Latest news with #Mudd
South Wales Argus
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- South Wales Argus
Newport: National Children's Day celebrated at Cathedral
The event, attended by Police and Crime Commissioner Jane Mudd, saw the youngsters perform songs and poems, tackling subjects such as racism in communities. Commissioner Mudd and Chief Constable Mark Hobrough also hosted a group of Heddlu Bach from Nant Celyn Primary School at Gwent Police headquarters. The children toured the building, visited the control room, and had the opportunity to question the Commissioner and Chief Constable. They also received a talk from the dog handling team and a special demonstration from police dog Ruby. Police and Crime Commissioner Jane Mudd said: "National Children's Day celebrates the importance of healthy childhoods and protecting the rights and freedoms of children and young people. "One of my commitments as Police and Crime Commissioner is that I will do all that I can to ensure that children and young people are listened to and that what they are telling us shapes the way we deliver services. "I am working on a Children's Charter which will set out the way my office will work with children and young people going forward".
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
KY still pays price for one of nation's highest rates of opioid use disorder, says new report
A Narcan vending machine in the exit lobby of the Louisville Metro Department of Corrections. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Sarah Ladd) Kentuckians living with addiction can call Kentucky's help line at 833-859-4357. Narcan, which can help reverse overdoses, is available at pharmacies for sale and through some health departments and outreach programs for free. Even though overdose deaths have declined over the last three years, Kentucky still has one of the highest rates of opioid use disorder (OUD) in the United States, according to a national report released Tuesday. 'The cost of addiction: Opioid use disorder in the United States' shows Kentucky is one of four states where the rate of opioid use disorder is higher than 2.5% of the population aged 12 or older. The others are New Hampshire, Nevada and Massachusetts. Margaret Scott, an author of the study from Avalere Health, said the estimate is based on the National Survey on Drug Use. The report doesn't look at factors that might lead to higher or lower rates of cases. 'We did rely on the national figures from the national survey, but this is self reported cases of opioid use disorder, so it is possible that individuals in those states are more likely to self report,' she said. In 2024, 1,410 Kentuckians died from an overdose, according to the 2024 Drug Overdose Fatality Report. In 2023, there were 1,984 overdose deaths, which was a decrease from the 2,135 lost in 2022. 'It is encouraging to see the number of overdose deaths decreasing,' Scott said. 'We're still seeing 80,000 overdose deaths in the country. It's hard to say what is contributing to that decline (in Kentucky), but we do know that OUD is still a significant problem.' Ben Mudd, the executive director of the Kentucky Pharmacists Association, said Kentucky does a lot right when it comes to diagnosing and treating addiction. 'There's been a huge focus on harm reduction and naloxone distribution and I think that is why we've seen the decrease in overdose deaths,' Mudd told the Lantern. But that intervention, which can reverse an overdose, 'doesn't necessarily stop new cases.' 'Those cases still exist,' Mudd said. 'There's so much naloxone out there, people are educated, perhaps people aren't using alone, things like that. All of those programs that have been put in place have led to fewer overdoses, but not necessarily a reduced number of people with opioid use disorder.' Tuesday's report is mostly interested in the costs surrounding OUD and the economic impact of addiction. 'Some of the costs that we estimated included things like lost income taxes based on the lost productivity for businesses as well as employees' lost wages. We looked at property, client crime from OUD, as well as different types of costs to the state and local governments,' Scott said. 'Those costs included things like Medicaid direct costs for substance use treatment, as well as those lost income taxes and corporate taxes, and then, of course, the criminal justice costs, which would include police presence, courts, jails, all of those things.' In Kentucky, OUD costs big bucks, according to the report: Kentucky has one of the highest rates of opioid use disorder in the nation. Opioid use disorder costs Kentucky about $95 billion, with an average cost per case of $709,441. State and local governments bear more than $2 billion in costs, primarily driven by criminal justice expenses and lost tax revenue. The state/local per capita OUD cost is among the highest nationally, between $400-$500 per resident annually. OUD-related costs in Kentucky are more than 6% of the state's gross domestic product. 'Our study shows that barriers to care include physician stigmatizing and expressing reluctance to treat OUD patients, inadequate provider education and training, geographic distances to treatment locations, and social stigma,' Scott said. Medicine treatment pays off in the long run, the report says, as it 'has been shown to reduce cravings, increase abstinence from opioids and reduce morbidity and mortality, thereby making it a key component for addressing the economic and public health consequences of OUD.' Treatments can include medications and therapy. Methadone, buprenorphine and naltrexone are treatments approved by the Food and Drug Administration for OUD management. 'As states and local governments explore new strategies to reduce healthcare costs, encouraging public health, governments and payers to prioritize OUD treatments can lead to greater savings,' Michael Ciarametaro, managing director at Avalere Health, said in a statement. This is especially true for the formerly incarcerated, who live 'opioid naive' behind bars and may, upon release, take the same dose they did before being incarcerated and not have the resistance to handle it, Mudd explained. 'If you're incarcerated, you hopefully don't have access to opioids. But when you leave that facility, many folks go back to the same routine that they were in before, the same environment they were in before,' he said. Kentucky has taken aggressive steps to treat and prevent addiction. The latest Drug Overdose Fatality Report showed that for 2024: $29.8 million was distributed in grant and pass-through funding from the state Office of Drug Control Policy. 170,000 doses of Narcan were distributed. 84 syringe exchange program sites served 27,799 unique participants. 142,312 Kentuckians received addiction services through Medicaid. 17,399 Kentuckians received treatment paid by the Kentucky Opioid Response Effort. 17,984 Kentuckians received recovery services like housing assistance, employment services, transportation and basic needs services in their community paid by the Kentucky Opioid Response Effort. 3,329 incoming calls were made to the KY HELP Call Center with 14,087 outgoing follow up calls. 21 counties are certified as Recovery Ready Communities representing 1,495,518 Kentuckians. There's still some stigma when it comes to seeking treatment, Mudd said. 'There are folks, even within my profession, that think that this is just a pill mill,' Mudd said. A 'constant turnover' of patients is a 'real thing' and 'a concern of health care providers across the state.' 'It's the nature of addiction and folks with OUD,' he said. 'It's hard to differentiate at the pharmacy counter: 'Is this patient truly in recovery, or is this patient seeking this product so that they can sell it or trade it or whatever for illicit drugs?' And that's tough for pharmacists to make that determination.' Some won't dispense the treatments, he said, while others say, ''Hey, I want to make sure, just like Naloxone (Narcan), that we see this as a vehicle to help people. Some will use it, some will misuse it, some will divert it.'' Meanwhile, he said, the pharmacist association is focused on making sure pharmacies are 'good access points' for treatments because, especially in rural areas, people may be able to access a pharmacy much easier than a doctor's office. 'If your prescriber, physician, nurse practitioner is 45 minutes an hour away, what we're trying to do is break down those barriers,' Mudd said. 'These products are not available at every drugstore in Kentucky. They're not stocked at Walgreens. They're not stocked at your local independent pharmacy. But we know those are good access points.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Techday NZ
11-05-2025
- Business
- Techday NZ
Exclusive: How sustainability challenges are putting data centres under pressure
Data centres are expanding at breakneck speed across the globe, driven by the explosive rise of artificial intelligence (AI). But experts are warning that unless sustainability and resilience are prioritised now, the long-term viability of these facilities, and the services they power could be at serious risk. "AI is the single most disruptive technology that has the ability to have a positive impact on society in terms of bringing better services to everybody in a more sustainable way," explained David Mudd, Global Head of Digital Trust Assurance at BSI. Mudd, who has worked across the electronics, telecoms, and digital trust sectors, has been with BSI for nearly eight years. His work focuses on ensuring digital infrastructure, including data centres, is robust, secure, and sustainable. But while AI holds promise for society, it brings a sharp increase in demand for data storage and processing. "Every time you take a photo or send a message, that's more data being stored," he told TechDay during a recent interview. "Generative AI in particular sucks up vast quantities of data and requires huge processing power—often 1,000 times more than a standard internet search," he explained. This surge is triggering an unprecedented boom in data centre construction, from massive hyperscale facilities to smaller, localised edge centres. "We're seeing data centres like mini cities, consuming the power of a small town," Mudd said. "But we're also seeing more of them in more places, driven by demand and by national data sovereignty concerns." That, he added, is where the sustainability challenges become urgent. "Before we even start on efficiency, we have to ask - is there power even available to build these facilities? In some regions, there's already a three-to-five-year waiting list for power connections." Beyond electricity, water is another growing concern. "We've seen headlines calling AI 'thirsty', and it's not far off. Data centres use vast amounts of water for cooling - either directly or indirectly through the power stations that feed them," Mudd said. Carbon emissions from energy use and construction materials such as concrete are also part of the equation. The risk, he warned, is that in the rush to meet AI demand, corners could be cut. "There's a real pressure to get data centres up fast. But what gets built today will be around for 30 or 40 years. If shortcuts are taken, we're risking their long-term availability and effectiveness." That's especially important given how critical data centres have become to modern life. "They're now part of our critical infrastructure. Banking, healthcare, utilities - all rely on them," he explained. "In the UK and Europe, data centres have been formally designated as such." Climate change poses additional risks. "We've already seen sustained high temperatures in London leading to increased outages," said Mudd. "It's not just hotter places like Dubai where we need to worry. Even relatively temperate areas are seeing extreme events like floods and heatwaves that strain existing infrastructure." Good location choices and careful design are essential. "You might need to build near a high-tech hub, but is there power? How will the local community respond? What are the climate risks - floods, heat, lightning?" he said. International standards play a key role in getting this right. "Standards like the European EN 50600 series and its ISO equivalent, ISO/IEC 22237, provide globally agreed best practice across the entire data centre lifecycle - from design and construction to maintenance and eventual end-of-life," Mudd said. "This isn't just one viewpoint - it's 100 countries agreeing on what good looks like." While these standards don't solve everything, they help align stakeholders and enable trust across a global industry. "No one organisation has all the best answers," he added. "Having a common language helps everyone work together more effectively." Reducing water and energy consumption, particularly for AI workloads, requires both conventional and advanced solutions. "From evaporative cooling towers and cold aisle containment to on-chip liquid cooling, there are options at every level," Mudd explained. "Even just having solar panels and wind turbines on site is something every organisation should consider." Still, Mudd cautioned against focusing solely on the data centres themselves. "They're only one part of the picture. We also need to rethink software design, telecom infrastructure and societal expectations." "There's been this idea that data creation, storage and processing are free - just like we used to think of energy. That has to change." According to Mudd, talent shortages are "another hurdle." "The data centre industry is facing the same workforce crunch as the broader ICT sector," he said. "New markets especially are struggling to build that critical mass of expertise. That's why it's vital to engage with universities and young engineers now." His message to those considering a career in data centres is simple: "Without data centres, there would be no AI. If you're helping to design and operate them, you're enabling a smarter, more inclusive, and sustainable society." So what should developers be doing right now? "Look at industry best practice and understand the long-term risks of a short-term mindset," Mudd said. "We've got a one-off chance to get this right for the next 30 years. The opportunity is now."
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
'Momnibus 2.0' bill attracts strong bipartisan support
Feb. 19—Julie Mudd of Bedford has three sons now, but she well remembers 17 years ago slipping into depression after having her first. "After suffering miscarriages and struggling with fertility, I found myself successfully pregnant with my first child," Mudd told reporters at a news conference. "The sparkle fades from a long-awaited pregnancy that was met with a long bout" of depression. Mudd was one of the lead speakers promoting the bipartisan "Momnibus 2.0," (SB 246) a series of mandates that would provide new mothers with maternal mental health, follow-up screenings and home visits for up to a year after the delivery of a child. "All women are vulnerable to postpartum depression regardless of age, marital status or socioeconomic status," said Mudd, who has been a child-and-parent life coach for the past 16 years. "It isn't discriminatory; unfortunately access to care is." Heather Martin, the first-ever maternal health navigator for Dartmouth Health, said the rate of postpartum depression among mothers in New Hampshire is among the highest in the country. "It is time for our lawmakers to step up and support our moms," said Martin, who confided that her sister was a new mom who committed suicide. Alison Palmer, a perinatal clinical nurse specialist in Manchester, said the state lacks enough providers who can cross medical disciplines. She referred to a "hot potato" mentality when a pediatrician and a psychiatrist sometimes offer conflicting care that can be geared more to the health of the newborn rather than the mother. "Who owns the mom? This is a part of our fragmented health care system," Palmer said. Consultation line, leave for visits in the bill State Sen. Denise Ricciardi, R-Bedford, co-authored the first edition of this bill two years ago, which increased the mandate for postpartum care under Medicaid to extend from 60 days after birth to a full year. "This is going to fill critical mental health gaps through smart investments and key policy changes," Ricciardi said. Sen. Suzanne Prentiss, D-Lebanon, said one of the most important upgrades is a $75,000 grant for the Department of Safety to arrange maternal delivery training for emergency medical service providers in rural parts of the state. "When New Hampshire moms thrive and babies thrive, then New Hampshire families and the communities thrive. They are the bedrock of this state," said Prentiss, a paramedic and executive director of the American Trauma Society. The bill would also spend $550,000 over the next two years to create a perinatal psychiatric provider consultation line within the state Department of Health and Human Services. Mothers on Medicaid would be eligible to receive screening for depression at the time of the one, two-, four- and six-month well-child visits for the family under the bill. Paula Rogers, a former insurance commissioner who lobbies for health insurance companies, said the Legislature in 1997 began to require maternal health care for all families, but the mental health provision has been missing since then. Rogers said her clients for the most part already provide the level of coverage mandated in the bill. The bill would also direct a $30,000 study into the barriers to creating child delivery centers in the state, which has seen 11 of them close over the past two decades. John Reynolds, state director of the National Federation of Independent Business, raised concern about how this would guarantee leave for mothers to attend post-delivery appointments. The bill would provide the mandate for all companies with 20 employees or more. Reynolds said the 50-employee standard is already used under the federal Affordable Care Act and the Family and Medical Leave Act laws. Ricciardi's significant amendment to the bill she presented Wednesday would limit the leave time to 25 hours for the appointments during the first year of a newborn's life. Sponsors agreed to strip from the bill a provision that would have guaranteed a mother who went out on leave for depression could have her job restored once she was well enough to return to the workforce. klandrigan@
