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Too many pregnant Kentuckians and their babies lack access to care. Midwives say they could help.
During three of her four pregnancies, Laura Browning drove three hours round-trip past hospitals to get prenatal care from midwives in Lexington, the only place that offered what she needed.? She even made the trip while in labor with her first baby, feeling that “the care that I was receiving” from the midwives “was worth […]
Introducing Kentucky Lantern’s health reporter
Every time I write a Kentucky health story, I’m reminded of when I was 13 and my “GrandG” taught me to crochet. It took weeks for my fingers to find their way and steadily stitch together yarn that took the shapes of scarves, blankets, potholders.? Often, because I was new at it, my needle slipped […]
Residential foster care in Kentucky is physically, mentally unsafe, say some who have been there
One young adult remembers taking a daily allergy pill upon entering a Kentucky residential foster care facility and leaving “on 13 medications within six months.” Another lost the privilege of calling their mother after a riot at their location.? These were among the experiences 46 young adults shared with Kentucky Youth Advocates’ researchers, who examined […]
What can Kentucky do to prepare for the next pandemic or epidemic? Experts weigh in.
Even as Kentucky reels and recovers from COVID-19 in what some have touted as the “new normal,” experts say there are systemic steps we could take now to prepare for the next big health crisis.? Chief of all, experts told the Kentucky Lantern, is building trust between the general public and health officials, the shortage […]
As anniversary of deadly tornadoes nears, mental health experts are on alert
This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide, please call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988.? Army veteran and crisis counselor Brian Bowen fought in an Iraq war zone.? But even the devastation he saw in combat didn’t compare to the leveling of Mayfield after an EF4 […]
State should not withdraw safety net as disasters compound childhood trauma, advocates say
In 2020, more than 1,000 Kentucky children were physically abused, more than 15,000 were neglected and almost 800 were sexually abused.? Experts say these numbers, which come from a new Kentucky Youth Advocates report on adverse childhood experiences, are only what’s reported. They’re likely worse.? Adverse childhood experiences, more commonly known as ACEs, refer to […]