bob Casey

Recipient

Grant

Project

Bedford County Development Association

$498,840

Bedford County Business Park II -Site Preparation

Bedford County Technical Center

$50,000

Bedford County Technical Center: Expanding Opportunity in Coal Impacted Appalachia

Catalyst Connection

$2,000,000

Pennsylvania Career Pathways to Advanced Manufacturing: “Forging Your Future”

Center for Employment Opportunities

$50,000

Transitional Employment for Justice Impacted Pittsburgh Residents

Center for Population Health

$751,057

Growth of Community Health Workers inCambria/Somerset Counties, Pennsylvania

Corry Community Development Corporation D/B/A Impact Corry (nonprofit)

$887,000

Corry City Center Trail Link

Enterprise Development Center of Erie County, Inc.

$2,000,000

Ironworks Square: Smart Redevelopment in Coal Impacted Regions

Greene County Commissioners

$50,000

Greene County Barriers to Workforce Study

IUP Research Institute

$452,326

NWPAMade — Galvanizing and empowering the region’s creative economy

JARI Growth Fund, Inc.

$1,000,000

Startup Alleghenies Ecosystem Capital and Technical Assistance Expansion – Capital

JARI Growth Fund, Inc.

$879,253

Startup Alleghenies Ecosystem Capital and Technical Assistance Expansion- Technical Assistance

Jewish Healthcare Foundation

$1,990,867

Revitalizing Community Jobs—Building, Training and Supporting the Frontline Workforce for Nursing Homes in Pennsylvania

Lycoming County

$1,867,395

Susquehanna River Walk Extension Trail Construction Project

O.S. Johnson Technical Institute

$50,000

Planning for Vehicle Maintenance Technology Jobs of the Future

Office of Child Development, University of Pittsburgh

$49,751

Two-Generational Literacy to Strengthen the Workforce Pipeline

Pittsburgh Robotics Network (PRN)

$750,000

Maturing Appalachia’s Robotics Workforce

Saint Vincent College (SVC)

$662,672

Equipment and Technology for a Nursing Education and Lab Facility at Saint Vincent College

Screen Arts Institute

$400,000

The Broadcast Arts Initiative

The ClearWater Conservancy of Central Pennsylvania, Inc.

$2,000,000

ClearWater Community Conservation Center Ecotourism, Agritourism, and Agribusiness Hub

The University of Scranton

$1,321,980

The University of Scranton: Technology Driven Transformation in Workforce Development and Innovation

Westmoreland Hospital

$769,193

Building an Innovative Nursing Workforce Model: Bridging the Gap from Student to Expert

MIL OSI USA News –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Klobuchar Completes Visits to All 87 Counties in 2024

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn)

MINNESOTA – With stops today in three remaining counties: Aitkin (American Peat Manufacturing); Carlton (local airport), and Kanabec (Lakes & Pines Community Action Council), U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar has once again visited every one of Minnesota’s 87 counties in one year.

“The best way for me to do my job is by listening to the people of Minnesota and getting things done for them,” said Klobuchar. “That’s why every year I meet with Minnesotans all over our state and discuss what we can get done together. From expanding child care and housing to supporting local businesses, I’m committed to taking action on the issues that matter most.”

Today, Klobuchar toured American Peat Technology in Aitkin and then went to the Cloquet Airport in Carlton County which is developing a new storage hanger thanks to federal funding. Klobuchar ended the day in Mora and visited the Lakes and Pines Community Action Council.

This year, Klobuchar’s stops included:

1. Aitkin
• Toured American Peat Technology and met with their leadership team.

2. Anoka
• Gave remarks at the USA Cup Opening Ceremony in Blaine.
• Attended the 43rd annual Game Fair and discussed conservation policy with Ron Schara.
• Participated in Coon Rapids 4th of July Festivities.
• Attended the Blaine Festival.

3. Becker
• Led a child care discussion and toured the Boys & Girls Club of Detroit Lakes LEAP Preschool.

4. Beltrami
• Led a breakfast discussion with Bemidji City and Beltrami county and tribal leaders.
• Spoke at the dedication ceremony of the new Bemidji Veterans Home, toured it with veterans, and met with Red Lake Band Members.

5. Benton
• Toured SNX Technologies Inc. and met with their leadership.

6. Big Stone
• Discussed agriculture with local farmers while touring Anne Schwagerl’s farm.

7. Blue Earth
• Visited Mankato in the aftermath of severe flooding with Mankato mayor and Representative Finstad.
• Met with family and friends of Sergeant Cade Wolfe.

8. Brown
• Attended the community celebration at the Pheasant Opener in Sleepy Eye and spoke at the Pheasants Forever land dedication.
• Toured the New Ulm Airport’s recent upgrades and met with local leaders.

9. Carlton
• Toured the new Cloquet airport hangar with airport leadership and the Cloquet mayor.

10. Carver
• Led a discussion with the City of Chaska mayor and public safety leadership about their Emergency Operations Center project.
• Toured the town of Carver with the mayor in the aftermath of severe flooding.
• Attended the Highway 212 Groundbreaking Ceremony.
• Spoke to veterans at the Chanhassen Memorial Day event.

11. Cass
• Led a community discussion with the Walker mayor and local business leaders.

12. Chippewa
• Spoke with veterans and toured the new Montevideo Veterans Home.

13. Chisago
• Discussed regional tourism and toured the Franconia Sculpture Park.

14. Clay
• Celebrated the launch of the federally funded Moorhead 11th Street Underpass project.
• Attended the Reimagine Romkey Park event.

15. Clearwater
• Toured TEAM Industries and met with their leadership.

16. Cook
• Visited the North Shore Winery and Coho Cafe.

17. Cottonwood
• Toured Red Rock Rural Water Treatment Center and visited with local leaders.

18. Crow Wing
• Met with the mayor and city leadership about the Highway 210 expansion in Brainerd.
• Toured the new YMCA child care center.

19. Dakota
• Gave remarks at the Kaposia Library opening in South Saint Paul.
• Met with Burnsville first responders.
• Attended the opening ceremony of the Veterans Memorial Greenway in Inver Grove Heights.
• Met with law enforcement and community leaders in Hastings to highlight the Cooper/Davis Act that requires social media to alert authorities when controlled substances are being distributed illicitly on their platforms.
• Attended an event in Inver Grove Heights to highlight the new Criminal Justice Network for Minnesota law enforcement.
• Led the Survivor March and delivered remarks at the Susan G. Komen 32nd Annual Race for the Cure in Eagan.

20. Dodge
• Met with the owner and toured Chaotic Good Brewery in Kasson.

21. Douglas
• Led a discussion at the Alexandria YMCA about their child care program.

22. Faribault
• Met with leadership and toured Winnebago Manufacturing in Blue Earth.

23. Fillmore
• Toured Harmony Enterprises manufacturing facility and their child care center.
• Toured the new Preston State Veterans Home and met with veterans.

24. Freeborn
• Led a discussion and toured the Freeborn/Mower Electric Cooperative in Albert Lea.

25. Goodhue
• Met with students and school leadership to hear about the Red Wing Flight Path workforce training program.
• Spoke at the 50th Anniversary Jaunt With Jim bike ride in Cannon Falls.

26. Grant
• Toured the West Central High School Greenhouse and the Central Lakes College’s mobile meat cutting trailer and met with FFA students and their instructors.

27. Hennepin
• Attended the annual MLK Breakfast.
• Delivered remarks at the Asia Mall Lunar New Year celebration in Bloomington.
• Delivered Remarks at the MN Newspaper Association Convention.
• Met with officers at the Minneapolis Second Precinct Station.
• Convened a meeting with the Metropolitan Airport Commission leadership to hear updates on aviation safety and passenger experience.
• Delivered remarks at the Stand with Ukraine Two Year Commemoration event.
• Spoke at the Annual Parkinson’s Foundation Walk in Plymouth.
• Delivered remarks at the Celebrating the Sistas Awards Ceremony and presented the Icon Award honoring Laysha Ward.
• Delivered remarks at the MN Ovarian Cancer Alliance Gala.
• Visited Woodlake Nature Center in Richfield and met with staff.
• Spoke at the 78th Annual Paralyzed Veterans of America National Convention.
• Participated in the groundbreaking event for the St. Louis Park Cedar Lake Road Reconstruction project.
• Spoke at the Annual Somali Independence Day Street Festival.
• Delivered remarks at the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation 75th Anniversary Gala.
• Toured the I-494 construction site and met with local project leaders in Bloomington.
• Attended the Minnesota Business Partnership Annual Dinner.
• Attended the Twin Cities Pride Parade and Festival in Minneapolis.
• Honored the Legendary Cornbread Harris at an event with his son Jimmy Jam.
• Attended Champlin Father Hennepin Festival.
• Convened a meeting with the Metropolitan Airport Commission leadership to hear updates on aviation safety and passenger experience.
• Attended the Charles Lindbergh Richfield Post Office Dedication Ceremony.
• Presented the Spirit of Hospitality Award at the Bloomington Travel and Tourism Diamond Service Awards Gala.
• Attended the Niron opening and met with local businesses and Shakopee Band investors.

28. Houston
• Led a discussion with leadership and toured the Houston County airport in Caledonia.

29. Hubbard
• Toured a workforce housing development and met with local leaders.

30. Isanti
• Toured the North Star Child and Family Advocacy Center in Braham.

31. Itasca
• Met with leadership and toured the KOOTASCA Child Care Hub.

32. Jackson
• Met with first responders to discuss the new EMS telemedicine ambulance in Jackson.

33. Kanabec
• Toured the Lakes and Pines Community Action Council and visited with leaders.

34. Kandiyohi
• Toured the Life Link III Air Base at Willmar Municipal Airport.
• Attended the four lane Highway 23 completion celebration.

35. Kittson
• Met with owners and toured Far North Distillery.

36. Koochiching
• Met with the team at the Voyageurs National Park Headquarters.

37. Lac qui Parle
• Toured PURIS Plant-Based Protein manufacturing facility and met with leadership.

38. Lake
• Visited the iconic Betty’s Pies in Two Harbors.

39. Lake of the Woods
• Met with county leadership about their new water safety equipment.

40. Le Sueur
• Led a discussion with the Le Sueur Sheriff and other local leaders and toured the department.
• Viewed the flood damage and met with leadership in Waterville about federal assistance.

41. Lincoln
• Led a discussion at Lyon-Lincoln Electric Co-Op with their leadership.

42. Lyon
• Visited the farm of Carolyn and Jonathan Olson in Cottonwood.

43. McLeod
• Participated in the Winsted Post Office Rededication Ceremony to James A. Rogers, Jr.

44. Mahnomen
• Toured the White Earth Nation College with Chairman Fairbanks and members of the Tribal Council.

45. Marshall
• Toured North Valley Health Center Community Hospital in Warren.

46. Martin
• Toured the CHS soybean processing facility in Fairmont.

47. Meeker
• Toured the Doosan Bobcat manufacturing plant and met with leadership in Litchfield.

48. Mille Lacs
• Met with the owner and enjoyed breakfast at the Bee Cafe in Milaca.

49. Morrison
• Delivered remarks at the Memorial Day program at the Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery in Little Falls.
• Met with the mayor and area leadership to discuss the Little Falls bridge project.

50. Mower
• Led a discussion and toured the Hormel Foods child care center in Austin.
• Attended the I-90 bridge project groundbreaking ceremony in Austin.

51. Murray
• Met with the owners and got a tour of Painted Prairie Vineyard in Currie.

52. Nicollet
• Toured KATO Engineering and met with leadership in North Mankato.
• Delivered remarks and presented the Purple Heart at a ceremony honoring Corporal Earl Meyer in St. Peter.

53. Nobles
• Met with CEDA and county officials to discuss child care projects and solutions in Worthington.
• Toured the Highway 59 federally funded street project with Worthington leadership.

54. Norman
• Convened a meeting with Norman County leadership to discuss the West Central Regional Water District project.

55. Olmsted
• Delivered remarks at the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association Annual Legislative Conference in Rochester.
• Attended the Memorial Day Rochester Honkers game.
• Toured the Mayo Clinic’s new Kellen building.
• Delivered remarks at the Soldier’s Field Aquatic Center improvements opening ceremony.
• Led a discussion with county leadership and law enforcement about efforts to combat illegal fentanyl use in Rochester.

56. Otter Tail
• Met with leadership from Pioneer Kids Child Care and toured the facility in Fergus Falls with Fergus Falls Chamber of Commerce members.

57. Pennington
• Visited Northern Woodwork Inc. in Thief River Falls.
• Met with city and business leadership at Rivers and Rails Brewing Company.

58. Pine
• Toured Pine Technical & Community College and met with leadership.

59. Pipestone
• Met with local leaders at the Pipestone Airport to discuss improvement plans.

60. Polk
• Met with child care and city leaders at the Prairie Pines Child Care Center in Fosston.

61. Pope
• Met with staff and toured Clyde Machines in Glenwood with the mayor and Pope County leadership.

62. Ramsey
• Toured PAR Systems in Shoreview.
• Delivered remarks at the St. Paul Firefighters Local 21 Installation celebration.
• Gave welcome remarks at the Thai Songkran Festival opening ceremony.
• Delivered remarks at the Official State Memorial Day event at Fort Snelling.
• Spoke at the Hmong Freedom Festival in St. Paul.
• Hosted Secretary Becerra at the Episcopal Homes Senior Living Center to highlight Medicare drug pricing.
• Hosted tourism event at the Minnesota State Fair in Falcon Heights.
• Toured the Carter Work Project in St. Paul with Habitat for Humanity leadership.
• Delivered remarks at the Military Appreciation Day event at the MN State Fair.
• Spoke at the CLUES Fiesta Latina in St. Paul.
• Toured Delkor Systems in Arden Hills with Ex-Im Bank Director Herrnstadt.
• Led a round table discussion with Ex-Im Bank director and Minnesota business leaders.
• Delivered remarks at the St. Paul Kellogg-Third Street Bridge Construction Kick Off event.
• Attended the Serving Our Troops Event in support of military families.
• Attended St. Paul St. Patrick’s Day festivities.
• Toured the Neighborhood Development Center with Secretary Yellen

63. Red Lake
• Led a discussion about the Farm Bill with the Minnesota Wheat Growers Association and Minnesota Barley Growers Association.

64. Redwood
• Delivered remarks and met with agricultural leaders at Farmfest.

65. Renville
• Toured K&M Manufacturing in Renville and met with employees.

66. Rice
• Met local leaders and manufacturers to tour a planned child care facility in Faribault.
• Toured flood damage and met with leadership in Northfield.

67. Rock
• Toured the new child care center under construction in Luverne.

68. Roseau
• Attended annual Hockey Day Celebration activities in Warroad.

69. Saint Louis
• Toured flood damage in downtown Cook with the mayor and local leaders.
• Toured the flash flood damage in Biwabik with the mayor and local leaders.
• Joined Duluth mayor to highlight the success of their flood mitigation projects.
• Visited the Blatnik Bridge to highlight its need for repair.
• Attended Fourth of July festivities in Aurora, Gilbert, Eveleth, Tower, and Ely.
• Presented a flag to the Ely mayor at Ely Memorial High School in commemoration of their 100th Anniversary Celebration.
• Attended Labor Day events in Duluth and Virginia.

70. Scott
• Met with Scott County Sheriff leadership, viewed the new rescue equipment, and toured the 911 Dispatch Center in Shakopee.

71. Sherburne
• Met with leadership of the Wave Youth Center in Big Lake to tour and discuss their expansion project for middle and high school-aged youth.

72. Sibley
• Toured the Heartland Ethanol Plant in Winthrop with company leadership.

73. Stearns
• Delivered remarks at the annual St. John’s Boys’ Choir Spring Gala in St. Cloud.
• Spoke at the St. Cloud VA Medical Center 100th Anniversary celebration.
• Toured the St. Cloud Coborn’s with business leadership.

74. Steele
• Convened a discussion with Owatonna High School staff and Chamber of Commerce leadership about their Youth Skills Training Program.

75. Stevens
• Met with the Chancellor of UMN Morris and toured the campus.

76. Swift
• Toured the Swift County Historical Museum in Benson and met with leadership.

77. Todd
• Met with company leadership of EnterpriseCP Manufacturing and toured the facility.

78. Traverse
• Led a discussion with Browns Valley mayor and fire chief to hear about fire department operations.

79. Wabasha
• Toured Pepin Manufacturing Inc. in Lake City.
• Spoke at the Governor’s Fishing Opener Kick-Off in Lake City.

80. Wadena
• Met with Central Lakes College leaders to discuss their Butchery Program and federal partnerships.

81. Waseca
• Met with staff and toured Winegar Manufacturing in Waseca.

82. Washington
• Spoke at the 1st Annual Momentous Music Festival with Brian Mueller in Woodbury, honoring Aimee Muller.
• Attended the Hugo Good Neighbors Day festivities.

83. Watonwan
• Visited the farm of Harold Wolle in St. James.

84. Wilkin
• Toured CHI St. Francis Health and met with leadership in Breckenridge.

85. Winona
• Visited local businesses in Winona with Chamber of Commerce leadership to discuss tourism.

86. Wright
• Attended the I-94 West Corridor Coalition Gap Project Groundbreaking Ceremony in Monticello which received federal funds.

87. Yellow Medicine
• Met with leadership and visited the Yellow Medicine County Historical Society and Museum.
• Walked the Dave Smiglewski Memorial Trail in Granite Falls with the Smiglewski Family.

MIL OSI USA News –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI China: China unveils first multidisciplinary diagnosis, treatment guidelines for obesity

Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

China unveils first multidisciplinary diagnosis, treatment guidelines for obesity

BEIJING, Oct. 17 — China on Thursday unveiled its first guidelines for the multidisciplinary diagnosis and treatment of obesity.

Emphasizing a multidisciplinary team-based approach, the guidelines were released to standardize the diagnosis and treatment of the condition and to ensure the quality and safety of medical care, said the National Health Commission (NHC), which led the formulation of the document.

The guidelines address the diagnosis standards, classification and staging of obesity. Its treatment section includes methods for behavioral, psychological and sports-based interventions, medical nutrition therapy, medication treatments, weight-loss and metabolic surgery, as well as approaches from traditional medicine.

According to the guidelines, five medications have been approved in China for weight-loss treatment in adults with primary obesity. No medications have been approved for the treatment of inherited obesity in China.

The second-largest economy is combating obesity, largely a “sweet burden” of affluence. More than half of adults in the country are overweight or obese, and the rate could reach 65.3 percent by 2030, according to a 2020 report from the NHC.

China had struggled for centuries to feed its vast population. And undernourishment was a genuine concern for many families before the reform and opening-up started in the late 1970s. Obesity has emerged as an unintended consequence of improving living standards in the country.

MIL OSI China News –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Virtual reality and wearable technology pilot to cut drug deaths
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

The government will fund research into wearable technology, virtual reality and artificial intelligence in a bid to support people with drug addictions.
Government funds research into wearable technology, virtual reality and artificial intelligence to support people with drug addictions and save lives

Projects include body-worn devices which alert emergency services if overdose is expected

11 projects across UK could be rolled out more widely if successful

Thousands of lives could be saved through the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and wearable technology designed to reduce drug deaths and improve outcomes.

The government has awarded £12 million to projects across the UK that are researching innovative technology to support people with addictions.

One of the chosen projects, called PneumoWave ALERT, pairs a chest-worn sensor that monitors breathing to a mobile device that sends out an immediate alert to nearby antidote carriers and emergency services if an overdose is detected, helping people get potentially life-saving treatment as soon as possible.

Another study will look at using virtual reality to help people overcome their triggers for cocaine addiction. People will be assessed using watch-like devices to determine which cues in their environment lead to a drug craving, by measuring physical changes to the body.

Virtual reality will then be used to create realistic situations to repeatedly expose people to triggers in a safe environment. Previous research shows cue exposure treatment (CET) can significantly reduce the level of craving and relapse among alcoholics, but it has not yet been fully explored for people experiencing a cocaine addiction until now.

Minister for Public Health and Prevention, Andrew Gwynne said:

Drug addiction devastates lives and rips apart families, and this government is committed to gripping this problem.

We’re determined to harness the full potential of cutting-edge technology to save thousands of lives across the country. I want the UK to lead the way in championing innovation to end the harmful effects of addiction.

The research is being funded through the Addiction Healthcare Goals programme, which is run by the Office for Life Sciences (OLS). Around £12 million has been awarded to 11 projects across eight organisations in the UK. The projects were selected as part of the Reducing Drug Deaths Challenge and the NIHR i4i Addiction: Innovation for Treatment and Recovery Awards, which are being run in partnership with the Scottish government and National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).

The funding will also support research to improve the accessibility of the life-saving drug naloxone. Naloxone rapidly reverses heroin and opioid overdose but is typically available as an injection or nasal spray which have limitations and cannot always be used in time. Kings College London is looking into naloxone wafers which melt in the mouth and provide rapid access to this emergency medicine and can fit easily in a wallet or purse.

Several of the projects are based in Scotland which has the highest rate of drug deaths in Europe.

These include a wristband to monitor vital signs such as blood oxygen levels, heart rate and body temperature. If an overdose is suspected, the device, named “Saving Sam”, will send out an alert to a trusted contact. This research is being run by the University of Edinburgh and NHS Fife.

The technology being researched could be rolled out to more sites across the UK if successful. The projects support the government’s Health Mission – building an NHS fit for the future – by helping to embed a greater focus on prevention and supporting services.

It also helps establish the UK as a global leader for innovative treatments and technologies, supporting the UK’s Growth Mission – for sustained economic growth, good jobs and increased productivity across the country – by inspiring healthcare companies to invest in the UK, while supporting people back into stable work.

Science Minister Lord Vallance said:

The UK’s life sciences sector plays a critical role in finding new ways to tackle the biggest challenges facing healthcare, including the devastating impact of addiction. The Addiction Healthcare Goals Programme is testament to our commitment to bringing together researchers, clinicians, and innovators to create real change.

From wearable technology to AI-powered tools, these innovative projects highlight the power of collaboration in delivering life-saving treatments. By investing in these partnerships, we are tackling addiction head-on and ensuring that cutting-edge science reaches those who need it most, improving public health across the UK.

Professor Mike Lewis, NIHR’s Scientific Director for Innovation, said:

Innovation in managing addiction is needed to break the pattern of prison relapse and rebound and the wider impacts of addiction on society.

Through the NIHR i4i Addiction: Innovation for Treatment and Recovery Awards, successful projects have been awarded funding to develop approaches to improve treatment and recovery outcomes.

Interventions, including AI, that allow management in the community need this research to validate their potential so we can implement them at scale.

Professor Dame Anna Dominiczak, Chief Scientific Advisor for Health, Scottish Government, said:

Tackling drug-related deaths is a priority for the Scottish Government and NHS Scotland and we are committed to tackling these issues through targeted research, innovation and support.

As part of phase two of the Reducing Drug Deaths Innovation Competition, funding has been awarded to develop seven prototypes aimed at reducing drug deaths.

These innovative solutions include wearable sensors, digital monitoring and alert applications as well as novel antidote delivery systems.

By harnessing the expertise we have in Scotland and across the rest of the UK, we can continue to develop new technologies to drive prevention initiatives.

Professor Anne Lingford-Hughes, Chair of the Addiction Healthcare Goals, said:

New approaches to treat drug addiction and reduce drug related deaths, particularly from overdose, are urgently needed. The Addiction Healthcare Goals programme is pleased to fund promising innovations that have brought together partnerships between industry, academia and organisations involved in delivering treatment and care for those experiencing drug addictions.

Establishing such collaborations also enhances the UK’s research capacity and ability to deliver novel patient research. This lays firm foundations for the UK to accelerate the development and testing of effective innovations to use in routine care to save lives, reduce harms, and benefit society.

Notes to editors:

Further information on some of the projects is available below:

Reducing Drug Deaths Innovation Challenge

Pneumowave ALERT

PneumoWave ALERT is a remote monitoring platform designed to make opioid usage safer by detecting the onset of life-threatening respiratory problems caused by opioid-induced overdose. The platform consists of a discreet, chest-worn biosensor paired with a mobile device, which allows for the immediate alerting of nearby naloxone carriers and emergency medical services. The research involves conducting end-to-end monitoring, detection, and alerting in 200 high-risk patients residing in homeless accommodation, in collaboration with the University of Dundee, King’s College London, and Third Sector partners HumanKind, Thames Reach, and Hillcrest Futures.

NOMW Health

NOMW Health, in collaboration with Greater Glasgow and Clyde Innovation Hub and The University of Southampton, previously conducted a feasibility study on LifeSavr, an innovative wearable device aimed at addressing the opioid overdose crisis. The Scotland-based team is now advancing the development of LifeSavr to prepare it for consumer availability in the UK, Europe, and globally. LifeSavr features monitoring of oxygen saturation, heart rate, body movements and respiratory rate for accurate overdose detection. It is based on NASA research and uses a self-contained design that eliminates the need for a mobile phone. The device aims to reduce the burden on emergency services and long-term care.

Kings College London

Kings College London is developing rapid-dispersal naloxone wafers to improve the accessibility and portability of this life-saving emergency antidote medication. Naloxone rapidly reverses heroin/opioid overdose, but current forms (injection and nasal spray) have limitations, such as requiring healthy nasal passages and consistent carrying by users. The proposed naloxone wafers disintegrate within seconds and can easily fit into a wallet or purse, addressing the current low carriage rates which are around 15-20%.

EMoodie – Saving SAM System for Alert and Monitoring of Potential Overdoses

‘Saving SAM’ is an innovative, low-cost digital tool developed by eMoodie Limited to help prevent drug overdoses and save lives. The tool consists of a wristband that monitors vital signs such as blood oxygen levels, heart rate, body temperature, and movement patterns to detect potential overdose risks. If an overdose is suspected, the wristband sends an alert to the Saving SAM app on the user’s smartphone, alerting a trusted contact. The app also offers mental health support and well-being programs for people who use drugs. Co-created with people with lived experience, “Saving SAM” is an overdose detection tool that combines wearables, remote monitoring, artificial intelligence (AI), and a smartphone app with gamified digital therapeutics.

Mesox-Ltd

MESOX has developed a wearable patch of the antidotes Naloxone and Flumazenil for the rising number of drug deaths from mixed overdosing of opioids and benzodiazepines. The skin patch is designed for wide application by non-professionals in the community, avoiding the challenges of existing routes of administration and complexity of injectable antidotes. In the next phase of development on the programme, MESOX will work closely with NHS Fife and other sub-contractors to design acceptability studies with patients across all four UK nations.

Science & Engineering Applications Ltd (Scienap)

Scienap, in collaboration with ambulance services led by the Scottish Ambulance Service, has designed a low-cost alert and responder pathway to create effective responses to potentially fatal overdose events. The project includes a new Alert App for self-monitoring by drug users, automatically raising an alarm if they become unresponsive, and a Care & Respond App for trusted supporters to provide coordinated help, administer life-saving drugs, and be supported by emergency services when appropriate.

University of Glasgow

The University of Glasgow presents a significant advancement in wearable sensor technology for detecting and preventing overdoses. The soft sensor, designed for seamless body integration, provides real-time respiratory monitoring to identify early signs of overdose episodes. The team will test the usability and acceptability of the refined prototype with people with lived/living experience of substance use through an iterative co-design process supported by the West of Scotland NHS Innovation Hub.

NIHR i4i Addiction Innovation: Innovation for Treatment and Recovery Awards

Kings College London – is developing a Virtual Reality-enhanced cue exposure treatment integrated with a wearable device to address craving, prevent relapse and improve treatment outcomes of people with cocaine dependence.

A key challenge in helping people to recover for cocaine addiction (or dependence) is their craving for the drug that can be triggered by ‘cues’ in their environment, such as situations or objects, which remind them of the pleasurable effects of cocaine. This process is known as ‘classical conditioning’ and the aim of this study is to reduce the risk of relapse to cocaine through use of novel technologies to reduce craving. This research will test the ability of technology-enhanced CET to reduce craving and relapse to cocaine use, compared to people receiving usual care.

Another project led by Kings College London, The Prison Release Engagement Trial will refine and test an interactive smartphone app to improve Continuity of Care post-release for prisoners working to stay drug free.

For the full list of projects that have been successful in receiving funding across both competitions, please see the NIHR publications and the Scottish Government publications.

Further information

The Addiction Healthcare Goals is being delivered by the Office for Life Sciences (OLS) alongside the Dementia, Mental Health, Cancer and Obesity Healthcare Goals. The Addiction Healthcare Goals programme is working to make the UK a globally leading location for researchers and industry to develop, trial and deploy innovative treatments and technologies which will help people recover from drug and alcohol addictions, save lives, and benefit society.

Alongside funding innovative research, the Addiction Healthcare Goals programme is aiming to support the training of research leaders across the UK and is exploring ways to make better use of addiction healthcare data to enable researchers to develop better treatments. The programme has also been working with the James Lind Alliance to identify the key research priorities within the UK community and will be publishing this list in 2025 with the aim of influencing future research funding priorities.

The projects were selected as part of the Reducing Drug Deaths Challenge and the NIHR i4i Addiction: Innovation for Treatment and Recovery Awards, which were run in partnership with the Scottish government and National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The successful Reducing Drug Deaths projects builds on feasibility funding awarded through phase 1 of the Reducing Drugs Deaths Challenge last year.

The Addiction Healthcare Goals form a part of the Department of Health and Social Care’s ambition to deliver a world-class treatment and recovery system for people experiencing drug and alcohol addictions.

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Published 18 October 2024
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: FEMA Administrator Surveys Virginia Counties and Meets with Survivors and Local Community Officials Recovering from Helene

Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

Headline: FEMA Administrator Surveys Virginia Counties and Meets with Survivors and Local Community Officials Recovering from Helene

FEMA Administrator Surveys Virginia Counties and Meets with Survivors and Local Community Officials Recovering from Helene

WASHINGTON — As FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell continues to lead the federal response to Helene and Milton in six states, today she is in Virginia to meet survivors and local officials as they continue their recovery from Helene.

In Virginia, the administrator visited affected communities with Gov. Glenn Youngkin. Earlier in the week she and North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper in Buncombe County to speak with disaster survivors and meet staff at a local high school as part of the recovery.

Critical services continue being restored. The Commonwealth of Virginia is focused on debris removal, particularly in lakes that provide the commonwealth a source of drinking water. Removing debris will also reduce threats to public health and safety. In Florida—hit by both storms—power outages have been reduced to about 17,000, down from a peak of 3.2 million. And in North Carolina, approximately 13,000 customers remain without power, down from a peak of about 1 million customers without power.

In total, about 433,000 households have been approved for nearly $619 million in FEMA assistance for their Helene recovery while 61,000 households have received $54 million for Milton. Survivors are using these funds to replace essential items, pay for somewhere to stay and make home repairs.

Hurricane Milton survivors in 34 Florida counties and one Tribal Nation can register for federal disaster assistance. On Oct. 11, President Jospeh R. Biden, Jr., approved a major disaster declaration for Florida following the hurricane. President Biden previously approved federal disaster assistance in six states affected by Helene. This opens up federal help for survivors in designated areas in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.

In addition, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced the Operation Blue Tarp which is a free service to homeowners. Residents impacted by Hurricane Milton can sign-up at www.blueroof.gov, or by calling 888-ROOF-BLU (888-766-3258). The initial sign-up period is set for 21 days and ends Nov. 5. The Florida counties impacted by Hurricane Milton currently identified for the program include: Brevard, Citrus, Charlotte, DeSoto, Hardee, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lake, Manatee, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Lucie, Sumter and Volusia.

FEMA encourages Helene and Milton survivors to apply online as this remains the best way to apply for disaster assistance. Here are the ways to apply for federal assistance:

·         Apply online at disasterassistance.gov

·         Call 800-621-3362

·         Use the FEMA App

·         Visit a Disaster Recovery Center to talk with FEMA and state agency officials and apply for assistance

In total, over 8,200 federal personnel—including 4,300 FEMA staff—are in communities in these states supporting the ongoing response and recovery efforts.

These photos highlight response and recovery efforts across states impacted by Helene and Milton.

View Original‘ data-align=”center” data-asset-link=”1″ data-entity-type=”emerald” data-image-style=”large” data-asset-type=”imageasset” data-asset-id=”56489″ src=”https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/externals/51c770e055bfac2bdf77a115b7d1e1e9.jpg?itok=d6OkGMpD” alt=”Caption: Lee County, Va. – A group comprised of staff from the Lee County 911, Virginia Department of Emergency Management, the U.S. Small Business Administration, and FEMA was conducting Preliminary Damage Assessments to survey properties affected by Tropical Storm Helene in September.” class=”image-style-large”>
Lee County, Va. – A group comprised of staff from the Lee County 911, Virginia Department of Emergency Management, the U.S. Small Business Administration, and FEMA was conducting Preliminary Damage Assessments to survey properties affected by Tropical Storm Helene in September.

View Original‘ data-align=”center” data-asset-link=”1″ data-entity-type=”emerald” data-image-style=”large” data-asset-type=”imageasset” data-asset-id=”56511″ src=”https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/externals/0ac80a360274e00254b29ac8e241b18a.jpg?itok=d3rO453K” alt=”Caption: Burnsville, N.C. – FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell and North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper visit the Pensacola Volunteer Fire Department to talk with staff and disaster survivors.” class=”image-style-large”>
Burnsville, N.C. – FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell and North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper visit the Pensacola Volunteer Fire Department to talk with staff and disaster survivors.

View Original‘ data-align=”center” data-asset-link=”1″ data-entity-type=”emerald” data-image-style=”large” data-asset-type=”imageasset” data-asset-id=”56462″ src=”https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/externals/7037f02841813c689a6e8dc2d71c40b7.jpg?itok=p12cSWX5″ alt=”Caption: Buncombe County, NC – FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell and North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper tour recovery operations at a local high school, fire station and community care station to talk with staff and disaster survivors.” class=”image-style-large”>
Buncombe County, NC – FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell and North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper tour recovery operations at a local high school, fire station and community care station to talk with staff and disaster survivors.

BUNCOMBE COUNTY, North Carolina – FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell visits with staff and disaster survivors about recovery operations at a local high school, fire station and community care station. (Source: FEMA)

View Original‘ data-align=”center” data-asset-link=”1″ data-entity-type=”emerald” data-image-style=”large” data-asset-type=”imageasset” data-asset-id=”56452″ src=”https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/externals/a0cbc8cb1e9938b50f025fa483a0d283.jpg?itok=pClsD1s-” alt=”Caption: Buncombe County, NC – FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell and North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper tour recovery operations at a local high school, fire station and community care station to talk with staff and disaster survivors.” class=”image-style-large”>
Buncombe County, NC – FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell and North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper tour recovery operations at a local high school, fire station and community care station to talk with staff and disaster survivors.

View Original‘ data-align=”center” data-asset-link=”1″ data-entity-type=”emerald” data-image-style=”large” data-asset-type=”imageasset” data-asset-id=”56481″ src=”https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/externals/80ff6cd868da9e52fceb6d20106f1667.jpg?itok=9Hhe7DBi” alt=”Caption: Swannanoa, NC – FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance staff help survivors at a Community Care Station. FEMA, Buncombe County, City of Asheville and the private sector have worked together to offer showers, laundry, bathrooms, access to cell towers, hot food, water, Wi-Fi, and medicine.” class=”image-style-large”>
Swannanoa, NC – FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance staff help survivors at a Community Care Station. FEMA, Buncombe County, City of Asheville and the private sector have worked together to offer showers, laundry, bathrooms, access to cell towers, hot food, water, Wi-Fi, and medicine.

View Original‘ data-align=”center” data-asset-link=”1″ data-entity-type=”emerald” data-image-style=”large” data-asset-type=”imageasset” data-asset-id=”56531″ src=”https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/externals/50d8ffc037538c49d382007aa1769886.jpg?itok=xW7qucuF” alt=”Caption: Sarasota, Fla. (Oct. 17, 2024) – U.S. Army Corps of Engineers assist a family of survivors in their first Blue Roof Project in Sarasota, Florida in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton.” class=”image-style-large”>
Sarasota, Fla. (Oct. 17, 2024) – U.S. Army Corps of Engineers assist a family of survivors in their first Blue Roof Project in Sarasota, Florida in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton.

View Original‘ data-align=”center” data-asset-link=”1″ data-entity-type=”emerald” data-image-style=”large” data-asset-type=”imageasset” data-asset-id=”56426″ src=”https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/externals/6ed91d66e28321cf80a1887989c06c4a.jpg?itok=qM79h6sL” alt=”Caption: Palm Beach County, Fla. (Oct. 15, 2024) – DSA crews canvas an area of The Acreage in Palm Beach County Florida.” class=”image-style-large”>
Palm Beach County, Fla. (Oct. 15, 2024) – DSA crews canvas an area of The Acreage in Palm Beach County Florida.

View Original‘ data-align=”center” data-asset-link=”1″ data-entity-type=”emerald” data-image-style=”large” data-asset-type=”imageasset” data-asset-id=”56473″ src=”https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/externals/cf9d4bec75102ebbb97b6fc199bfe0d0.jpg?itok=9VB86i5n” alt=”Caption: Columbia, S.C. (Oct. 14, 2024) – FEMA’s Director of Disability Integration and Coordination, Sherman Gillums, Jr., visits the Association for Better Living and Education to show support for their ongoing efforts in supporting the disabled community. Director Gillums met with Dori Tempio, Sr., Director of Community Education, and Mandy Halloran, Director of Public Health.” class=”image-style-large”>
Columbia, S.C. (Oct. 14, 2024) – FEMA’s Director of Disability Integration and Coordination, Sherman Gillums, Jr., visits the Association for Better Living and Education to show support for their ongoing efforts in supporting the disabled community. Director Gillums met with Dori Tempio, Sr., Director of Community Education, and Mandy Halloran, Director of Public Health.

View Original‘ data-align=”center” data-asset-link=”1″ data-entity-type=”emerald” data-image-style=”large” data-asset-type=”imageasset” data-asset-id=”56471″ src=”https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/externals/9050b3d4f1ac9a6e2bd7cdfbf7ae3a71.jpg?itok=o0HpV_iy” alt=”Caption: Sandersville, Ga. (Oct. 14, 2024) – FEMA opens a Disaster Recovery Center in Sandersville, Georgia to register members of the community and surrounding counties effected by Hurricane Helene for disaster assistance.” class=”image-style-large”>
Sandersville, Ga. (Oct. 14, 2024) – FEMA opens a Disaster Recovery Center in Sandersville, Georgia to register members of the community and surrounding counties effected by Hurricane Helene for disaster assistance.

FEMA’s Disaster Multimedia Toolkit page provides graphics, social media copy and sample text in multiple languages. In addition, FEMA has set up a rumor control web page to reduce confusion about its role in the Helene response.

amy.ashbridge
Thu, 10/17/2024 – 22:12

MIL OSI USA News –

January 24, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: How did public service leaders talk to staff about Robodebt? What they said – or didn’t – is revealing
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daniel Casey, Lecturer, School of Politics and International Relations, Australian National University

In July 2023, after the release of the damning Robodebt Royal Commission report, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese declared:

it was wrong, it was illegal, it should never have happened and it should never happen again.

A major finding was some senior public servants were overly responsive to the wishes of ministers, to the detriment of the general public. The report describes an environment that was:

fraught […] characterised by a powerful drive for savings, strongly expressed ministerial policy positions […] and intense pressure experienced by public servants.

Investigating the scheme, which ran under the Morrison government, Commissioner Catherine Holmes was disturbed by “the lengths to which public servants were prepared to go to oblige ministers”, undermining the concept of impartiality and frank and fearless advice.

The release of Rick Morton’s new book Mean Streak brings a renewed focus on the lessons from Robodebt. To learn from such a serious crisis, organisations need to openly confront what happened, discuss and understand what the failure means. What were the systemic causes? What cultural failings did it expose? How can we ensure a similar disaster does not happen again?

Our research found little evidence these questions were being asked by many public service leaders immediately after the royal commission.

In the six months after the royal commission report’s release, almost half of the heads of Australian Public Service (APS) agencies apparently decided they didn’t need to communicate with their staff about Robodebt and explain what it meant for them.

What did department leaders do?

Learning from the failure of Robodebt will take time. In 2024, the public service is investigating and punishing some of those involved and implementing a new integrity plan.

Our research focuses on the six months after the release of the royal commission report: July to December 2023. Research shows the immediate post-crisis period is crucial to effective learning.

But before organisations can respond, they have to interpret and understand the meaning of the failure.

Just as the public turns to political leaders in a crisis, employees look to management. Leaders’ communication, whether by email, an all staff video, or a town hall meeting, is crucial.

These messages set the organisational narrative that explains what happened and why, what the repercussions are, how it can be resolved, and what lessons (if any) should be drawn from the crisis.

Three days after the royal commission report was released, the secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Glyn Davis, and Australian Public Service Commissioner Gordon de Brouwer, emailed all public service employees saying:

we are committed to working through the findings in an open and constructive way with you — the APS — and with the Australian public.

Our focus, however, is on how leaders of individual departments and agencies responded. Using Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, we asked how leaders communicated with staff in the crucial period straight after the commission reported.

Departments are where policy development occurs and they often work closely with ministers.

But only half of all public servants work for departments. The rest work across the 100 or so agencies.

While most department heads communicated with their staff about Robodebt, only 54% of agencies’ leaders did.

The 50 agencies that did not communicate with their staff about the meaning of Robodebt in the months following the report employ more than 45,000 people, more than 25% of the public service.

Not my problem mentality

Three large departments told us that “no documents were identified” or “the Department does not hold documents […] that meet the terms of the request”. This indicates they did not communicate with staff in the first six months after the Robodebt report was handed down. The departments were:
It is not clear why those secretaries decided not to write to their staff directly about Robodebt, but the absence of communication sends a message.

This was explicit in some responses. For example, in declining our request, we were told that the Independent Health and Aged Care Pricing Authority:

[…] is not an outwardly facing organisation and as such does not provide payments to individual recipients. Consequently, it is not required to respond to the Royal Commission and there are no documents that are relevant to your request.

Even when there was some communication, agencies were not necessarily addressing the cultural issues. For example, the Clean Energy Regulator was focused on public perception:

there is a heightened sense of scrutiny on regulators […] please be vigilant if you are approached by anybody working for a media outlet.

In such circumstances, it is unlikely cultural change will occur.

Some positive signs

On the positive side, there were examples of agencies that addressed the serious implications of Robodebt for their work, which is likely to improve their organisational culture.

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) identified a number of recommendations “albeit directed at other agencies […] that ASIC should act on”. They noted that “given most of our people come from the private sector”, there was a need to improve training on “our obligations as public servants”.

Read more:
Two former federal departmental heads breached public service code 25 times in Robodebt scandal

Similarly, Australian statistician David Gruen emphasised creating a culture where “people feel supported if and when they seek to raise difficult issues with their colleagues or superiors”. Similar discussions were had at AUSTRAC.

Departments are closest to ministers, so we hoped their communications would address problems in the relationships between senior public servants and ministers, a key issue exposed in the Robodebt case.

Unfortunately, only four departments discussed over-responsiveness with their staff or in executive meetings, in the period studied.

The department of industry and science was the most comprehensive. Secretary Meghan Quinn wrote to staff several times, reflecting that the “findings go to the heart of leadership and culture and this should be our focus going forward”. The department’s integrity branch wrote to staff:

public servants [must] […] provide the government with advice that is frank and honest. If you ever feel pressured to do or sign something you are not comfortable with, it’s important you speak with your supervisors […] you have the Executive’s backing not to put your name to anything that is not true or not in the public interest.

However, this was one of the few departments where senior staff confronted these core issues directly in the early months after the royal commission reported. Most departments did not name or discuss the underlying cause of the failures: over-responsiveness to ministers at the expense of protecting the public.

While many of the errors of Robodebt can be solved through new procedures and rules, changing public service culture is a bigger learning project.

It requires a shift in norms and reweighting the competing duties of public servants. They must serve elected ministers, but equally, they must serve the public by ensuring probity, fairness and legality.

Robodebt illustrated the harm that occurs when the balance tips too far towards ministers and away from the public interest.

That this was rarely part of the communication from public service leaders to their staff in the immediate aftermath of the royal commission does not bode well for lessons being learnt from the crisis.

Daniel Casey worked in the Department of Social Services during the period of Robodebt, but did not work on the Robodebt program.

Maria Maley received funding from the Australian Research Council.

– ref. How did public service leaders talk to staff about Robodebt? What they said – or didn’t – is revealing – https://theconversation.com/how-did-public-service-leaders-talk-to-staff-about-robodebt-what-they-said-or-didnt-is-revealing-240015
MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –
January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Pettersen Highlights Community Investments in Chaffee, Joins Reopening of Historic McGinnis Gym

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Brittany Pettersen (Colorado 7th District)

SALIDA – U.S. Representative Brittany Pettersen (CO-07) recently stopped by Chaffee County to visit facilities that she championed through state and federal funding, including the historic McGinnis Gymnasium in Buena Vista and Solvista Health’s Regional Assessment Center (RAC) in Salida.

At Pettersen’s first stop in Chaffee County, she visited Solvista Health’s RAC in Salida, a substance use disorder recovery center that she helped secure funding for alongside former state Representative Jim Wilson during her time in the Colorado state legislature. As chair of the Interim Study Committee on Opioids and Other Substance Use Disorders, Pettersen helped establish the Building Substance Use Disorder Treatment Capacity in Underserved Communities Grant Program, delivering $700,000 to Solvista Health’s RAC in Salida. In Congress, Pettersen has built upon this work by calling for increased funding and expanded access to mental health and substance treatment programs.

Following her visit to Salida, Pettersen joined the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the McGinnis Gymnasium in Buena Vista, reopening the facility after refurbishments. Originally built in 1936 through the Public Works Administration as part of the New Deal, this gym holds a unique place in Buena Vista’s history. Pettersen wrote a letter of support to the Environmental Protection Agency for a Brownfields grant that was awarded to the gym. Now, the facility will serve as a safe, indoor recreation space for children and the Chaffee community for generations to come.

“Projects like these are a testament to the positive difference that state and federal dollars can make in our communities,” said Pettersen. “I supported funding for these facilities because I know investments like this will elevate the entire Chaffee community. The McGinnis Gym will foster creativity and community engagement in Chaffee for generations to come.”

Pettersen continued, “It was amazing to tour Solvista Health and see this center come to fruition after years of dedicated work during my time in the legislature with former Rep. Jim Wilson. This facility provides desperately needed care to those who have often been left behind. As the only place in this region to provide detox and withdrawal management services, Solvista has served over a thousand people in the last year and no doubt has saved hundreds of lives. I remain committed to advocating for the people of Chaffee in Congress, ensuring critical investments continue to make a lasting impact on the lives of this community.”

MIL OSI USA News –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: Indigenous-led solutions Move Research into Action at the 2024 National Summit on Indigenous Mental Wellness

Source: Government of Canada News

October 17, 2024 — Calgary, Treaty 7 Territory, Alberta — Indigenous Services Canada

Understanding and acceptance grow where people feel safe and heard. Over the past two days, the 2024 National Summit on Indigenous Mental Wellness brought together First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities, organizations and leaders, as well as service providers and academics to discuss mental wellness. The event highlighted the importance of culture, community, healing and youth leadership in improving Indigenous mental wellness. A shared goal of this summit was to improve the availability, accessibility, quality and effectiveness of mental wellness services for Indigenous Peoples.

The summit provides a foundation of innovation, grassroots success, and strength in addressing mental wellness challenges directly. The Minister of Indigenous Services, Patty Hajdu, and Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health, Ya’ara Saks, attended the summit and witnessed the constructive dialogues and collaborative Indigenous-led solutions that are happening in communities all across the country.

The Government of Canada recognizes the importance of Indigenous-led approaches to mental wellness that are based on culture and community and address the impacts of colonization and inequities in the social determinants of health. Since 2015, the federal government has supported approaches that are Indigenous-led and flexible to meet the mental wellness needs of Indigenous communities, but work remains. This includes culturally-relevant community-based mental wellness promotion, on-the-land initiatives, suicide prevention, life promotion, crisis response, and substance use treatment and prevention services in First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities.

The summit opened with a powerful keynote address that emphasized the importance of translating Indigenous knowledge into action for mental wellness. Participants engaged in a series of panels and discussions that highlighted the integration of traditional healing practices, innovative therapeutic approaches, and the vital role of cultural safety in addressing systemic racism within mental health systems.

Over the course of two days, attendees participated in various sessions to share knowledge on a variety of initiatives and approaches to mental wellness for First Nations, Inuit and Métis. One key theme of the event was Indigenous-led knowledge translation and the importance of culture and community in research and data.

Another key theme of the summit was Indigenous youth mental wellness. Young people are leaders of today and tomorrow, and it is incumbent on all of us to lift these voices up. Indigenous youth leaders from We Matter and Youth Wellness Hubs led a youth panel where young leaders were encouraged to share their personal experiences and perspectives.

Concurrent sessions focused on Métis mental wellness, showcasing community-driven programs that reflect the distinct needs of Métis populations, while discussions on Inuit mental wellness addressed culturally relevant strategies for healing and resilience.

The 2024 National Summit on Indigenous Mental Wellness provided a collaborative platform for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis to exchange insights and tools to improve mental wellness. By focusing on culture, community, and youth leadership, the summit underscored the significance of Indigenous-led solutions. Just as the Government of Canada remains committed to supporting these initiatives, the summit serves as a catalyst for ongoing dialogue and action, paving the way for a more inclusive mental health system and promoting hope and healing for future generations.

MIL OSI Canada News –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Report predicts Taiwan to become ‘super-aged’ society next year

Source: China State Council Information Office 2

Taiwan will become a “super-aged” society by 2025, with one in five residents expected to be over the age of 65, said the island’s development planning department on Thursday.
By 2030, the island’s total population is expected to fall below 23 million, and by 2039, the proportion of people aged 65 and above will exceed 30 percent of the total population, according to a report released by the department.
The report predicted that by 2028, the working-age population will make up less than two-thirds of the total population, signaling the end of the demographic dividend in Taiwan.
According to the World Health Organization, a society is considered “aged” when those aged 65 and above account for 14 percent of the total population, and “super-aged” when the proportion exceeds 20 percent. Taiwan entered the “aged” category in 2018.
Statistics from the island’s internal affairs department show that by the end of August, seven of Taiwan’s 22 counties and cities had entered the “super-aged” category.
An aging population has already led to multiple societal issues, such as labor shortages, declining school enrollments, and increased healthcare costs.
The development planning department suggested in the report that, to adapt to these demographic changes, efforts should focus on improving childcare subsidies, increasing labor force participation among middle-aged individuals and women, attracting talent, enhancing medical services, and upgrading industries.

MIL OSI China News –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Research project to address cultural gap
Source: Government of Western Australia
Nearly $200,000 has been awarded to The University of Western Australia for a research project that will develop a tool to more effectively measure mental health and wellbeing in the Aboriginal community of Mullewa.

The research project called Tharlbarra Maga: Developing a Strong Head, Strong Mind Measure received funding from Healthway’s 2023 Targeted Research Round, which called for research projects that focused on new and innovative ways to measure health behaviours.

Chief Investigator Dr Charmaine Green from the Western Australian Centre for Rural Health (WACRH) at The University of Western Australia said the funding will support the considerable formative work that has already been undertaken in Mullewa.

“We currently don’t have culturally appropriate tools to be able to measure the impact we are making on the local Aboriginal community’s mental health, social and emotional wellbeing,” she said.

“This research project will provide an alternative to Western mental health tools and measures, which are often disliked and not appropriate for Aboriginal people as they do not reflect their cultural beliefs and understandings of wellbeing.

“This research project will take two years to complete, the tools that will be developed are likely to be interactive, story and picture based, using local idioms and local artists.”

Healthway CEO Colin Smith said Healthway looked forward to the outcomes of Dr Green’s work, as it will address a gap by providing culturally and locally relevant tools to measure mental health and wellbeing.

“This research project will involve extensive consultation with Aboriginal co-researchers and Mullewa community members to better understand the Mullewa mental health story.

“Once culturally appropriate tools are developed, they will be shared with the wider community to improve our understanding of community mental health in Mullewa and help shape the delivery of more effective health programs.

“The project can also provide a blue-print for other Aboriginal communities to develop similar, locally appropriate tools.”

Healthway’s 2023 Targeted Research Round has supported four research projects worth nearly $800,000 to address gaps in measuring health behaviours and inform future policy and process.

The successful recipients include:

Dr Charmaine Green, WACRH, The University of Western Australia – Tharlbarra Maga: Developing a Strong Head, Strong Mind Measure- $199, 640

Dr Emma Carlin, University of Western Australia – Measuring and supporting Aboriginal social and emotional wellbeing within primary healthcare – $199, 690

Associate Professor Michael Livingston, Curtin University – Measuring alcohol risk, information needs and pathways using an AI chatbot – $198,748

Professor Peter Gething, Curtin University – Smart Walking and Cycling: Active Travel to School Simulator – $197,876.
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MIL OSI News –
January 24, 2025