Health

THE LATEST

Jailed for their own safety, 14 Mississippians died awaiting mental health treatment

Local officials often say they have no choice but to jail people awaiting treatment for mental illness and substance abuse even if they’re not charged with a crime. But some people have died in the system that’s supposed to protect them.

by Isabelle Taft and Mollie Simon, ProPublica December 7, 2023December 8, 2023

Meet Our Dedicated Community Health Team

Kate Royals

Devna Bose

Sophia Paffenroth

Isabelle Taft

Eric J. Shelton

MORE MISSISSIPPI Health News

Emergency-care hospital plans to open in Smith County

by Devna Bose December 6, 2023December 6, 2023

Gov. Reeves mum on health care meetings, claims no documents exist

by Devna Bose December 6, 2023December 6, 2023

Baptist, UMMC to receive $2 million each in state funds for burn centers

by Devna Bose November 30, 2023November 30, 2023

Q&A with midwife Janice Scaggs

by Sophia Paffenroth November 30, 2023November 30, 2023

Private equity-backed Texas company seeks to reopen behavioral health beds in Jackson

by Devna Bose November 22, 2023November 22, 2023

Mississippi sees season’s first pediatric flu death

by Sophia Paffenroth November 15, 2023November 15, 2023

The state’s troubled hospital grant program has finally awarded money to eight facilities. Many more are waiting.

by Devna Bose November 15, 2023November 15, 2023

Mississippi jailed more than 800 people awaiting psychiatric treatment in a year. Just one jail meets state standards.

by Isabelle Taft November 13, 2023November 27, 2023

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Mississippi health news you can’t get anywhere else.

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Watch our video series, The Pulse, by Eric J. Shelton:

The Pulse: Jason Coker discusses race and health

November 8, 2023November 15, 2023

The Pulse: Greenwood Leflore Hospital’s interim CEO Gary Marchand

October 11, 2023October 10, 2023

The Pulse: Maternal Wellness Rx Initiative

September 13, 2023September 13, 2023

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Eric J. Shelton

Eric J. Shelton was a 2018 corps member in Report for America, and joined the team as our first photojournalist. A native of Columbia, Miss., Eric earned his bachelor’s in photojournalism from the University of Southern Mississippi. He was a multimedia journalist for Abilene Reporter-News, chief photographer for the Hattiesburg American and photo editor for the Killeen Daily Herald before joining our team June 2018. He rejoined Mississippi Today as our health photojournalist in January 2022. More by Eric J. Shelton

Medical Marijuana

Health Department increases medical marijuana staffing as law change calls for quicker patient application turnaround

by Sara DiNatale April 19, 2023April 19, 2023

Changes to the medical marijuana law are headed to Gov. Reeves’ desk. Here’s what they are.

by Sara DiNatale March 20, 2023March 20, 2023

Los cambios a la ley de marihuana medicinal se dirigen al escritorio del gobernador Reeves. Esto es lo que son.

by Sara DiNatale March 20, 2023March 23, 2023

Mental Health

State’s suicide rate climbed to 20-year high – ‘these are someone’s loved ones’

by Pam Dankins September 27, 2023September 27, 2023

‘Mississippi chose to fight’: Court overturns Justice Department efforts to overhaul state’s mental health system

by Isabelle Taft September 21, 2023September 21, 2023

‘Transformative’ mental health bill awaits governor’s signature, funding

by Geoff Pender March 21, 2023March 21, 2023

Medicaid

Medicaid’s managed care contracts at a standstill after two companies cry foul

by Devna Bose October 27, 2023November 8, 2023

Medicaid drops another 13,000 Mississippians as agency’s backlog snowballs

by Devna Bose October 17, 2023October 17, 2023

Gov. Tate Reeves apparently met about Medicaid. No one will say what was discussed.

by Devna Bose August 29, 2023August 30, 2023

Worker shortage

Shortage of OB-GYNs is leaving Mississippi moms-to-be stranded for care

by Kate Royals September 18, 2023October 23, 2023

A program is putting more doctors in rural Mississippi. The auditor says it needs improvements.

by Devna Bose August 24, 2023August 24, 2023

‘This is where it starts’: UMMC summit aims to increase number of Black men in health care

by Devna Bose June 12, 2023June 13, 2023

Abortion in Mississippi

The Latest

Is abortion legal in Mississippi? Voters could decide

The Legislature could place on the ballot a proposal to reverse the state Supreme Court decision granting the right to an abortion.

Then the citizens could decide, just as they have in six other states.

by Bobby Harrison November 27, 2022November 23, 2022

Can rape victims access abortion in Mississippi? Doctors, advocates say no.

by Isabelle Taft September 15, 2022September 19, 2022

Sexual assault nurses asked the AG’s office if Plan B is legal. They never got a response.

by Isabelle Taft September 14, 2022September 14, 2022

Abortion pill maker drops Mississippi lawsuit with national implications, but fight isn’t over

by Isabelle Taft August 19, 2022August 19, 2022

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READ MORE Health News

Health

Medicaid continues removing thousands from rolls

Since unwinding disenrollments began in June, Mississippi Medicaid has removed more than 90,000 people from its rolls.

by Devna Bose November 10, 2023November 15, 2023

Health

UMMC earns its first ‘B’ in latest hospital safety ratings

Eight years after it received an “F” rating, the University of Mississippi Medical Center scored a “B,” which hospital leaders say is the result of a targeted effort to improve safety measures.

by Sophia Paffenroth November 6, 2023November 15, 2023

Election 2023

Despite Gov. Reeves’ debate claims, experts say it’s hard to argue that states are ‘better off’ without Medicaid expansion

Experts say that Gov. Tate Reeves’ argument about Medicaid expansion not saving hospitals is missing an understanding of the challenges facing the state’s health care system.

by Devna Bose November 3, 2023November 3, 2023

Health

Q&A: Planned Parenthood State Director Tyler Harden talks about the work of pro-choice organizations in Mississippi post-Dobbs

Planned Parenthood state Director Tyler Harden discusses the work of pro-choice organizations post-Dobbs.

by Sophia Paffenroth October 31, 2023October 31, 2023

Health

State’s first family medicine obstetrics fellowship hopes to increase access to maternal care in rural areas

The proposed fellowship will train two to three family physicians a year in obstetrics, which the medical community hopes will provide rural and underserved areas with prenatal, delivery and postpartum care.

by Sophia Paffenroth October 30, 2023October 30, 2023

Health

‘It is a moral obligation’: Faith leaders, advocates, doctors cite Christianity as reason to expand Medicaid

Summit attendees echoed versions of the same question: Why haven’t state political leaders, in a majority-Christian state, seen Medicaid expansion as an issue of morality?

by Devna Bose October 26, 2023October 27, 2023

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