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The Columbus Dispatch The Columbus Dispatch
Samantha Hendrickson covers costs, health and food for Columbus Dispatch

Samantha Hendrickson covers costs, health and food for Columbus Dispatch

Reporter Samantha Hendrickson has worked for The Dispatch since 2024.
The Columbus Dispatch The Columbus Dispatch
GLP-1 drug costs are soaring. How are central Ohio governments coping?

GLP-1 drug costs are soaring. How are central Ohio governments coping?

Local municipalities and school districts are grappling with pressures of rising costs associated with increased use of weight loss drugs.
The Columbus Dispatch The Columbus Dispatch
Archery season for deer hunters in Ohio starts in September

Archery season for deer hunters in Ohio starts in September

Area hunters do not have long to wait to take their bows and pursue Ohio deer. Here are the rules and dates to be aware of.
The Columbus Dispatch The Columbus Dispatch
In Ohio, new cases of illness caused by cyclospora parasite increase again

In Ohio, new cases of illness caused by cyclospora parasite increase again

After four weeks of declines, Ohio saw a 47% increase in new cyclosporiasis cases on Sept. 3. Here are the latest case numbers for the year.
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Ohio Department of Health Launches Pediatric Complex Care Navigation Program for Childhood Cancer Patients

Ohio Department of Health Launches Pediatric Complex Care Navigation Program for Childhood Cancer Patients

The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) has introduced the Pediatric Complex Care Navigation Program, an extension of its existing Complex Medical Help Program. This new initiative aims to provide support to families of pediatric cancer patients by adding staff dedicated to connecting them with crucial resources such as doctors, clinical trials, and insurance information. Governor Mike DeWine and ODH Director Bruce Vanderhoff announced the program, highlighting its goal to alleviate the burden on parents who often spend significant time researching treatment options while caring for their children. The program is currently funded by federal grants, with future funding dependent on its evolution and development. The inspiration for the program partly stems from the experience of Cassie Zurlinden, whose son Jayden died of osteosarcoma, and who emphasized the need for navigators to give parents more time with their children.
The Columbus Dispatch The Columbus Dispatch
Ohio GOP lawmaker wants to ban most Flock camera surveillance

Ohio GOP lawmaker wants to ban most Flock camera surveillance

As local leaders pause Flock camera programs over concerns about mass surveillance, a Republican lawmaker wants to ban most of them.
The Columbus Dispatch The Columbus Dispatch
Carl Walz went from watching Neil Armstrong to setting a space record

Carl Walz went from watching Neil Armstrong to setting a space record

Astronaut Carl Walz applied multiple times to NASA's astronaut program before he was finally accepted.
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UF Health Launches $3.75 Million NIH-Funded Study to Expand Doula Access for Underserved Women in Florida

UF Health Launches $3.75 Million NIH-Funded Study to Expand Doula Access for Underserved Women in Florida

UF Health has initiated a four-year, $3.75 million study, named UNITE, funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), to investigate and expand the benefits of doula care for underserved women in North Central Florida's Medicaid system. The study aims to address socioeconomic and racial disparities in healthcare access, particularly concerning maternal health. Doulas, who are professional non-medical maternal health aides, provide support throughout pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. Research indicates that doula support can significantly reduce the risk of cesarean surgeries by 53% and decrease the onset of postpartum depression and anxiety by over 57%. The UNITE study will focus on postpartum care, a critical period where one-third to one-half of all pregnancy-related deaths in Florida occur, with 69% deemed preventable. While postpartum-specific doula care is covered by Medicaid in 27 states, it is not yet a standardized benefit in Florida, despite other pregnancy and birth doula services being cover...
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NYITCOM-Arkansas Secures $1.5 Million Grant for Rural Maternal Health Initiative

NYITCOM-Arkansas Secures $1.5 Million Grant for Rural Maternal Health Initiative

NYITCOM-Arkansas, the College of Osteopathic Medicine at Arkansas State University, has been awarded a $1.5 million grant. This funding, provided through the Promoting Access, Coordination, and Transportation (PACT) phase of Arkansas’s Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP), will establish the Mobile Health Unit Maternal Health and Education Access initiative. The program, operating through the medical school’s Delta Population Health Institute (DPHI), aims to enhance maternal healthcare access in medically underserved areas, specifically Mississippi and Poinsett Counties. The initiative will deploy a Mobile Maternal Health Unit to conduct clinics, purchase and staff two passenger transportation vehicles for specialty care access, and utilize telehealth for remote consultations. This effort builds upon DPHI's previous Maternal Health Learning and Care Communities initiative, which provided insights into the barriers affecting maternal health in the Delta region, such as limited access to providers, tra...
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Ohio Delays SNAP Sugary Drink Ban at U.S. Department of Agriculture's Request

Ohio Delays SNAP Sugary Drink Ban at U.S. Department of Agriculture's Request

Ohio has postponed the implementation of a restriction that would have limited the purchase of certain sugary drinks using Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Matt Damschroder, Director of the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, announced the delay, which was made at the request of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food and Nutrition Administration. The ban, initially scheduled to begin on October 1, would have restricted SNAP benefits for beverages listing sugar, corn syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, or similar caloric sweeteners as the primary or second ingredient (if the first is carbonated water). The USDA had previously approved Ohio's waiver to implement these restrictions earlier in the year.
Detroit Free Press Detroit Free Press
What shocked me the most after Haitian student's death | Opinion

What shocked me the most after Haitian student's death | Opinion

Pierre Damas Bel's death tells the world that the American dream is at worst a myth and at best meant only for those with the right skin color.
The Columbus Dispatch The Columbus Dispatch
Ohio high school football takeaways from Week 3 games in Columbus area

Ohio high school football takeaways from Week 3 games in Columbus area

What happened in Week 3 of the 2026 OHSAA football season in the Columbus area? Read our takeaways.