The Lake County Health Department announced Thursday it had received confirmation of West Nile virus in Northwest Indiana. The news comes a few days after the state’s first West Nile virus case this year, found in a Vanderburgh County resident. The Indiana Department of Health said that several of its mosquito surveillance trap samples tested […]
Health
Posted inElections, Health, Indiana Black Legislative Caucus, Mental Health, Politics & Policy
New Indiana Laws Could Strip Health Coverage, Voting Access in Gary
New state laws that took effect July 1 are drawing attention across Indiana, particularly in places like Gary, where access to health care and the ballot box is already uneven. In a city like Gary, where voter turnout is often low and civic trust is fragile, the new laws raise the stakes ahead of the […]
Posted inCommunity, Health
With Food Aid at Risk, Meals on Wheels Steps Up in Gary
Bap, bap ba ba bap – bap bap. Around 1 p.m. on a recent Thursday afternoon, 90-year-old Sophia Vann heard a knock on her front door. Standing on the steps of the longtime Gary resident’s Miller home was a very familiar face: former Gary Mayor Jerome Prince, holding a lunch bag filled with food. This […]
Posted inHealth, Mental Health, News
Gary Launches Behavioral Health Division, Awarding $900K to 10 Local Health Organizations
Gary is launching a new Behavioral Health Division and awarding $900,000 in grants to local organizations, marking a major step in the city’s effort to expand access to mental health and addiction services. At a press conference on Thursday, Mayor Eddie Melton announced the new division along with the recipients of the funding while highlighting […]
Posted inHealth
Lake County’s Free HIV Testing Effort Aims to Reduce Stigma & Save Lives
Talking about HIV – It’s uncomfortable. It’s necessary. It’s lifesaving. The Lake County Health Department, in partnership with HIV awareness group The Aliveness Project, is offering free HIV testing to Lake County residents in recognition of National HIV Testing Day on June 27. The effort comes at a time when testing remains uneven, stigma persists […]
Posted inHealth
Gary Opens Doors to Its First NorthShore Health Center
NorthShore Health Centers opened its first Gary clinic Tuesday, complete with confetti and “Welcome Gary” signs. The new facility at 2200 Grant St. brings family practice, dental, optical, behavioral, and women’s health care under one roof — expanding access in a city served by just one hospital and sparing patients 10- to 15-mile trips for […]
Posted inHealth, Politics & Policy, State Government
Indiana Medicaid Changes Could Leave Gary Residents Without Coverage
New state legislation in Indiana could significantly change how Medicaid and the Healthy Indiana Plan (HIP) are managed. Signed by Gov. Mike Braun last week and set to go into effect on July 1, these changes are expected to affect low-income residents, including those in Gary, by tightening eligibility verification, imposing new financial requirements, and […]
Posted inMaternal Health
The Black Maternal Health Crisis Is Getting Worse. One Expert Details the Resources Available to Help Solve It.
This series was produced as part of the Pulitzer Center’s StoryReach U.S. Fellowship. In the U.S., Black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women. April is recognized as National Minority Health Month, a national initiative to advance health equity for racial and ethnic minorities. Within the month, Black […]
Posted inHealth
Confirmed Measles Cases in Indiana Prompt Action in Lake County
With Indiana reporting its first confirmed measles cases of the year, Lake County health officials are expanding vaccination efforts to guard against a potential spread of the virus. This week, the Indiana Department of Health confirmed six measles cases in Allen County, nearly three hours away from Lake County and its Gary residents. All six cases […]
Posted inHealth, Public Services, State Government
Advocates Fight Medicaid Cuts in Indiana, Calling Them a Direct Threat to Health
Pamela Johnson worries about what could happen to her grandson, Robin Johnson Singleton, if Medicaid is cut. Robin, who has Down syndrome, has been on Medicaid since birth. The nine-year-old is now in third grade and, thriving after several surgeries, relies on Medicaid for the care that keeps him healthy. “I would think the people […]
