Access To Care

During his about a year-and-a-half stay at Mildred Mitchell-Bateman Hospital in Huntington, Richard Rothermund gained 60 pounds and his health drastically declined. He died at age 40 on Dec. 17, 2021. Photos: Provided
During his about a year-and-a-half stay at Mildred Mitchell-Bateman Hospital in Huntington, Richard Rothermund gained 60 pounds and his health drastically declined. He died at age 40 on Dec. 17, 2021. Photos: Provided

For This W.Va. Family, Legislative Attention on ‘Warehousing’ People with Intellectual Disabilities at State Hospitals Is too Late

Richard Rothermund was healthy and generally happy before he was confined to Mildred Mitchell-Bateman Hospital in Huntington in 2020, according to Sue Rouse, his mother. There, Sue says, a lack of independence, separation from loved ones and the decline of joyful moments in his life led to the drastic deterioration […]

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Jala Rucker is a community health worker in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, working with patients in her northside neighborhood of Manchester through Project Destiny. Photo: David Smith/100 Days in Appalachia

From Appalachian Cities to Hollers, Community Health Workers Are a ‘Course Correction to Inclusion’

“Housing is health care,” says Jala Rucker, “a community health worker with Project Destiny in Pittsburgh. “It’s hard to think about anything else when your shelter is at risk.” Project Destiny provides a variety of services to residents of otherwise underserved communities on the city’s northside. About 75 percent of […]

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Promises Kept? On Health Care, Trump’s Claims of ‘Monumental Steps’ Don’t Add Up

When it comes to health care, President Donald Trump has promised far more than he has delivered. But that doesn’t mean his administration has had no impact on health issues — including the operation of the Affordable Care Act, prescription drug prices and women’s access to reproductive health services. In […]

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When a Medical Diagnosis is Complex, A Navigator Who Looks Like the Patient Can Make All the Difference

Soledad Estrada-Castrejon felt self-conscious about her rosary. It wasn’t that anyone had said anything negative. Still, she wasn’t entirely comfortable clutching her beads and praying around people she didn’t know. Maria Alejandra Combs understood and offered Estrada-Castrejon reassurance.  Estrada-Castrejon was born in Mexico; Combs in Venezuela– different cultures in many […]

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