Health Care
In New Orleans, doctors and churches are teaming up to help Black parishioners get needed care
The effort, part of a five-year study, aims to meet Black patients in a space they feel comfortable to treat hypertension and reduce heart disease risks.
In post-Roe Mississippi, pregnancy resource centers are becoming the last hope for maternal care
PRCs, like Life Choices in Columbus, can help expecting mothers in several ways, but experts say they're not a substitute for actual health care.
Residents worry about unknown health impacts of toxic landfill fumes
Officials have advised people to stay inside, seek medical care if they feel sick and relocate if necessary, a response that frustrates many residents.
Jefferson County drug overdose deaths hit new peak in 2022
Drug overdose deaths topped gun and vehicle-related deaths investigated last year by the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office.
‘Nobody is getting to you’: How workforce challenges leave Gulf South EMS agencies strapped
Emergency services in Louisiana are spending more time waiting to offload patients at hospitals and that means fewer are responding to calls at any given time.
Officials break ground on a new $120 million Cooper Green facility
Healthcare leaders say the current building is more than 50 years old and too expensive to maintain.
The Downtown YMCA is closing. Will other Birmingham recreation centers be able to fill the gap?
The closure will leave only one full-service YMCA that’s technically in Birmingham city limits — the Mountain Brook branch.
The Gulf South is dealing with a ‘tripledemic’ of Covid, flu and RSV as the holidays near
Health officials say now is not the time to let your guard down on protecting yourself, and others, as the three contagious viruses spread across the region.
Alabama health providers warn of unusually early flu activity
In recent weeks, outpatient providers across Alabama have reported high levels of influenza-like illness, with kids facing the highest risk of hospitalization.
Conflict between Mississippi’s largest hospital, insurer a breaking point for some residents
The ongoing contract dispute between UMMC and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Mississippi has no end in sight, forcing some to consider leaving the state for good.
Staying Pink: Jackson Women’s Health Organization is closed, but 1 group continues the fight
A small team of activists is still gathering outside of the Pink House — though the clinic has closed — to continue the fight for abortion access.
New mental health crisis center aims to interrupt revolving door of jail and ER visits
The new clinic in Jefferson County will offer short-term crisis care to people who might otherwise wait hours at a hospital or wind up in jail.
Mississippi’s latest move in its anti-abortion agenda? A tax break for corporate donations
Tax documents show energy company foundations financed the anti-abortion movement in the Gulf South for years. Now, they could get a tax break for that support.
How Dr. Emily Fortney is using her clinical psychology work to help pregnant people
Suicide is a leading cause of death in women, and mood and anxiety disorders make perinatal risks more complicated. Dr. Fortney’s work is focused on this issue.
New data show how often Alabama uses solitary confinement
Survey numbers from 2021 show that roughly five percent of people in Alabama's prisons are housed in isolation for at least 22 hours a day for 15 days or more.
Southern Decadence returns to New Orleans, marked by parades and monkeypox awareness
Health officials gave out monkeypox vaccines and encouraged everyone — not just the LGBTQ community — to take the virus more seriously at the annual festival.
A Louisiana woman sought a legal abortion and was denied. Now, she wants lawmakers to step in
The woman, who was denied an abortion after her baby was diagnosed with a lethal anomaly, is asking her state lawmakers to make the change in a special session.
A woman’s denied abortion highlights how Louisiana hospitals are in limbo post-Roe
Nancy Davis' story underscores a new reality: Even the few legal abortions are hard to get when that access is now in the hands of hospital administrators.
Local health officials plan to increase monkeypox vaccinations
Health officials will soon begin offering intradermal vaccinations, reaching more people with less vaccine.
Health department advises masks on as COVID climbs again
It’s time for Alabamians who do not want to catch COVID to put their masks back on. That was the advice from the Alabama Department of Public Health this week as cases continued to increase across the state.
Abortion-rights group navigates ‘unprecedented’ legal territory in Alabama
The Yellowhammer Fund has temporarily stopped funding abortion care for people in Alabama, amid legal concerns for clients and staff.
Jefferson County health providers ‘well equipped’ for The World Games
Officials plan to treat as many people as possible at on site medical tents. They say the biggest concern is heat-related illness.
“Expect us,” reproductive rights supporters rally across Alabama after federal abortion ruling
Alabamians took to the streets this weekend after elective abortions became a felony in the state on Friday.
After the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, Republican lawmakers applaud, others say they will sue, and some take to the streets
The ACLU of Alabama say it will continue its lawsuit to reinstate access to abortion.
What to know about Alabama abortion rights after SCOTUS overturns Roe v. Wade
The U.S. Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade, ending the constitutional right to an abortion. Here’s what the decision means for the Gulf South region.
Privacy researcher worries about a ‘scenario where everyone is a sheriff’ post-Roe
As the U.S. moves toward a post-Roe world, our digital world will need to change with it. A cybersecurity researcher explains why for the Click Here podcast.
Q&A: After federal complaint for COVID vaccine rollout, what’s next for Mississippi?
The NAACP’s and SPLC’s federal complaint claims that Mississippi didn’t equitably spend its federal COVID-19 relief funds, leaving out communities of color.
A day after SCOTUS leak, Gulf States begin to prep for a future without Roe v. Wade
While nothing officially changes until the Supreme Court delivers its decision, advocates on both sides of the issue are preparing for an end to legal abortion.
EXPLAINER: What’s known about sudden liver disease in kids
Scientist are puzzled over cases of hepatitis showing up in otherwise healthy children. Nine cases have been found in Alabama.
EXPLAINER: What medical treatments do transgender youth get
Transgender medical treatment for children and teens is under attack in many states, but it has been available for more than a decade and is endorsed by major medical associations.
As Gulf South lawmakers fight over Medicaid, new moms weigh in: ‘Safety nets do save lives’
The COVID-19 health emergency could end soon; tens of thousands of new mothers could lose their healthcare coverage unless legislators take action.
World Games officials aim for full venues amid pandemic uncertainty
Event organizers say they're following guidance from local health officials, who say it's impossible to predict COVID case numbers this summer.
