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Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Mobile help for opioid overdoses rolls into south suburbs with aid of Cook County $1M grant
Family Guidance Centers offers medications to people meant to counteract the effects of opioid overdoses from a clinic. But whether it's access to transportation, child care needs or physical limitations, the nonprofit knows there are many people who need the lifesaving drugs but can't get to the clinic, said Ron Vlasaty, Family Guidance Centers' chief operating officer. With the help of a Cook County grant of nearly $1 million, Vlasaty and county officials celebrated the rollout of a van that will bring the medications to more than two dozen south suburbs. The program was announced Friday during a news conference outside the Posen Fire Department's headquarters, with the new van and another already in use by Family Guidance Centers parked outside. Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle said while opioid overdose fatalities are 'trending in the right direction,' the problem is still of major concern. 'This crisis is everywhere,' Preckwinkle said. 'This is a challenge we have all over the country, not just in Cook County.' With the rollout of the van, a refurbished ambulance, residents will no longer need to overcome transportation or access issues, she said. We are 'able to deliver the care and services right where they are,' Preckwinkle said. The van is equipped with a nurse, peer recovery support specialist and outreach staff to deliver care directly to communities most affected by the opioid crisis, according to the county. It carries methadone, buprenorphine and naltrexone, FDA-approved medications for opioid and other drug overdoses. Family Guidance Centers' other van delivers naloxone, also known as Narcan, which can revive a person suffering an opioid overdose, Vlasaty said. Posen police Chief William Alexander said opioid overdoses are one of the most urgent challenges faced by first responders. 'We are losing far too many lives to addiction and senseless violence,' Alexander said. Preckwinkle said, with the rollout of the van, health care officials are working to operate in a backdrop of possible federal spending cuts that would help their efforts. The nearly $1 million grant to Family Guidance Centers comes from the county's allocation of federal American Rescue Plan Act, a $1.9 trillion economic stimulus package passed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. 'We see at the federal level a discouraging and alarming willingness to cut health care services,' Preckwinkle said, vowing Cook County will continue to provide services to those in need. 'If someone needs help we want to make sure they get it,' she said. Deborah Sims, former Cook County commissioner for the 5th District, which includes many south suburbs, said 'this is a good day.' Sims said that in delivering health care, agencies 'always want people to come to us.' 'If we can take it to the community it's always better for us and better for the residents,' she said. The grant program is part of the county's Stronger Together initiative, a countywide effort focused on behavioral health equity, system coordination and the expansion of community-based care, according to the county. The county grant to Family Guidance Centers is spread over three years, and the mobile unit will operate Monday through Friday. Tom Nutter, chief behavioral health officer with the Cook County Office of Behavioral Health, said opioid addiction affects people from the very start, creating a dependency that requires increasing amounts of drugs. For those with addictions, Nutter said their day 'begins with how will I get the drug and how will I pay for it?' Nutter praised Family Guidance Centers for its work, saying they bring 'unquestionable dedication' to the job. The Cook County Office of Behavioral Health was established by the county in 2023 to address the behavioral health needs of county residents, particularly those from historically marginalized and underserved populations. Vlasaty said that the Family Guidance Centers operates 14 locations in Illinois, including eight in Cook County. He said the Harvey clinic takes in residents from many south suburbs, but people can't always get to that location. Vlasaty said the van will be able to go to patients' homes or central locations, such as village halls and police and fire stations, to distribute medications. He said the nonprofit already distributes naloxone, which can help revive someone suffering an opioid overdose, to south suburban police departments through a smaller van it purchased with help of a previous county grant. Family Guidance Centers also has a naloxone distribution point at Harvey's Pace bus station, established about a year ago. He said it needs to be refilled every couple of days and was done in conjunction with the county and Pace. Vlasaty said Family Guidance Centers will put up informational posters at municipal buildings, liquor stores, gas stations and food pantries 'and wherever people congregate' to publicize the new mobile unit. 'We need to get the word out to where people are at to let them know this is available,' he said.
Chicago Tribune
8 hours ago
- Health
- Chicago Tribune
Mobile help for opioid overdoses rolls into south suburbs with aid of Cook County $1M grant
Through a clinic in Harvey, Family Guidance Centers offers medications to people meant to counteract the effects of opioid overdoses. But whether it's access to transportation, child care needs or physical limitations, the nonprofit knows there are many people who need the lifesaving drugs but can't get to the clinic, said Ron Vlasaty, Family Guidance Centers' chief operating officer. With the help of a Cook County grant of nearly $1 million, Vlasaty and county officials celebrated the rollout of a van that will bring the medications, used to revive people suffering the effects of an opioid overdose, to more than two dozen south suburbs. The program was announced Friday during a news conference outside the Posen Fire Department's headquarters, with the new van and another already in use by Family Guidance Centers parked outside. Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle said while opioid overdose fatalities are 'trending in the right direction,' the problem is still of major concern. 'This crisis is everywhere,' Preckwinkle said. 'This is a challenge we have all over the country, not just in Cook County.' With the rollout of the van, which is a refurbished ambulance, residents will no longer need to overcome transportation or access issues, she said. We are 'able to deliver the care and services right where they are,' Preckwinkle said. The mobile van is equipped with a nurse, peer recovery support specialist and outreach staff to deliver care directly to communities most affected by the opioid crisis, according to the county. It carries methadone, buprenorphine and naltrexone, FDA-approved medications for opioid and other drug overdoses. Family Guidance Centers' other van delivers naloxone, also known as Narcan, which can revive a person suffering an opioid overdose, Vlasaty said. Posen police Chief William Alexander said opioid overdoses are one of the most urgent challenges faced by first responders. 'We are losing far too many lives to addiction and senseless violence,' Alexander said. Preckwinkle said, with the rollout of the van, health care officials are working to operate in a backdrop of possible federal spending cuts that would help their efforts. The nearly $1 million grant to Family Guidance Centers comes from the county's allocation of federal American Rescue Plan Act, a $1.9 trillion economic stimulus package passed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. 'We see at the federal level a discouraging and alarming willingness to cut health care services,' Preckwinkle said, vowing Cook County will continue to provide services to those in need. 'If someone needs help we want to make sure they get it,' she said. Deborah Sims, former Cook County commissioner for the 5th District, which includes many south suburbs, said 'this is a good day.' Sims said that in delivering health care, agencies 'always want people to come to us.' 'If we can take it to the community it's always better for us and better for the residents,' she said. The grant program is part of the county's Stronger Together initiative, a countywide effort focused on behavioral health equity, system coordination and the expansion of community-based care, according to the county. The county grant to Family Guidance Centers is spread over three years, and the mobile unit will operate Monday through Friday. Tom Nutter, chief behavioral health officer with the Cook County Office of Behavioral Health, said opioid addiction affects people from the very start, creating a dependency that requires increasing amounts of drugs. For those with addictions, Nutter said their day 'begins with how will I get the drug and how will I pay for it?' Nutter praised Family Guidance Centers for its work, saying they bring 'unquestionable dedication' to the job. The Cook County Office of Behavioral Health was established by the county in 2023 to address the behavioral health needs of county residents, particularly those from historically marginalized and underserved populations. Vlasaty said that the Family Guidance Centers operates 14 locations in Illinois, including eight in Cook County. He said the Harvey clinic takes in residents from many south suburbs, but people can't always get to that location. Vlasaty said the van will be able to go to patients' homes or central locations, such as village halls and police and fire stations, to distribute medications. He said the nonprofit already distributes naloxone, which can help revive someone suffering an opioid overdose, to south suburban police departments through a smaller van it purchased with help of a previous county grant. Family Guidance Centers also has a naloxone distribution point at Harvey's Pace bus station, established about a year ago. He said it needs to be refilled every couple of days and was done in conjunction with the county and Pace. Vlasaty said Family Guidance Centers will put up informational posters at municipal buildings, liquor stores, gas stations and food pantries 'and wherever people congregate' to publicize the new mobile unit. 'We need to get the word out to where people are at to let them know this is available,' he said.
Newsweek
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Woman Goes for Pedicure—Forgets One Small Detail That Ruins It: 'Help'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. During a pedicure, some technicians go the extra mile by exfoliating not just the feet, but the legs too. However, one pedicurist was recently caught on camera removing more than just dead skin. The footage quickly went viral, amassing 1.4 million views. It shows Megan Shumate (@megshum)'s legs and a male nail technician rubbing her calves—which are notably a different shade than above her knee—with a scrub. "When I noticed my legs were getting lighter, I was so confused but then remembered I had fake tan on," she told Newsweek. "I just moved to Florida and forgot how pale I was under the fake tan, so that was my sign to hit the beach as soon as possible." The 26-year-old, who works as a senior analyst, added text explaining what happened to the video, followed by "help." She notes that the man didn't acknowledge it, despite many users commenting on how they believe he is feeling. One user wrote: "He's probably freaking out inside," and another chimed in: "I KNOW he's panicking." Shumate, who lives in Tampa, added that she was getting pampered ahead of a party. "Luckily it was themed, and I was wearing cowgirl boots so it covered my extremely pale calves!" she said. She jokes in the caption: "My legs are literally reflecting against the Florida sun," earning 63,000 likes. "You live in Florida and couldn't tan regularly?" asked one user. But using tanning products isn't unusual, in fact, many people opt against sunbathing to prevent their skin cancer risk. In 2015, a study conducted by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that 17.7 percent of women aged 18–49 reported using sunless tanning products. Specifically, 15.3 percent used lotion tanning, 6.8 percent used spray tanning, and 23.7 percent of sunless tanners also engaged in indoor tanning. Newsweek previously spoke to Dr. Beth Goldstein, a board-certified dermatologist at the Central Dermatology Center in North Carolina, about sunless tanning. Fake tan lotions typically contain an ingredient called dihydroxyacetone (DHA), a color additive that darkens the skin by reacting with amino acids in the skin's surface. It is FDA-approved and typically deemed "safer," Goldstein told Newsweek. She said: "There are some safety considerations around DHA, particularly in people with an altered skin barrier, such as the creation of oxidative damage." But given that there is little to no penetration beyond the top layer of the skin with these lotions, "this is likely not to cause any serious concerns with normal skin," she added.
USA Today
14 hours ago
- Health
- USA Today
Elon Musk, the Trump campaign and ketamine: What to know about the powerful drug
New details about Elon Musk's relationship with ketamine have emerged a few days after the tech entrepreneur announced his departure from the White House. Although Musk had previously mentioned using a "small amount once every other week," the billionaire X owner may have been using ketamine frequently enough on President Donald Trump's campaign trail for the drug to start causing some health issues, according to reporting from The New York Times. Musk previously mentioned using the drug as a medical prescription to treat depression in an hour-long interview with former CNN host Don Lemon in March 2024, where he also denied abusing the drug. Musk is not the only celebrity who has used ketamine. The late actor Matthew Perry was using ketamine under the care of a physician for the treatment of depression, although the levels of ketamine in his system at the time of his death in October 2023 weren't related to his last infusion. Other celebrities who have used the substance include Chrissy Teigen and Sharon Osborne. Here's what to know about ketamine. Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle. What is ketamine? Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic that has some hallucinogenic effects, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. It binds to the NDMA receptors and is essentially a 'stop' signal. It starts to interfere with the connection between your brain and your body. The effects are dose-dependent, but it generally leads to a 'disconnected' feeling from you, your person – and your body. Symptoms range from unconsciousness (like when used in general anesthesia) to an 'out of body' experience or hallucinations. Is ketamine legal? Ketamine is a legal medication and is used as an injectable, short-acting anesthetic for use in humans and animals, the DEA says. A ketamine derivative, esketamine under the brand name Spravato, is FDA-approved as a nasal spray to treat depression in adults, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Ketamine has also been used off-label in dozens of clinics across the U.S. to treat other mental health conditions, such as anxiety, in combination with talk therapy. However, most of the ketamine distributed in the U.S. is done so illegally, per the DEA. It's often diverted or stolen from legitimate sources, like veterinary clinics, or smuggled into the country. Ketamine is classified as a Schedule III drug by the agency, which denotes substances "with a moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence." In case you missed: Sharon Osbourne says ketamine helped her depression. Is this the next big trend? Short- and long-term effects of ketamine Short-term side effects of ketamine use may include headache, dizziness, sleepiness, feeling strange or 'loopy,' difficulty speaking, numbness, blurred vision or nausea, according to NIDA. Long-term, heavy ketamine use is associated with memory problems, depression and anxiety. The drug may also cause gastrointestinal problems, abdominal pain popularly known as 'k-cramps' and uropathy, which is a blockage in the urinary tract that can lead to infections, or UTIs. Contributing: Delaney Nothaft and Emily DeLetter, USA TODAY.
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Combo of cancer therapy drugs increases mice lifespan by 30%
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Researchers have found that a cocktail of two cancer drugs can increase the lifespan of mice by up to around 30%, according to a new study. The two drugs, trametinib and rapamycin, were both effective at extending the lives of mice when administered separately, but offered even greater benefits when taken together. They also reduced chronic inflammation and delayed cancer development in the aging mice. Mice are not humans, however, so the new findings don't necessarily mean that people will live longer by taking these drugs (outside of their current prescribed use). But the study authors noted that the drugs, which are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), are good candidates for human trials exploring ways to help older people age better. The researchers published their study about the potential longevity benefits of the FDA-approved drugs on May 28 in the journal Nature Aging. "While we do not expect a similar extension to human lifespans as we found in mice, we hope that the drugs we're investigating could help people to stay healthy and disease-free for longer late in life," study co-lead author Linda Partridge, a geneticist at University College London in the U.K. and the Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing in Cologne, Germany, said in a statement. Both drugs work by targeting cell communication pathways in the body, which play a critical role in aging and the development of diseases like cancer. Rapamycin inhibits a protein called mTOR, which regulates the division and death of cells and is associated with cancer and other diseases. Trametinib disrupts a molecular pathway called RAS/Mek/Erk, which also plays a role in cancerous cell proliferation — again, useful if you're trying to stop the growth and spread of cancer cells. Related: Heat waves may accelerate the aging process Rapamycin was already known to extend the lifespan of mice, while trametinib has previously been shown to add time to the lifespan of flies. Previous studies have also found that the drugs' separate lifespan-extending effects stack in flies, providing an even greater boost when administered together. However, the new study marks the first time that scientists have combined rapamycin and trametinib to study aging in mammals. The researchers mixed the drugs into the food of lab mice and found that, individually, rapamycin extended the mouse lifespan by 15% to 20% while trametinib extended it by around 5% to 10%. Just like in flies, the drugs proved stronger together, with a cocktail of the two increasing the mouse lifespan by up to 29%, according to the study. RELATED STORIES —Biological secrets of world's oldest woman, Maria Branyas Morera, revealed after death —Single molecule reverses signs of aging in muscles and brains, mouse study reveals —Silent X chromosome genes 'reawaken' in older females, perhaps boosting brain power, study finds To explore the biochemical underpinnings of these effects, the team took tissue samples from the mice and analyzed how the activity of their genes was affected by the two drugs. They found that not only did the mice gain separate benefits from the two different drugs but that, when used in combination, the drug cocktail influenced gene activity differently to when either drug was taken alone, according to the statement. The study highlights that these two drugs could be good candidates for geroprotectors, which are an emerging class of drugs aimed at delaying the onset of diseases and improving the health of older people. However, for now, the researchers plan to optimize the use of trametinib to maximize its benefits while minimizing side effects like weight loss and liver lesions. "Trametinib, especially in combination with rapamycin, is a good candidate to be tested in clinical trials as a geroprotector," co-lead author Sebastian Grönke, a senior postdoctoral researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, said in the statement. "We hope that our results will be taken up by others and tested in humans. Our focus is on optimising the use of trametinib in animal models."
