Health Care

Pulling Back the Curtain on the Health Industry and Regulation

Breach of Trust

When Therapists Lose Their Licenses, Some Turn to the Unregulated Life Coaching Industry Instead

Despite past misconduct, some former therapists have continued their careers as life coaches. Now, after a high-profile conviction in Utah, legislators are asking whether it’s time for more oversight.

by Jessica Miller, The Salt Lake Tribune, June 17, 8 a.m. EDT

Local Reporting Network

Committed to Jail

This Mississippi Hospital Transfers Some Patients to Jail to Await Mental Health Treatment

Baptist Memorial Hospital-DeSoto doesn’t have a psychiatric unit, so it sends patients elsewhere for mental health treatment. When publicly funded facilities are full, some patients go to jail to wait for help. One doctor said that’s “unthinkable.”

by Isabelle Taft, Mississippi Today, May 28, 6 a.m. EDT

Local Reporting Network

Long-Term Challenge

Maine’s Health Department Rarely Investigates When Residents Wander Away From Their Care Facilities

Elopement — when a resident wanders out of a care home — is a real risk, particularly for people with dementia. But in the vast majority of cases in the state, the facilities are never inspected and rarely sanctioned.

by Rose Lundy, The Maine Monitor, May 28, 5 a.m. EDT

Local Reporting Network

Kristi Noem Said She Is Proud to “Support Babies, Moms, and Families.” Her Record Shows Otherwise, Critics Say.

As South Dakota governor, Noem has rejected programs and millions of dollars in federal funds that would have benefited parents and children and provided care during pregnancy. Critics say her rhetoric is “all hat and no cattle.”

by Jessica Lussenhop, May 20, 5 a.m. EDT

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Impact of Our Reporting

Stillbirths

Bill to Fund Stillbirth Prevention and Research Passes Congress

The bill expands the use of existing federal money to be used to fight stillbirths. Lawmakers cited ProPublica’s reporting on the issue as key to adding urgency and building support for the measure.

by Duaa Eldeib, June 12, 7 a.m. EDT

Committed to Jail

Mississippi Lawmakers Move to Limit the Jail Detentions of People Awaiting Mental Health Treatment

Supporters say the measure is a step forward in curbing the number of people jailed during civil commitment. But some local officials say the impact will be limited unless the state makes other changes, including adding psychiatric beds.

by Kate Royals, Mississippi Today, May 13, 6 a.m. EDT

Local Reporting Network

FDA Moves to Scrutinize Specialized Health Screenings

The agency issued a rule that brings new scrutiny to a range of critical lab-developed tests, including certain cancer and prenatal screenings. ProPublica previously reported how lab-test accuracy and marketing had skirted federal oversight.

by Anna Clark, April 30, 2 p.m. EDT