Rachel Cassandra, Alaska Public Media - Anchorage
Rachel Cassandra covers health and wellness for Alaska Public Media. Reach her at rcassandra@alaskapublic.org. Read more about Rachel here.
Anchorage Health Department to offer low-cost baby check-ups
Families can bring babies up to 2 years old to the clinic for routine and preventative care.
Southcentral Foundation to place a school nurse and counselors in 3 rural schools
The grant-funded program will provide a registered nurse and behavioral health consultants to McGrath, Nikolai and Takotna.
Alaska Native Medical Center begins emergency services expansion
The first phase of expansion will offer more patient beds, surgery recovery spaces, and behavioral health treatment spaces.
Huslia man reflects on father’s legacy of mental illness, recovery, and helping villagers in crisis
Lee DeWilde grew up outside of Huslia in the 1960’s, when it was a 160-person village in Interior Alaska. He remembers that his father, Lloyd DeWilde, faced some mental health struggles growing up. But despite those struggles, Lloyd later became a resource for his village.
New online tool connects Alaskans with traumatic brain injury to care
The tool lists providers who work with brain injury patients across the state.
Psychologist sues state over license application she says is unconstitutional and discriminatory
Dr. Jennifer Poon says the state board should not require a full release of medical and mental health records to apply for a psychology license.
CVS to pay Alaska $10M in settlement for role in opioid crisis
Alaska reached a settlement with CVS March 7, for the role the company played in the opioid crisis in the state. CVS settled the complaint and did not admit wrongdoing.
As public guardians in Alaska remain buried in cases, their director searches for solutions
A state program that serves some of the most vulnerable people in Alaska is overwhelmed. Its director is searching for solutions.
Alaska midwives speak out against an executive order that would dissolve their board
The executive order dissolving the midwife board is one of 12 that the governor submitted in January to the Legislature.
Kenai Peninsula man is the first person to die of Alaskapox virus
Experts say to be cautious when handling small mammals in the state, but infection is rare and death unlikely.
An Anchorage woman is working to offer water cremation and other natural death care options in Alaska
Rachel Bernhardt is starting to offer water cremation and natural burial, which have lower environmental footprints.
More women in Alaska will be covered by Medicaid during pregnancy and for the year after giving birth
The expansion will cover mothers during their first year, when they’re vulnerable to physical and mental illness.
Psychedelic medicine task force would lay groundwork for therapeutic use in Alaska
The task force would look at the role psychedelics could play in addressing Alaska’s mental health crisis.
Alaska organization trains salon and beauty professionals to recognize domestic abuse signs
The training will focus on identifying signs of emotional and physical abuse, how to talk with people about abuse safely, and how to direct people to resources.
Anchorage middle school reports suspected mumps case
Romig Middle School staff canceled after-school activities Thursday when they learned of the case. The school is being disinfected, pending test results.
New programs aim to help more mentally ill Alaskans become competent to stand trial
Alaska's only state-run psychiatric hospital plans to launch two new programs for people without the mental capacity to stand trial. The one-year pilot would triple the state’s capacity.
Under a new executive director, Alaska’s LGBTQ+ health clinic is researching what queer Alaskans need
Alaska’s only health clinic centered on the needs of LGBTQ+ people has a new executive director. Identity Alaska in Anchorage serves patients in person and statewide through telehealth.
Alaska beekeepers kill their colonies every fall, but an Anchorage man has another way
An Anchorage beekeeper has learned how to help his honeybee colonies survive to see spring, and he’s teaching others to do the same.
Paralytic shellfish poisoning toxin is high in some subsistence harvests, according to Knik Tribe’s data
The tribe’s scientists looked at shellfish samples that showed levels of the biotoxin almost 50 times higher than the recommended limit.
After Wrangell’s deadly landslide, dogs helped the search and rescue team
After Wrangell’s deadly landslide last month, search and rescue teams worked around the clock for days looking through debris for six missing people. Teams of dogs assisted.