Nov. 25, 2024Ed Mahon / Spotlight PACounties fight for more freedom over how to spend opioid money with $247M more on the wayby Ed Mahon of Spotlight PASomerset County and Philadelphia are fighting decisions made by a powerful state oversight board to reject their spending plans.
Nov. 19, 2024Georgianna Sutherland / For Spotlight PAPaint, pipes, and soil can expose Pa. children to lead. How to stay safe.by Sarah Boden for Spotlight PALead is especially harmful to children because they are developing, so knowing potential exposure sources provides a first layer of protection.
Nov. 15, 2024Daniel Fishel / For Spotlight PANew database tracks how 10s of millions in opioid settlement dollars are being spent in Pennsylvaniaby Ed Mahon of Spotlight PAA first-of-its-kind database from Spotlight PA will now make it easier for the public to track Pennsylvania’s opioid settlement funds.
Nov. 12, 2024Wikimedia CommonsHoarding disorder can drive families and communities apart. Local support can help.by Sarah Boden for Spotlight PAPeople with hoarding disorder can endanger themselves and their communities if left untreated. An Irwin nonprofit is stepping up to offer support.
Oct. 29, 2024Commonwealth Media ServicesLawmakers pushed a slate of bills to improve maternal health care in Pa. Why some did — and didn’t — become law.by Stephen Caruso of Spotlight PAOne law mandates the creation of a postpartum depression awareness campaign. The other allows Medicaid reimbursement for doulas.
Oct. 25, 2024Daniel Fishel / For Spotlight PANew limits, oversight for Pa.’s medical marijuana doctors proposed in response to Spotlight PA investigationby Ed Mahon of Spotlight PAThe bill would give the Department of Health discretion on which doctors in the medical marijuana program would receive extra scrutiny.
Oct. 22, 2024Commonwealth Media ServicesBreaking rules intended to keep Pa.’s older adults safe is rarely met with state sanctionsby Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PADespite chronic issues, the Department of Aging has never taken punitive action against county agencies that don’t meet state standards.
Oct. 22, 2024Commonwealth Media ServicesState agency didn’t disclose complete info on county compliance with elder abuse rulesby Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PAThe incomplete information created a false impression about how frequently county aging offices have complied with state regulations.
Oct. 15, 2024Commonwealth Media ServicesIncreasing nursing home closures in Pa. affect access to and quality of careby Sarah Boden for Spotlight PAWhen Pa. nursing homes close, families and communities have to fill the gaps. Advocates for older adults warn that more closures loom if structural funding and staffing issues aren’t solved.
Oct. 10, 2024Courtesy of campaign Facebook pagesWhere Pa.’s attorney general candidates stand on abortion accessby Kate Huangpu of Spotlight PAThe next Pennsylvania attorney general will play a key role in defending the state’s abortion laws. Here’s where Democrat Eugene DePasquale and Republican Dave Sunday stand.
Oct. 8, 2024Commonwealth Media ServicesChanges in abortion access are shifting how doulas help patientsby Sarah Boden for Spotlight PAAbortion doulas help patients navigate the possible pain, discomfort, and emotions that arise when ending a pregnancy, along with the logistical hurdles they might face in seeking care.
Oct. 2, 2024Ed Mahon / Spotlight PAThousands more Pennsylvania medical professionals could approve cannabis patients under proposalsby Ed Mahon of Spotlight PAThe changes could increase options for patients, supporters say.
Sept. 17, 2024Commonwealth Media ServicesHospital mergers are giving rise to opaque ‘facility fees’ that add costs to medical billsby Sarah Boden for Spotlight PAConsolidations in the health care industry are driving opaque charges that experts say more and more patients are seeing on their bills.
Sept. 10, 2024Commonwealth Media ServicesThese tools can help new and expecting Pa. parents find child care that meets their needsby Sarah Boden for Spotlight PAChild care researchers and providers recommend expecting parents begin searching for programs early and use Pennsylvania’s statewide rating system, among other tools.
Sept. 4, 2024Daniel Fishel / For Spotlight PASpotlight PA investigation spurs call for more oversight of who can be a medical marijuana doctorby Ed MahonA proposal could clarify eligibility for physicians, and it’s intended “to protect the health and safety of the patients” in Pennsylvania’s medical marijuana program, two lawmakers say.
Sept. 3, 2024Commonwealth Media ServicesWho needs and provides care in Pennsylvania, by the numbersby Sarah Boden for Spotlight PADemographic data on caregiving in Pennsylvania show some of the pay, gender, and health factors that influence the quality of care.
Aug. 30, 2024Kent M. Wilhelm / Spotlight PAAbortion, climate change cases await decisions from Pa.’s highest courtsby Kate Huangpu of Spotlight PAWhile the Pennsylvania Supreme Court often has the final say on major policy decisions, it can take months or years for the justices to render their opinions.
Aug. 27, 2024Ed Mahon / Spotlight PAPublic voices often ignored in states’ opioid settlement money decisionsby Ed Mahon for Spotlight PA, Aneri Pattani for KFF Health News, and Henry Larweh for KFF Health NewsIn many places, the voices of victims are silenced when it comes to how to use opioid settlement money, a first-of-its-kind survey conducted by KFF Health News and Spotlight PA found.
Aug. 27, 2024Commonwealth Media ServicesRising vaccine exemptions in Pa. schools up chance of measles outbreaksby Sarah Boden for Spotlight PAVaccines help Pennsylvania school officials keep children safe from preventable diseases like tetanus and measles. But rising requests for exemptions to the shots are making this work fraught.
Aug. 26, 2024Daniel Fishel / For Spotlight PAPrior misconduct rarely an obstacle for doctors in Pennsylvania’s medical marijuana programby Ed Mahon of Spotlight PAOne doctor’s battle to rejoin Pennsylvania’s medical marijuana program reveals how the state wields its gatekeeping power.
Aug. 20, 2024Courtesy of UPMCRecovering from a stroke is hard and isolating work. Stroke camps give survivors and caretakers a break.by Sarah Boden for Spotlight PAAt stroke camps, staff and volunteers help participants find community and reprieve during recovery. Survivors and their caregivers alike attend.
Aug. 16, 2024Nate Smallwood / For Spotlight PAThe fight over giving out needles to drug users in Pa., explained in 9 numbersby Ed Mahon of Spotlight PAOpioid settlements support syringe programs, but they're considered illegal across most of Pennsylvania. A look at the numbers sheds light on the conflict.
Aug. 13, 2024Commonwealth Media ServicesHow Pennsylvanians are helping their older neighbors age comfortablyby Sarah Boden for Spotlight PAOlder adults benefit from volunteer care that keeps them in familiar settings, which help them maintain comfort, autonomy, and finances as they age.
Aug. 6, 2024Quinn Glabicki / for Spotlight PA & PublicSourceHigh temps can make people with dementia irritable, confused, and uncomfortable. What to know.by Sarah Boden for Spotlight PAPeople with Alzheimer’s disease or other conditions that cause cognitive decline can struggle to say they are hot during extreme heat, so caregivers must watch for changes in behavior.
July 30, 2024Commonwealth Media ServicesLatest Pa. budget leaves embattled child care industry without much-needed funding to boost staffingby Sarah Boden for Spotlight PALow wages make it difficult for Pa. child care providers to hire and retain staff, which can lead to long wait lists and abrupt closures.
July 16, 2024Commonwealth Media ServicesFree period products coming to some Pa. schools thanks to $3M budget commitmentby Sarah Nicell for Spotlight PAGov. Josh Shapiro signed off on a $3 million grant program to provide free period products to Pennsylvania schools. Many key details still need to be worked out.
July 8, 2024Daniel Fishel / For Spotlight PAWhat you need to know about Pa.’s slow elder abuse investigationsby Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PAHere are key takeaways from Spotlight PA’s months-long investigation into woefully slow investigations of allegations of abuse and neglect involving older adults.
July 3, 2024Daniel Fishel / For Spotlight PAAbuse and neglect investigations of aging Pennsylvanians are woefully slow. The results can be devastating.by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PAMost of Pennsylvania’s 52 county agencies responsible for protecting older adults are failing to swiftly review complaints of suspected abuse or neglect.
July 2, 2024Commonwealth Media ServicesADHD patients in Pa. struggle to find medication and maintain normalcy amid ongoing shortageby Sarah Boden for Spotlight PAShortages of ADHD medications have forced patients to ration and to spend hours calling different pharmacies to get prescriptions filled.
June 28, 2024Commonwealth Media ServicesWhich version of Medicare is best: traditional coverage or Medicare Advantage?by Sarah Boden for Spotlight PAThere are significant tradeoffs between traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage. In this Q&A, an expert explains the different benefits.
