Capturing Black Health & Wellness for longer lives

The co-chairs of the Pennsylvania Black Maternal Health Caucus on Monday held their PA MOMNIBUS 2025 Day at the state Capitol. The events of the day were held to observe the progress of the group in the previous legislative session and highlight the new PA MOMNIBUS 2.0 legislative package for the 2025-26 session.

The PA MOMNIBUS 2.0 is a comprehensive legislative package, crafted for Pennsylvania to directly confront the staggering rate of Black maternal mortality and morbidity in Pennsylvania. The package of legislation would establish programs to tackle social determinants of health and provide essential resources and support to new moms and postpartum people. Together, these proposals represent a significant step toward promoting maternal health equity and ensuring the well-being of all moms and birthing people in Pennsylvania.

Co-Chair Rep. La’Tasha D. Mayes, D-Allegheny, led the day with a news conference to celebrate the continued efforts of the caucus and their legislative wins.

“We are building on the successes we had in the last legislative session,” Mayes said. “We’re continuing to advocate for policy-based legislative solutions to the way we face maternal health deserts in rural communities and the urban core; we’re addressing substance abuse disorder because it’s a driver of post-partum death; we’re looking to uplift midwifery and center midwives in our fight. We encourage all of our colleagues to ‘get on the bus’ and support our efforts to improve maternal healthcare and birthing outcomes for mothers across Pennsylvania.”

The caucus was launched in 2023 by Mayes, Rep. Gina H. Curry, D-Delaware, and Rep. Morgan Cephas, D-Phila., and realized quick success with their initial PA MOMNIBUS in the 2024-25 legislative session, having five bills pass in the House with two of those becoming law in Pennsylvania. PA MOMNIBUS 2.0 is a collection of 10 House bills with a more strategic approach to addressing the critical disparities in maternal healthcare, particularly for Black mothers who have higher rates of morbidity and mortality in Pennsylvania.

Curry outlined the inspiration of the caucus which drives their work.

“We’re standing here today because mothers are still dying when they don’t have to,” Curry said. “We are driven by the statistic that 93.5% of pregnancy-related deaths are preventable. We are not doing this work in vain; we are lifting up each of those lives that have been lost, lifting up each family that has experienced loss, and we will continue this work in their memory because we have had success, but there is much more work to be done.”

Cephas, whose bill to require Medicaid coverage of doula services became Act 115 of 2024, touted the successes of the caucus while looking to the potential impacts of federal funding cuts.

“This is a caucus that is delivering results. We are standing on those building blocks and taking real steps forward,” Cephas said.

“We’re watching closely the steps being taken at the federal level to cut Medicaid for our communities. We know that will be detrimental to so many of our families. Medicaid covers nearly 41% of all births in the United States, and these draconian cuts would eliminate a lifeline for millions of pregnant women, especially those in low-income communities and in rural areas of PA where we’re already seeing people travelling across state borders to Ohio and West Virginia to access care. We are going to hold to our coalition and stay laser focused to ensure that Pennsylvania moms are not left behind in this moment.”

Earlier in the day, the House Health Committee approved two pieces of legislation in the package. House Bill 1212, the PA Dads Matter Act sponsored by Rep. Aerion Abney, D-Allegheny and Cephas, and H.B. 1234 sponsored by Mayes, which would expand Medical Assistance programs to cover blood pressure monitors as a pregnancy-related service, are now in position for consideration by the full House of Representatives as early as the week of June 23.

Last week on June 10, H.B. 1088 sponsored by Rep. Mandy Steele, D-Allegheny, became the first bill in the package to pass the full House of Representatives and awaits consideration by the state Senate. Hypertension and high-blood pressure are leading causes of death for mothers – H.B. 1088 would require insurance coverage of blood-pressure monitors as a pregnancy-related service as a companion to Mayes’ bill covering Medical Assistance coverage of the same.

The day’s events wrapped up with a roundtable discussion on the PA MOMNIBUS 2.0 legislative package with caucus co-chairs and bill prime sponsors, followed by the caucus’s inaugural Spring Legislative Reception for legislators and attendees with remarks by House Democratic Caucus leadership, local elected officials and national maternal health organizations.

The PA Black Maternal Health Caucus is a bicameral group comprised of over 60 legislators focused on boldly addressing the disturbing trends of Black maternal mortality and morbidity in the state through strategic, intersectional legislation and policy.

Governor Josh Shapiro's 2024-25 budget proposal includes $5.2 million for Pennsylvania's 52 Area Agencies on Aging to offer and expand innovative housing initiatives. 

Harrisburg, PA –The Pennsylvania Department of Aging today announced it has launched its first-ever marketing campaign to promote its Domiciliary Care housing program, also known as Dom Care, to Pennsylvanians who have some extra room in their home and wouldn't mind some extra company.  

Dom Care providers open their homes to offer a family-like living environment, daily support and supervision to adults aged 18 and older who are unable to live independently in their community, yet do not require the level of care provided by a long-term care facility. Dom Care providers receive monthly compensation and many other rewards. When surveyed on why they participate in the program, Dom Care providers have reported they enjoy helping and giving back to others in the community, welcoming residents and watching them succeed, providing a secure home to another in need, and companionship. 

The “Open Your Door" campaign, which features television and online ads including Facebook, is now running and is designed to reach and appeal to multiple age groups.

“The Dom Care program offers a person the opportunity to live in a safe, caring home with a  host provider who has the room, capability, compassion, and understanding to supply the basic necessities so the residents can live and thrive in their communities in a home setting," said Secretary of Aging Jason Kavulich. “The Department is truly grateful for the homeowners who have been serving as Dom Care providers over the years. Unfortunately, we're seeing many of them age out of the program and in need of help themselves. We encourage everyone in the counties offering the Dom Care program to consider hosting a community member who needs some extra support and a place to call home." 

The Dom Care program is currently available in 31 counties: Adams, Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Bedford, Blair, Butler, Cambria, Centre, Columbia, Crawford, Dauphin, Delaware, Erie, Fayette, Greene, Huntingdon, Jefferson, Lackawanna, Lancaster, Luzerne, McKean, Mifflin, Montgomery, Philadelphia, Snyder, Somerset, Washington, Westmoreland, Wyoming, and York.

Dom Care providers must be aged 21 and older and receive certification by the local Area Agency on Aging (AAA) to provide supportive services in their home, to no more than three eligible individuals. Providers receive a monthly stipend for sharing their home and providing services to Dom Care residents.

How does Dom Care work? The local AAA works with Dom Care providers and Dom Care residents to match them based on needs, preferences, and interests. A trial visit is set up prior to the resident moving into the Dom Care home to ensure the provider and resident are a compatible match. Once a resident moves into the home, they receive supervision, a bedroom with basic furnishings, three nutritious meals a day, assistance with personal care, laundry, medications, and transportation to non-emergency medical appointments. The AAA supplies ongoing care management to the residents and support to the provider.

Residents pay their Dom Care provider a monthly rate, established by the Department of Aging. Individuals receiving Social Security Income (SSI) are eligible to receive a state supplement which covers the monthly payment to their provider and provides the individual with a monthly personal needs allowance.

There are currently 286 Dom Care providers serving 538 residents in Pennsylvania.

In addition to the marketing campaign to promote Dom Care, PDA has requested $5.2 million in Governor Josh Shapiro's proposed 2024-25 budget to strengthen the 52 AAAs' capacity to offer and expand innovative and unique housing opportunities, including Dom Care. 

Learn More about the Program

UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital, a worldwide leader in women's health and research, has been recognized for its success in supporting Black maternal health by U.S. News & World Report. This recognition comes during Black Maternal Health Week, April 11-17, 2024. UPMC Magee-Womens is the only hospital in Pennsylvania to receive this recognition. 

“We are honored to be recognized for our efforts in improving maternal health outcomes for Black women,” said Richard Beigi, M.D., president, UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital. “Here at UPMC, our providers, nurses, hospital staff and community members are all working toward health equity and creating positive birthing experiences for all vulnerable populations – especially pregnant people of color.” 

The U.S. News analysis of all high-performing maternity care hospitals in the U.S., which UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital was recognized for in December 2023, identified just 26 hospitals achieving excellent outcomes for cesarean section and unexpected newborn complications among Black patients.  

For the last few years, the use of doulas has been a major focus at UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital for all underserved women and is well-documented to provide better clinical outcomes for both the birthing person and baby. The Birth Circle Doulas of Magee program provides individualized doula support at no cost for at-risk women experiencing a disproportionate disadvantage from adverse social determinants of health during pregnancy, delivery, and the postpartum period with both face-to-face encounters and remote (telehealth) support. 

“The ability to deliver doula support during pregnancy with the right people to the right patient is essential to eliminate health disparities for all women of color in the local community,” added Beigi.   

Other UPMC programs and events to spread awareness about Black maternal health this year include:  

• Birthing While Black “Listening Session”  
  • Listening session will address healthcare disparities, diversity representation and how to improve maternal health outcomes among women of color.  
  • WHEN: Monday, April 15, 6 to 8 p.m.  
  • WHERE: Uansa Village Community Room, 11 Helen & Robbs Sts., McKees Rocks, Pa. 
• Mommy and Me Baby Expo  
  • A baby expo for moms to learn about labor pain management, pregnancy yoga, and infant CPR. Attendees can take part in health screenings, dental cleanings, on-site demonstrations, and giveaways. 
  • WHEN: Saturday, April 20, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. 
  • WHERE: UPMC Health Plan Neighborhood Center, 6401 Penn Ave., Pittsburgh, Pa. 15206 

To address disparities in health care, co-chairs of the Pennsylvania Black Maternal Health Caucus Reps. Morgan Cephas, D-Phila.; Gina H. Curry, D-Delaware; and La’Tasha D. Mayes, D-Allegheny, and caucus members introduced the Momnibus legislative package, which outlines a group of bills to decrease maternal morbidity and mortality in Pennsylvania.

The bills would:

• Require health-related boards within the Department of State to complete implicit bias training as part of continuing education requirements.
• Extend Medicaid coverage to doula services, as well as establish the Doula Advisory Board to set standards and requirements for doulas.
• Require health insurance to cover doula services.
• Require health insurance to cover blood pressure monitors for pregnant and postpartum enrollees.
• Expand Medicaid coverage of blood pressure monitors for pregnant and postpartum enrollees.
• Designate maternal health deserts to target investments in maternal health care services.
• Enhance access to mental health services for pregnant or postpartum patients.
• Establish a program to distribute essential resources to new mothers.

“Our Momnibus package is the culmination of years of work to address the critical issues surrounding maternal health and well-being,” Cephas said. “These core areas of increasing access to care, eliminating maternal health deserts, and addressing social determinants of health, guide our focus in this comprehensive platform. This caucus has done an amazing job of developing a multi-pronged approach to achieve health and maternal care equity for birthing people across the state no matter where they live.”

Curry said: “When my co-chairs Reps. Cephas, Mayes, and I created the PA Black Maternal Health Caucus back in October 2023, we knew we had no time to wait before we sprinted into action. In my district and all across the commonwealth, women have become victims of health care system closures. These closures have created an alarmingly increasing problem of maternal health deserts. Nineteen counties in Pennsylvania have hospitals that don’t provide obstetric services and don’t have accredited freestanding birth centers. Thirty-one counties don’t have a Newborn Intensive Care Unit. This is a horrifying reality and one that we want to change now. 

“The Momnibus legislation does many things, but most importantly, it will bring forth into motion the beginning stages of good legislation that will prevent Black mommas and birthing folks and all mommas throughout the commonwealth from dying and create a Pennsylvania where the birthing journey will bring joy and healthy live birthing experiences, leading to happier and healthier children, mothers, families and communities for generations to come. When we actively address the devastation that has created fear and destroyed hope around Black maternal health, we are addressing the restoration of hope in the birthing experiences that are yet to come.”

Mayes said: “Prior to the birth of my daughter Charlotte, up until my partner Heather and I were admitted to the hospital, I worried about my partner’s health, especially as Black patients are at the highest risk for maternal mortality and morbidity and we were grateful to welcome our child into the world. This underlying fear that I felt is rooted in dangerous medical assumptions about Black bodies and implicit biases that put patients at risk, especially pregnant Black women. We must address these race-based and gender-based disparities to ensure health care is equitable for all moms, birthing people and all Pennsylvanians. Thanks to my co-chairs and members of the PBMHC, the Pennsylvania Momnibus package represents the groundbreaking opportunity to pass legislation that boldly addresses the maternal health care crisis in our commonwealth, reduces maternal morbidity and mortality, and ensures pregnant and postpartum patients have access to critical resources.”

The co-chairs, as well as Reps. Lisa Borowski, D-Delaware, Elizabeth Fiedler, D-Phila., and Mandy Steele, D-Allegheny, modeled Pennsylvania’s Momnibus legislation after federal bills introduced by U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood, D-Illinois, and U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, D-New Jersey.

A livestream of the news conference is available here.

The Functional Literacy Ministry of Haiti (FLM Haiti) will launch “Hearts for Haiti,” a 30-day fund-raising campaign, on Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14, 2024. The campaign ends March 14, 2024.

This year, “Hearts for Haiti” aims to show the families of Haiti how much we care for and are praying with them during challenging times in Haiti. One of the greatest challenges in Haiti is the high levels of hypertension, or high blood pressure, in the community. The Hearts for Haiti campaign is aimed at building awareness on the critical matter of high blood pressure in Haiti. 

According to the National Institute of Health and the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, in Haiti:

·  hypertension is the No. 1 cause of morbidity

·  causes 45 % of heart failures

·  is responsible for 70% of cardiovascular disease-related hospital admissions

In addition, the number of young adults living with hypertension in Haiti is 2 to 4 times greater than the number of young Black adults living with hypertension in the United States; and, while 97% of adults in Haiti have been screened for high blood pressure, only 13% have it under control.

Through it all, FLM Haiti continues to help the Haitians help themselves. In 2023, FLM’s House of David Clinic monitored and treated 250 patients in our blood pressure monitoring program. With your prayers and financial gifts, our Hearts for Haiti campaign can help these “heart health” numbers improve in 2024 and beyond. Your contributions help our medical team to address hypertension so we can help improve lives.

To contribute to this special month-long campaign to address hypertension, 

· Donate $40, $80, or $160, or more

· Commit to a month of prayer for FLM and Haiti

· Invite 4 friends to donate at least $40 (or more)

· Share this link  www.flmhaiti.org/donate with 14 people in your network

· Ask that your church, fraternal or social organization, or family take up a special collection

The “hearts” of those in Haiti are counting on you.

“Your donations and gifts show love in action,” says Bishop Leon Pamphile, CEO and founder of FLM Haiti. “It is a way to not only share the gospel but also our generosity. High blood pressure is a major health issue in Haiti. Your contribution enables our clinic to buy medicines to help control this disease.”

In addition to aiding the high blood programs, for FLM Haiti, more than 90 percent of the funding raised supports teacher and physician salaries, food to feed the students, tuition relief, equipment, and medicine and other supplies. 

For more information, please contact: 412-784-0342

Founded in 1983, Functional Literacy Ministry of Haiti (FLM Haiti) is a Christian nonprofit that works with the people in the mountain highland communities south of Port-au-Prince, the capital city of Haiti.

Department of Human Services (DHS) Secretary Dr. Val Arkoosh today visited Pittsburgh Mercy, one of the region’s largest social services nonprofit organizations, alongside Representative Dan Frankel to tour Second Avenue Commons, a year-round, low-barrier shelter and engagement center, Bethlehem Haven’s medical respite, and discussed how health care has improved for unhoused individuals covered by Medicaid. This visit included spending time with health care providers and their unhoused patients during street medicine rounds. DHS staff and legislators observed first-hand the greater support for care provided to unhoused people since the Shapiro Administration took action to allow street medicine providers to be reimbursed through Medicaid for care given outside of a traditional clinical setting.  

Before the Administration’s announcement, health care providers could only be reimbursed for services delivered in a health care facility – like a doctor’s office – even if those same services were delivered in a shelter or outside. 

“Spending time with street medicine providers was a great opportunity to witness on-the-ground improvements for our most vulnerable Pennsylvanians, from wound care to counseling and essential preventative health services that are now more accessible because of state and federal changes to Medicaid that recognize the value of this practice,” said Secretary Arkoosh. “People experiencing homelessness can have complex needs and face many barriers to health care, and by having compassionate health care providers available to them where they are is vital. This work puts more people on a path to good health and improved quality of life.”  

Street medicine allows physical and behavioral health services providers to address the unique needs and circumstances of people experiencing homelessness by delivering care and services directly to them in their own lived environment. These visits provide a direct intervention with a high potential impact on health and wellbeing that will also divert people from costly visits to frequently overwhelmed emergency rooms. Services include but are not limited to primary care, vaccine administration, wound care, preventive services, counseling, medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder, and diagnostic services, rapid COVID-19 and flu testing, and more. 

"This is Mr. Rogers' neighborhood; we take care of each other," said Rep. Frankel, Majority Chairman of the House Health Committee. "The practice of street medicine is changing how we provide care to the most vulnerable among us. This collaboration will pave the way for a more compassionate and equitable healthcare system in our Commonwealth, and I am proud to have played a part in it."  

“Pittsburgh Mercy is grateful to the Shapiro Administration, Sec. Arkoosh, Rep. Frankel, and Rep. Abney for the important investments they are making in innovative health care delivery models that proactively address the needs of people who are experiencing homelessness,” stated Dr. Jack Todd Wahrenberger, chief medical officer of Pittsburgh Mercy. “Their engagement with persons we serve while accompanying our experienced street medicine providers on rounds to homeless encampments, visiting our year-round low-barrier emergency shelter and engagement center at Second Avenue Commons, and our medical respite at Bethlehem Haven speaks to the value and dignity of meeting people where they are at whichever point they present in our continuum of care. We hope today’s visit helps to inform public health policy and expand access to innovative health care delivery models that address the social determinants of health and lead to improved health outcomes for all Pennsylvanians, including the most vulnerable.” 

Pittsburgh Mercy, which manages Operation Safety Net®, an award-winning medical and social service outreach program for people who are experiencing homelessness in Allegheny County, is one of the largest community health and social service nonprofit providers and employers in Southwestern Pennsylvania. Pittsburgh Mercy serves more than 18,000 people annually in 60+ locations and is the only Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic and also the largest Integrated Community Wellness Center in Western Pennsylvania. Pittsburgh Mercy is a member of Trinity Health, serving in the tradition of the Sisters of Mercy. Their mission is to be a compassionate and transforming, healing presence within communities.     

Investments in street medicine provide life-saving health care while also building trust within one of Pennsylvania’s most vulnerable populations. In July 2023, Pennsylvania announced a change to Medicaid that now allows certain enrolled medical providers to meet with unhoused patients covered through Medicaid and provide care outside of a clinical setting – a practice known as street medicine. The change became effective in October 2023. People experiencing homelessness in the United States die, on average, three decades earlier than their peers with housing, most commonly due to preventable and treatable chronic medical conditions, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma, and others.  By allowing providers to bill for services rendered during visits with people experiencing homelessness, DHS aims to increase access to care for Medicaid beneficiaries and improve health outcomes. 

Additional resources for individuals experiencing homelessness available through DHS can be found through the Homeless Assistance Program, and more information about other assistance programs administered by DHS is available at dhs.pa.gov.  

To learn more about Pittsburgh Mercy and Pittsburgh Mercy’s Operation Safety Net, please visit www.pittsburghmercy.orgOpens .

County Executive Rich Fitzgerald today announced that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has awarded a second $5.5 million Racial & Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) grant to the Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD). The program provides funds to build strong partnerships to improve health, prevent chronic disease and reduce racial and ethnic health disparities in selected communities. Along with funding, the CDC provides expert support to REACH recipients.

“For the past twelve years, I have prioritized making Allegheny County a healthier and safer place to live, learn and work,” said Fitzgerald. “The Health Department, and its many community partners, have worked diligently to improve health equity in this community and have made significant strides. This additional funding from the CDC will allow them to continue and expand this important work.”

In Allegheny County, the Live Well Allegheny REACH Program is a collaboration between ACHD and many community partners focused specifically on improving health outcomes for Black and African American residents. In addition to ACHD programs and clinics, partners include Allegheny County Economic Development, Food Trust, UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, Just Harvest, Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, Faith-Based Health Collaborative, Royally Fit, Pittsburgh Food Policy Council, Healthy Start Center for Urban Breastfeeding, Pittsburgh Black Breastfeeding Circle, Black Women’s Policy Center, Bethany Community Ministries, the Black Equity Coalition, and the Urbankind Institute.

With the funding awarded by the CDC REACH Program, ACHD and its many partners plan to:

• Improve breastfeeding rates by linking even more Black mothers to breastfeeding information, education and support;
• Increase trail mileage, access to existing trails and improve the built environment to encourage outdoor activities by continuing to partner with the Redevelopment Authority of Allegheny County;
• Increase access to fresh fruits and vegetables using voucher programs for things like farmers markets and produce prescription programs to create a clinical linkage to more nutritious food; and
• Increase vaccination rates by improving access to vaccination opportunities.

The Live Well Allegheny REACH Program focuses on the following municipalities and neighborhoods:
Clairton, Duquesne, McKeesport, North Braddock, North Versailles, Rankin and Wilkinsburg and the neighborhoods of the Northside, Homewood/Larimer, Hill District, Garfield, Hazelwood, West End and the Hilltop in the City of Pittsburgh.

“The Live Well Allegheny REACH Program aligns perfectly with the Plan for a Healthier Allegheny and our collective goal of achieving health equity through the reduction of chronic disease and the increase in life expectancy,” said Dannai Wilson, ACHD Deputy Director for the Bureau of Community & Family Health. “Together, these partnerships, even in the face of significant challenges like the pandemic, have already yielded positive results for our communities and we look forward to even more success in the coming years.”

ACHD’s REACH project aims to address racial health disparities in Allegheny County by addressing several of the risk factors associated with chronic disease. Over five years, multiple partners will collaborate to improve nutrition, physical activity, continuity of care for breastfeeding and increasing adult vaccinations for Black residents through various activities ranging from expanding healthy food policies to implementing active transportation projects.

By increasing the opportunities for health and wellness through policy, systems and environmental improvement, the Health Department expects to improve the disease burden and the outcomes for more than 75,000 Black residents in target communities.

During the five years of the first CDC grant, the Live Well Allegheny REACH Program in Allegheny County achieved important goals. These include:

• Promoting increased physical activities by advancing 25 miles of roadway improvements, including 10 miles of pedestrian and bicycle improvements in Homewood and 6 miles in McKeesport. The grant also supported early feasibility studies that led to the establishment of the $2.25 million Turtle Creek Trail that connects to the Great Allegheny Passage;
• Referring approximately 3,000 patients to primary care physicians for chronic disease and food assistance programs;
• Connecting hundreds of Black residents to direct breastfeeding support;
• Establishing nearly 100 formal partnerships between clinics and member organizations thereby improving the community connections to these providers;
• Enhancing the availability of nutritious food in these communities by working with more than two dozen establishments to provided fresh fruits and vegetables, accepting Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Women, Infants and Children (WIC) benefits, and establishing new famers markets); and
• Increasing vaccination rates by training several dozen (more than 150) trusted messengers across all REACH communities and holding vaccination events that served more than 2,000 people.

The first round of CDC REACH funding provided $3.75 million over five years. Partners leveraged this funding for more than $1 million in additional private and public funds to support efforts aligned with improving health, preventing chronic disease, and reducing racial and ethnic health disparities.

To learn more, visit the Live Well Allegheny REACH Program.

Pittsburgh high school football players from various schools got a chance to meet and participate in a new PSA for the American Heart Association featuring Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin. 

Hamlin, serves as the national ambassador to the American Heart Association’s Nation of Lifesavers movement, encouraging all fans to learn CPR, as a lifesaving skill.

Isaiah Beckham, a senior at Shady Side Academy was excited to meet Hamlin and to be selected to work with him on this national PSA. Beckham says that he is inspired and encouraged to learn CPR especially as a football player on the team because of Hamlin's involvement. “As a football player for Shady Side Academy I am more aware of the importance of learning CPR because of Damar Hamlin. It’s really cool to have him as a spokesperson on this very important issue. As a star football player, who has worked really hard on getting into the NFL, Hamlin is someone teens like myself look up to and respect, he played football at Pitt and he is from Mckees Rock, PA, not far from us. Working with him on this PSA opened my eyes and heart to how young people need to learn CPR, it literately can save lives. It is a blessing that Damar survived and continues to give back to the community by utilizing his platform to raise awareness about learning CPR."
As professional football returns to stadiums across the country, Damar Hamlin is speaking out to encourage fans everywhere to be ready in a cardiac emergency. Hamlin, professional football player in the National Football League (NFL) and national ambassador for the American Heart Association’s Nation of Lifesavers™movement which launched earlier this year, is featured in the first of new series of public service announcements. Following the Buffalo Bills safety’s cardiac arrest during Monday Night Football on Jan. 2nd, his commitment to adding lifesavers to the chain of survival where fans live, work and play is the spark that ignited the American Heart Association’s Nation of Lifesavers™.

In the new public service announcement (PSA) released September 6th, Hamlin speaks to the simple mission of the Nation of Lifesavers - to educate and prepare teens and adults to be confident to save a life in a cardiac emergency.

“You never know when it’s going to be your opportunity to step in and save a life. CPR and AEDs – are why I’m still here today,” said Hamlin, cardiac arrest survivor and founder of the Chasing M’s Foundation. “Giving someone the skills and power to save a life is a superpower if you ask me.”

The American Heart Association is the worldwide leader in resuscitation science, education and training, and publishes the official guidelines for CPR. With nearly 3 out of 4 cardiac arrests outside of the hospital occurring in homes, knowing how to perform CPR is critically important. The recently launched Nation of Lifesavers effort works to improve the survival rate for the more than 350,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests each year. In the event of a cardiac arrest, immediate action is needed to save the person’s life. Less than half of all people who experience cardiac arrest receive CPR before emergency personnel arrive. CPR, especially if performed immediately, could double or triple a cardiac arrest victim’s chance of survival, according to the American Heart Association.

“When the world saw Damar Hamlin’s cardiac arrest event on Monday Night Football, what they also saw were those very first links in the chain of survival working. Everything happened like it should in a cardiac arrest emergency. This includes, early recognition, calling 911 with responders immediately on the scene, administering high-quality CPR, and having access to, and using an Automated External Defibrillator,” said Nancy Brown, chief executive officer of the American Heart Association. “Knowing how to respond in a cardiac emergency when seconds matter is literally the difference between life and death. We need to have everyone ready to call 911 if they see a teen or adult suddenly collapse, and to push hard and fast in the center of the chest until more advanced help arrives.”

The Association is committed to turning a nation of bystanders into lifesavers. The new multi-year initiative will ensure teens and adults can learn about CPR and AED use, share that knowledge with friends and family and engage employers, policymakers, philanthropists and others to create support for a nation of lifesavers. The long-term goal: to ensure that in the face of a cardiac emergency, everyone, everywhere is prepared and empowered to perform CPR and become a vital link in the chain of survival.

Since January, the American Heart Association has worked alongside the NFL at Super Bowl LVII and the NFL Draft as well as many NFL clubs to educate on Hands-Only CPR and train in Heartsaver® CPR AED (automated external defibrillator) course, which provides the highest quality evidence-based training in the lifesaving skills of CPR. The Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers, Cincinnati Bengals, Dallas Cowboys, Detroit Lions, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Los Angeles Rams, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Seattle Seahawks have since hosted American Heart Association training and education opportunities for staff or their communities.

As the first sponsor of the Nation of Lifesavers, the Buffalo Bills made a five-year commitment to advance education and awareness, train at community empowerment events, and distribute CPR resources to under resourced communities.  

Only 12 days after the American Heart Association hosted a Hands-Only CPR education session with the Los Angeles Rams coaching staff, defensive coordinator Raheem Morris, assisted in the save of a three-year-old boy, the first CPR save directly tied back to this work.

Creating a Nation of Lifesavers includes the Association’s efforts to drive policy change at both the federal and state levels. The Association has endorsed the federal Access to AEDs Act, which would create a grant program for K-12 schools to provide CPR and AED training; purchase AEDs; and create cardiac emergency response plans that establish specific steps to reduce death from cardiac arrest in school settings.

In addition, the Association is a founding member along with the NFL and other major sports leagues of the Smart Heart Sports Coalition which is advocating for states to adopt evidence-based public policies that will prevent fatal outcomes from sudden cardiac arrest among high school students.

Hands-Only CPR is chest compression-only CPR. Following a cardiac arrest of a teen or an adult, compression-only CPR can be equally effective as traditional CPR in the first few minutes of emergency response. If a teen or adult suddenly collapses, witnesses should immediately call emergency services and begin chest compressions at a rate of 100-120 beats per minute and a depth of approximately two inches. The Association encourages everyone, regardless of where they live, to take 90 seconds to learn how to save a life now at www.heart.org/nation.

Link to PSA: https://youtu.be/jCdCfj0euuU

photos provided by American Heart Association

In response to the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council’s recent report on severe maternal morbidity in Pennsylvania, state Rep. La’Tasha D. Mayes, D-Allegheny, said she is continuing her work to address severe maternal morbidity and Black maternal health in Pennsylvania.

PHC4’s report found from 2016 to 2022 the highest severe maternal morbidity rates were for Black, non-Hispanic patients, patients 40 to 55 years old, patients with Medicaid as their primary health insurance and patients from ZIP codes with poverty rates higher than 25%.

“Addressing severe maternal morbidity also addresses issues for Black maternal health as severe maternal morbidity rates increased by 51% for Black, non-Hispanic patients in Pennsylvania,” Mayes said. “As Black women are 3.5 times more likely to die during pregnancy-related complications and 22% of Black women report discrimination in health care, we must work to address severe maternal morbidity and more to ensure health care is equitable for all Pennsylvanians.”

According to the report, acute renal failure and disseminated intravascular coagulation contributed to more than 50% of SMM. Pennsylvania residents in Pike County, Lehigh County, Carbon County, Monroe County and Philadelphia reported the highest rates of SMM per 10,000 delivery hospitalizations. Allegheny County reported 101.3 cases of SMM per 10,000 delivery hospitalizations.

In July, Gov. Josh Josh Shapiro signed S.B. 262, sponsored by state Sen. Judy Schwank, D-Berks, into law as Act 5 of 2023, requiring the Department of Health to report maternal morbidity data using hospital discharge data from the PHC4, Mayes noted.

“With this law, and the report from PHC4, we may begin to combat maternal morbidity, which disproportionately affects Black pregnant people,” Mayes said. “As state representative, I will work to address severe maternal morbidity, Black maternal health and reproductive health, rights and justice in Pennsylvania.” 

 Suicide deaths among Black adults in the United States were rising before the COVID-19 pandemic, and the trend has persisted. While rates tend to be highest for adolescents and young adults, research has shown that rising rates continue across lifespans.  

Kamesha Spates, the William S. Dietrich II Chair and associate professor of Africana studies in Pitt’s Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences, wanted to understand how prepared communities were to tackle this crisis and to reverse the trend. Working with a team of researchers from Kent State, where she taught until December 2022, and Auburn University, the medical sociologist turned to northeast Ohio, where suicide rates among Black residents rose more than 100% between 2011 and 2021.

The team found there was work to be done before the communities they surveyed were prepared to successfully address the issue. “People were engaged and aware of general issues their communities faced,” Spates said, but when it came to suicide specifically, people were less informed.

The research was published May 25 in the journal Death Studies.

For the study, researchers surveyed 25 people from four counties across northeast Ohio. The team wanted to gauge how much people knew about suicide rates and what tools communities had to address the problem. The Community Readiness Model, which rates on a scale of 1 to 9, can help researchers understand how prepared a community is to overcome a shared problem. The survey respondents' scores averaged 3.5 which, the authors wrote, translates to the sentiment, “Something should probably be done but what? Maybe someone else will work on this.”

Survey responses suggested a lot of misconceptions about suicide, Spates said, including the notion that it just isn’t really an issue for Black people. “Instead, it’s a white issue — maybe an upper middle-class issue,” she said. “‘Black people don’t commit suicide. That’s not something we do,’” survey respondents said.

“That’s a misconception.” 

But researchers also found raising awareness won’t be enough to help communities reverse suicide trends, because even some who did know about the rising rates didn’t see it as a top priority.

“They would say, ‘How do we worry about suicide when people are overdosing on fentanyl, and people are homeless, and folks are being incarcerated disproportionately?’” Spates said. Some were more explicit about their feelings. “We need jobs. We need good education for our kids. Should we be putting resources into this issue?”

The researchers’ next step will be to return to the communities they surveyed. But they won’t be going back with a plan to fix everything. They will instead work with the communities to develop culturally relevant suicide prevention and intervention strategies that will be tailored to each community’s specific needs.

“The solution isn’t to name the problem and throw money at it from afar,” said Jenny Cureton, a professor at Kent State and member of the research team. “The community guides how the issue is understood and what solutions are best,” making sure they are culturally appropriate.

For instance, some people surveyed had seen informational pamphlets about suicide, but they didn’t think the subject was relevant to them. When they saw the word, “suicide,” they typically thought of white people.

That underscores the point that solutions will require more than leaving suicide-awareness pamphlets in the lobby of a Black church, Spates said. “It means actually using statistics about Black folks who die by suicide every year, or sharing culturally specific, evidence-based protective factors or risk factors that relate specifically to your community.”

And that generic term, “community,” needs to be specifically defined “The Black community is not homogeneous; there are all sorts of ethnic differences, gender differences, different sexual orientations, differences by class, religion … I could go down the line.”

The more attention given to the mental health of Black Americans, the more opportunities researchers will have to work with different communities and help develop made-to-fit interventions.     

“This is an encouraging time to tackle a very disturbing trend,” Cureton said. “Leaders within the local community and the state, as well as expert professionals, respected stars and others with influence are speaking powerfully about the problem of Black suicide, and positively about ways to address it.”

Source: — Brandie Jefferson PittWire

Researchers from Pitt’s School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences are helping address racial disparities in mental health care by training congregants of Black churches in Pittsburgh’s Homewood neighborhood and Wilkinsburg Borough in counseling skills, creating new entry points for residents to access services.

“Because I’m on the ground and in conversation with residents, what became evident to me is that mental health care is lacking in the Homewood area,” said Channing Moreland, former director of the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences’ Wellness Pavilion at Pitt’s Community Engagement Center in Homewood, adding, “this is a discussion that people of color historically haven’t talked about.”

In 2021, with funding from the Pitt Innovation Challenge, Moreland and Department of Counseling and Behavioral Health faculty members Laura Dietz and Quiana Golphin created TRIBUTE: Training Religious Leaders In Bereavement Counseling to Upskill Treatment Experiences.

The premise of TRIBUTE is simple: Relying on church leaders in Black communities will reduce the stigma associated with accessing treatment and normalize conversations about mental health.

When developing TRIBUTE, Moreland, Golphin and Dietz tapped community stakeholders to help shape the training. The community input made clear that partnering with neighborhood clergy would be crucial in reaching those in need.

“One thing about the Black church is that we are agents of social change because of our experience with injustice. This is not something we say — it is something we do because of lived experience,” said Jonathon Counts, a licensed clinical social worker and Homewood AME Zion Church pastor who partners with the TRIBUTE team.

“There is a long-standing historical tradition for Black churches to serve as support, safe places and resources for communities of color,” Counts added. “Clergy within Black churches are trusted pillars for the community and first responders to crisis, tragedies and loss in the neighborhoods they serve.”

The program’s focus on mourning speaks to the role systemic racism plays in Black people’s lives and its connection to both historical and ongoing trauma, including gun violence and the challenges brought by the pandemic, said Moreland

“Communities of color, including Homewood, have been disproportionally affected by the pandemic and have experienced rates of death twice those seen in white communities,” she said.

TRIBUTE also addresses the significant shortage of mental health clinicians of color, said Dietz.

“Often, people of color want to receive mental health treatment from trained individuals rooted in their communities with shared experiences, but there’s a shortage of clinicians of color in the field. TRIBUTE increases the number of people available to deliver culturally responsive counseling and increases access to mental health services,” she said.

The keystone of TRIBUTE’s training protocol is interpersonal counseling, a brief, evidence-based talking therapy. The intervention, used by practitioners since the ’70s, has been an effective model for helping individuals process grief and depression that community health workers have delivered in underresourced countries all over the world.

Graduates of the training, called Emotional Support Advocates, will implement the program in their congregations under the supervision of licensed mental health providers in the TRIBUTE leadership team.

After individuals seeking care from Emotional Support Advocates complete four counseling sessions, they have the option to continue with a bereavement support group or receive assistance in accessing additional mental health services at Primary Health Care Services, a federally qualified health center directed by Khavah Murray, who is also part of the TRIBUTE leadership team.

Moreland noted that the program aims to help people live with grief rather than get over it.

“We train our religious leaders how to help someone drill down into their experience of grief and to help them be able to get support and be able to move,” said Moreland.

“We're helping them to live with their grief and to carry it more effectively so that they can begin to live again.”

— Nichole Faina, photography by Mike Drazdzinski

Pictured: From left, the TRIBUTE team is led by: Assistant Professor Quiana Golphin, Channing Moreland, Associate Professor Laura Dietz and Primary Care Services Director Khavah Murray.

 Governor Josh Shapiro signed the first bill of his Administration – Act 1 of 2023, a first-of-its-kind law in the nation that will require insurers to cover preventive breast and ovarian cancer screenings for high-risk women at no cost.

This landmark legislation, introduced by Senate President Pro Tempore Kim Ward, passed both the House and the Senate unanimously. It removes out-of-pocket costs associated with genetic testing for hereditary breast, ovarian, prostate and other cancer syndromes – as well as supplemental breast screenings for women with a high lifetime risk of breast cancer. Act 1 ensures this critical healthcare will be accessible and affordable for more Pennsylvanians and save countless lives. 

After signing this historic, landmark legislation, Governor Josh Shapiro released the following statement:

“I am proud that the first bill I have signed as Governor is a bill that passed both chambers unanimously – with Democrats and Republicans coming together to improve access to critically important healthcare and save countless lives in Pennsylvania. This bill is the first of its kind in our country, requiring insurance companies to cover the costs of preventive cancer screenings for women at high risk of breast cancer.

“This historic legislation is going to help women fight breast cancer and live healthier lives – and it would not have been possible without the courage, tenacity, and bipartisan cooperation of Senate Pro Tempore Kim Ward and Speaker Joanna McClinton. I believe government can and should be a productive force for good – and this is a real example of the big things we can accomplish in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania when we work together.”

“Pennsylvania is leading the nation in the fight against breast cancer by eliminating out-of-pocket costs associated with BRCA-related genetic testing and counseling for high-risk individuals, as well as supplemental screenings such as breast MRI and ultrasound for women,” said Senate President Pro Tempore Kim Ward. “My personal experience with breast cancer presented me the opportunity to see where some of the gaps were in the system. With approximately 14,000 new cases of breast cancer per year in Pennsylvania, what this legislature did by getting the Bill to Governor Shapiro for his signature, will have a huge positive affect on women’s health and lives.”

“Breast cancer is a terrible disease with roughly 264,000 cases of breast cancer diagnosed in women and 2,400 cases in men every year.  For Black women, the statistics are even more alarming, as it is the number one cause of cancer death for Black women at an alarming rate of 31%,” said Speaker Joanna McClinton. “But there is hope, now as a result of this new law more Pennsylvanians will have access to the screening and genetic counseling that can lead to an early diagnosis and save lives. This is a testament to the good work we can do for our neighbors across the Commonwealth.”

Governor Josh Shapiro was joined by legislative leaders from both parties and breast cancer survivors and advocates from all across the Commonwealth for the signing of this historic legislation. Since taking office, Governor Shapiro has remained focused on bringing people together to deliver solutions on the pressing issues Pennsylvanians face. This landmark legislation exemplifies the progress that can be achieved in Harrisburg – and the Shapiro Administration looks forward to continuing this bipartisan cooperation in order to deliver real results for all Pennsylvanians.

Amani D. Echols earned her MPH within the University of Michigan’s Department of Health Management and Policy. Currently, Amani is a Behavioral Health Policy Fellow at the Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs (AMCHP). Outside of work, Amani is a trained pregnancy loss and abortion doula who volunteers her time as a case manager at the DC Abortion Fund (DCAF). The DC Abortion fund makes grants to pregnant people in DC, Maryland, and Virginia and those traveling to these jurisdictions who cannot afford the total cost of an abortion. The content in this article is the opinions of Amani and is not associated with AMCHP or DCAF.

JLD: Amani, given the possibility of the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, what do you anticipate being the most significant consequences regarding “choice” for Black women in particular and women in general?

ADE: Often, choice is conflated with opportunity. However, RJ focuses on “access” and not “choice,” and Roe v Wade is a perfect example of this critical distinction. Roe v Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey protect a person’s decision to terminate a pregnancy as a constitutional right until fetal viability (about 23-24 weeks). That said, Roe v Wade never guaranteed people meaningful access to abortion and to exercise their rights. For example, states have enacted laws such as waiting periods and regulations against abortion providers (also known as TRAP laws) that prevent access to timely and essential abortion care. Additionally, many people live in counties with no abortion provider. These barriers to access are exacerbated for people with lower income and in southern states where Black people are concentrated in.

In sum, repealing Roe v Wade would eliminate people’s right and access to abortion. The Turnaway Study outlines the significant adverse health and social consequences of carrying unwanted pregnancies to term. Pregnancy and childbirth are way more dangerous than abortion, with a greater likelihood of morbidity and mortality. Compared to other industrialized nations, the U.S. has the worst maternal health outcomes and is experiencing a Black maternal health crisis. For this reason, it is especially concerning that Black people, in particular, will be forced to give birth in the U.S. Furthermore, the social consequences of carrying an unwanted pregnancy to term include financial stressors (especially the concern of adequately providing for existing children), inability to pursue specific career/life goals, and being connected to an abusive partner. 

Another major consequence of overturning Roe v Wade is the criminalization of people who have an abortion, miscarriage, or stillbirth. In the media, there is rhetoric that people will go back to the “old days” of carrying out dangerous abortions in secret; however, these are tropes that stigmatize Black and Brown people. In today’s modern age and with access to medication abortion (the abortion pill) for up to 12 weeks, people will likely be able to access a safe abortion in states where it is legal and illegal. (Much like how illegal substances are found all over the country). That said, people could be penalized and incarcerated for having a medicated abortion, which is the greatest concern to many activists. Incarceration is never the social or health solution.

Lastly, overturning Roe v Wade can make vulnerable other constitutional rights built off Roe’s precedent and the establishment of the right to privacy (e.g., Griswold v. Connecticut - the right to marry whoever you’d like). 

JLD: In your bio, you mentioned volunteering at the DC Abortion Fund (DCAF). Can you share about your experience at DCAF?

ADE: Great question! I love sharing about the work that I do and am so passionate about. First, I’d like to make it clear that I am very much pro-abortion. People often say, “nobody is pro-abortion, they are only pro-choice.”  Unequivocally, I can say that is false. I am pro-abortion and I think it is important to not shy away from saying the word abortion…abortion, abortion, abortion. There is too much stigma around abortion despite it being so common. Everyone loves someone that has had an abortion. (These conversation cards are a tool to guide crucial dialogues about abortion and reduce stigma).

To play a larger role in this issue, I completed a Pregnancy Loss and Abortion Doula Training. As a pregnancy loss and abortion doula, my role is to offer physical, mental, and emotional support before, during, and after an abortion. I decided to take my training and new knowledge to DCAF. I am a volunteer Case Manager at DCAF. In this position, I answer phone calls from people seeking an abortion but cannot afford the total cost of the surgical or medical abortion. The organization provides funding based on a funding rubric. I also help individuals find a clinic near them, and connect them to practical support organizations (e.g., transportation, lodging, escorts, and resources for houselessness and domestic violence). On a daily basis, I work with other local funders to ensure that patients' co-pays are as close to $0 as possible. Roughly, I receive 5-10 calls per day and work 3-5 day-long shifts.

JLD: Amanda Gorman recently presented 8 reasons to stand against abortion bans.  Specifically, she said, “When the penalty for rape is less than the penalty for abortion after the rape, you know this isn’t about caring for women and girls. It’s about controlling them.

1. Through forcing them into motherhood before they’re ready, these bans steadily sustain the patriarchy, but also chain families in poverty and maintain economic inequality.

2. Pregnancy is a private and personal decision and should not require the permission of any politician.

3. For all time, regardless of whether it’s a crime, women have and will always seek their own reproductive destinies. All these penalties do is subdue women’s freedom to get healthy, safe services when they most need them.

4. Fight to keep Roe v. Wade alive. By the term ‘overturn Roe v. Wade‘, the main concern is that the Supreme Court will let states thwart a woman’s path to abortion with undue burdens.

5. One thing is true and certain: These predictions aren’t a distortion, hypothetical, or theoretical. Women already face their disproportion of undue burdens when seeking abortions. If the sexes and all people are to be equal, abortion has to be actually accessible and not just technically legal.

6. Despite what you might hear, this right here isn’t only about women and girls. This fight is about fundamental civil rights. Women are a big part of it, but at the heart of it are freedom over how fast our families grow goes farther and larger than any one of us. It’s about every single one of us.

7. This change can’t wait. We’ve got the energy, the moment, the movement, and the thundering numbers.

Would you please provide your final remarks as well as anything you care to state about Gorman’s above remarks.

ADE: Gorman’s response is complete and thorough. I’d like to add to this reflection via a poem I wrote the week of the leaked SCOTUS opinion.

There is More to Life than Being Alive

I must be violated to have autonomy over my body.

I Must B. Violated  to choose my reproductive health care.

I must be violated, raped, and near death, To make a decision about MY body.

Make it make sense!

No reason is needed. Fuck them kids is plenty.

Fuck them kids is the US mantra for black, brown, queer, disabled, immigrant, and lower-income people.

The same people who forced us to be sterilized as a form of eugenics want us to carry to term.

The contradictions.

I can choose to wear a mask to protect me and you but cannot choose my reproductive health care.

Abortion access, essential health care, is being restricted during a maternal mortality crisis.

Make it make sense.

I am valued for my perspective until it’s too progressive.

The contradictions don’t stop.

We won’t stop!

JLD:  Amani, your responses too are complete and thorough.  I sincerely appreciate the informed commitment you bring to your work.

Jack L. Daniel

Co-founder, Freed Panther Society

Contributor, Pittsburgh Urban Media

Author, Negotiating a Historically White University While Black

May 31,  2022

My father-in-law, Nathaniel S. Colley Sr., maintained that responses to proposed legislation and public policy often depend significantly on “whose bull is being gored,” i.e., how the outcomes of  legislation and public policy impact one personally. Consider, for example, the War on Drugs which former President Nixon initiated in the 1970s. 

“…A top Nixon aide, John Ehrlichman, …admitted: ‘You want to know what this was really all about. The Nixon campaign in 1968, and the Nixon White House after that, had two enemies: the antiwar left and black people.  …We knew we couldn’t make it illegal to be either against the war or blacks, but by getting the public to associate the hippies with marijuana and blacks with heroin, and then criminalizing both heavily, we could disrupt those communities. We could arrest their leaders, raid their homes, break up their meetings, and vilify them night after night on the evening news. Did we know we were lying about the drugs? Of course we did…’” A History of the Drug War | Drug Policy Alliance

When Blacks disproportionately used crack cocaine, mandatory five-year sentences were given for possessing five grams of crack while 500 grams of powder cocaine was required for the same prison sentence (see Comprehensive Crime Control Act of 1984). Racialized anti-Black responses to illegal drugs continued until Whites’ opioid use began to roar out of control during the early 1900s. Then, opioid addiction was deemed a “public health” problem warranting medical interventions for “victims,” not lengthy prison terms for “criminals.” 

Stated differently, part of the reason why the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently announced that the opioid overdose antidote Narcan will become an over-the-counter product later this year is the fact that the drug overdose “chickens came home” and increasingly “roosted” among Whites.  Similarly, a tragic truth is that there is unlikely to be significant gun reform until Whites are increasingly the victims.  Until then, we as a nation will not heed the March 28, 2023 solemn prayer of the Senate Chaplain Barry C. Black, i.e., “Lord, when babies die at a church school, it is time for us to move beyond thoughts and prayers. Remind our lawmakers of the words of the British statesman Edmund Burke: ‘All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing.’ Lord, deliver our senators from the paralysis of analysis that waits for the miraculous.” 

To demonstrate how crass some can be when it comes to addressing gun violence, consider the fact that, a day after Chaplain Black’s above prayer, Representative Clay Higgins (R-La.) offered the ridiculous rant,  “There’s no such thing as gun violence. There’s only human violence. It’s intellectually unsound to state otherwise. And the number one cause of death for children in America remains abortion.” (See, Huffington Post story by Josephine Harvey, March 29, 2023).  For him, it matters not that “…More than 5 deaths per 100,000 Americans between the ages of 1 and 19 were due to guns in 2020, the most recent year for which the CDC has data. …4,368 kids died from gunshot wounds in the US in 2020…” (May 26, 2022 New York Post). Nor do these data seem to matter to Republican members of Congress who wore AR-15 pins, after the Nashville shootings. 

As the Nashville mass shooting went through its week-long news cycle, the President and other elected officials bemoaned the lack of responsible gun legislation; pundits listed who had been “bought and paid for” by gun lobbyists; flowers were placed on temporary “memorials;” and, of course, the social media were lit up with “thoughts and prayers.”  The foregoing incessant beat continues, in part, because of “whose bulls are being gored,” even when it comes to babies being murdered in sacred places. 

To be sure, Chaplain Black was truth telling when he said, “Lord, when babies die at a church school, it is time for us to move beyond thoughts and prayers.”  However, the same truth was applicable but not addressed when on September 15, 1963 four Black girls were killed by a bomb blast at a Birmingham, Alabama Black church. Nor was the Chaplain’s advice followed after a White man killed nine Blacks during a worship service at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina.

Across America, day after day, in city after city, death from gun violence is a daily affair with Blacks disproportionately represented among those killed. Turn on any major city’s daily news channel and, in one week, you will hear about more Blacks murdered than the 6 people killed in Nashville.  Annually, during the month of December, city newspapers post headlines such as “ City is on its way to a record number of homicides, most of them Black.” Unfortunately, it seems that America will remain the leading nation for mass murders until the headlines read, “City is on its way to a record number of homicides, most of them White.” 

In part because of “whose bulls are being disproportionately gored” by gun violence, gun reform remains a matter of racialized neglect which will continue until gun violence has come home and roosted!  Meanwhile, there will be additional, authoritarian, asinine actions such as those of the Nashville Republican representatives who, on April 6, 2023, expelled two Black Democrats but not the White woman Democrat because they “did knowingly and intentionally bring disorder” to the House by participating in a protest regarding gun legislation. By doing so, they also put blatant racism and White patriarchal power on vivid display! 

Jack L. Daniel

Co-founder, Freed Panther Society

Contributor, Pittsburgh Urban Media

Author, Negotiating a Historically White University While Black

April 7, 2023  

 The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and UPMC have selected MaCalus V. Hogan, M.D., MBA as the new David Silver Professor and Chair of Pitt’s Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Chair of Orthopaedic Surgery at UPMC, following a thoughtful yearlong national search to succeed Freddie H. Fu, M.D., whose legacy as department chair from 1998 to 2021 attained a stellar international reputation for leading key scientific and clinical innovations. The department grew into one of the most ethnic- and gender-diverse orthopaedic departments in the nation, preparing dozens of physicians to become leaders in orthopaedics at universities and hospitals throughout the world. Dr. Fu passed away in September 2021.

“The appointment of an individual to replace the ‘irreplaceable’ Dr. Freddie Fu is a decision that required great consideration. After a lengthy and very deliberate selection process, Dr. Hogan was clearly the preferred choice to not only build upon Dr. Fu’s legacy, but also lead the department into new territories for the future,” said Anantha Shekhar, M.D., Ph.D., Senior Vice Chancellor for the Health Sciences, Pitt; and John and Gertrude Petersen Dean, Pitt School of Medicine. “His commitment to building a diverse environment at Pitt/UPMC and growing the academic excellence in musculoskeletal research made him the ideal next chair.”

Dr. Hogan was recruited to Pitt and UPMC by Dr. Fu in 2013. Dr. Hogan’s focus has been serving as the Chief of Foot and Ankle Surgery at UPMC, Vice Chair of Education and Residency Program Director in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at UPMC. He is a Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, with secondary appointments in the Department of Bioengineering and the Katz School of Business. Dr. Hogan was the founder and Director of the Foot and Ankle Injury Research (F.A.I.R.) group at Pitt, within the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. He serves as a foot and ankle consultant for the athletic departments at the University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University, Duquesne University, and Robert Morris University. He is the Assistant Team Physician for Point Park University, including the Conservatory of Performing Arts, and the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre. Dr. Hogan also serves as the foot and ankle consultant for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Pittsburgh Penguins as part of the UPMC Sports Medicine Institute.

“I am proud and delighted that Dr. Hogan will serve as the new chair. He is a compassionate clinician and dedicated researcher who demonstrates the Pitt/UPMC shared values and vision to continuously improve the definition of excellence and leadership in orthopaedic care,” said Leslie C. Davis, President and Chief Executive Officer, UPMC.

“Dr. Hogan’s expertise and extensive accolades demonstrate his utmost competency to lead our orthopaedic department’s academic faculty, physicians and clinical teams who have already set the standard in delivering the best evidence-based care for our patients and communities. UPMC’s orthopaedic department is known around the world for its leading advanced research, innovation and training for many aspects of orthopaedic and sports medicine care,” said Joon Sup Lee, M.D., Executive Vice President, UPMC; President, UPMC Physician Services; and Vice Dean for Clinical Affairs, Pitt School of Medicine. “I am confident that Dr. Hogan’s leadership will continue the success of the department for many years to come.”

Dr. Hogan has been selected as a “Best Doctor” by Best Doctors in America® and Pittsburgh Magazine annually since 2016. His physician executive and community efforts resulted in his selection to DiversityMBA's Top 100 Under 50 Executive Leaders in 2018. Most notably, he was selected as one of Modern Healthcare’s Top 15 Up and Comers as an emerging national leader in health care in 2018.

Certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery, Dr. Hogan is a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, the American Orthopaedic Association, Orthopaedic Research Society, among other national organizations, and currently serves on the board of directors for the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society. He is the author of over 250 manuscripts, book chapters, and abstracts and frequently presents both nationally and internationally on his management of foot and ankle injuries, regenerative bioengineering, clinical outcomes research and health care delivery transformation.

“I am honored to take on this leadership role and look forward to taking UPMC and Pitt orthopaedics to the next level. There is no other option for excellent care than UPMC. What we offer locally, nationally and globally is unmatched,” said Dr. Hogan. “I am excited to get to work, amplifying and advancing this department and orthopaedic service line into the future through cutting-edge care and innovation.”

Originally from Muscle Shoals, Ala., Dr. Hogan completed his undergraduate studies at Xavier University of Louisiana with a B.S. in biochemistry and minor in biology. He received his medical degree from Howard University College of Medicine in Washington, D.C., and completed his orthopaedic surgery residency at the University of Virginia Health System in Charlottesville, Va., which included a National Institutes of Health Clinician Scientist fellowship year with a focus in musculoskeletal tissue repair and regeneration. He completed his foot and ankle fellowship at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, where he served as a consultant for the New York Ballet Company, American Ballet Theatre, and several collegiate and professional sports teams. In 2018, Dr. Hogan also earned an Executive Master of Business Administration in health care at the University of Pittsburgh – Katz Graduate School of Business.

Source: UPMC

A $20 million investment will create the Vijayalakshmi Innovation Center in Women’s Health Analytics and Research.

 The University of Pittsburgh is poised to counter major disparities in health and wellness faced by women around the world through the creation of the Vijayalakshmi Innovation Center in Women’s Health Analytics and Research (VIHAR).

In addition to a major investment from Pitt’s School of Medicine, the center will benefit from a generous gift from Dr. Vishnu Vardhan and Harsha Vardhini. Brother and sister Dr. Vardhan and Mrs. Vardhini are co-founders of Vizzhy Inc. The company is a Texas-based pioneer in the development and application of generative AI systems for innovative healthcare applications, with a mission to leverage technology to tackle the root causes of metabolic diseases and develop personalized guidance for managing chronic illnesses.

VIHAR will build upon the foundations laid by the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine’s Pattern Recognition from Biomedical Evidence (PRoBE) laboratory and its founder Vanathi Gopalakrishnan.

“Issues facing women and girls are underrepresented in medical research, which results in fewer treatments available for them,” said Anantha Shekhar, senior vice chancellor for the health sciences and John and Gertrude Petersen Dean of the School of Medicine at Pitt. “VIHAR will directly address this issue by coalescing communities of researchers and developing innovative AI tools for efficient analyses.”

In making the gift, Vardhan sought to address a global problem.

“Women and girls from Pittsburgh to my hometown in India suffer from a lack of understanding about the issues that uniquely affect their health and wellness,” he said. “My sister and I believe our gift will accelerate the process of eliminating those disparities and lead to an improved quality of life for women and the people who love them.”

Vardhan and Vardhini chose to name the new center after their mother.

“Our mother struggles mightily with diabetes and should not have to. Her condition is what encouraged my brother and me to create our company,” Vardhini said. “The center, named in her honor, has the potential to make life better for millions of women and girls by harnessing the knowledge we already have to create new discoveries and better global health.”

VIHAR will be the first global innovation center to bridge women’s health research data with advanced AI and analytics. It will build upon the strengths of the University’s Department of Biomedical Informatics (DBMI) and the School of Medicine’s biotechnology facilities. VIHAR will partner with regional, national, and international organizations such as the Women's Health and Education Center and the World Health Organization.

“At Pitt, we have developed an ecosystem for health analytics data mining that is second to none, and it has become a training ground for pre- and postdoctoral researchers,” said Michael J. Becich, DBMI chair and distinguished professor. “With the addition of VIHAR, we will establish a new area of concentration in the application of artificial intelligence for women’s health—leading to new understanding and breakthroughs.”

PRoBE laboratory founder, Vanathi Gopalakrishnan, will serve as the founding director of VIHAR. Gopalakrishnan will drive the formation of a global team of scientists from top universities to accelerate world-class research and training; she expects that work will eventually lead to the development of female digital health twins. At the same time, the center will develop solutions for multimodal data production and harmonization, and integration of diverse aspects of women’s health across the lifespan.

“This support will allow us, for example, to combine artificial intelligence with mobile applications and sensor-based approaches to identify how we can directly benefit vulnerable populations such as at-risk mothers by proactive resource allocations,” Gopalakrishnan said. “I cannot thank Vishnu and Harsha enough for their vision and trust in us to advance science and make a global impact.”

Initial steps will include recruitment of staff members and purchasing hardware and software for the center with a focus on accelerating the center’s work of gathering and analyzing vast amounts of health data.

VIHAR will bolster the University’s schools of the health sciences’ significant commitment to addressing and improving women’s health. It also is part of a concerted and larger effort at the University of Pittsburgh to intensify the use of computational tools and analytics for the benefit of everyone’s health. Some of those efforts include ensuring every medical and graduate student at the School of Medicine is literate and savvy with artificial intelligence and building an AI community in Pittsburgh with industry leader NVIDIA and Carnegie Mellon University. 

above photos:

Credit line: Rayni Shiring, University of Pittsburgh 

Caption info: Vanathi Gopalakrishnan is speaking in the first photo

Second photo is a group shot: Dr. Anantha Shekhar, Chancellor Joan Gabel, the mother for whom the new center is named Vijaya Lakshmi, and donors Dr. Vishnu Vardhan and Harsha Vardhini