Latest news with #TraceyWilkinson
Indianapolis Star
6 days ago
- Health
- Indianapolis Star
Trump's tax bill snuck in Planned Parenthood attack that will hurt Indiana women
Reproductive health care is under attack, and recent policy changes threaten to make matters worse. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed into law July 4, includes provisions that go into effect Oct. 1 mandating that Medicaid spending can't be used towards clinics designated as nonprofit organizations that provide family planning services and reproductive care. A federal judge has partially blocked implementation of this provision. If it takes effect, though, that would mean Medicaid users won't be able to access care from Planned Parenthood clinics, among other similar nonprofit health services. While conservatives are hailing this as a pro-life victory, this law is far from saving lives. It targets all of the resources and care that Planned Parenthood provides, including contraception, STI testing, HIV-related care, mental health support and so much more. More from Sadia Khatri: Abortion ban, fetal anomaly and a ticking clock: 'an impossible decision' There's a misconception that Planned Parenthood only provides access to abortions. The organization offers a wide variety of care. In states like Indiana, where abortion is banned, Planned Parenthood doesn't even provide abortions. Some states might use state funding to cover abortion services for Medicaid enrollees, but federal dollars do not pay for abortions. Dr. Tracey Wilkinson, a pediatrician and professor at the Indiana University School of Medicine, thinks the Big Beautiful Bill has less to do with fiscal responsibility and a lot more to do with control. 'The Hyde Amendment has been in place for decades, preventing any federal funds, including Medicaid funds, to ever be used for abortion,' Wilkinson said. 'This issue in the federal budget is not about that. This issue is about preventing people that want to get birth control or want to get testing for sexually transmitted diseases, not being able to go there anymore, and ultimately, hopefully, the goal being that that clinic no longer can keep their doors open and will close.' This bill goes beyond the typical anti-abortion agenda. It's an attack on health care, and it's particularly concerning for a state like Indiana. More from Sadia Khatri: Why young progressives shouldn't give up on Indiana — or flee from it Many Indiana counties are considered maternity care deserts, which are defined as counties where there are zero hospitals that offer obstetric care and zero physicians who provide obstetric care. A little under a quarter of Indiana counties are maternity care deserts. An additional fifth of Indiana counties have limited access to obstetric care. Collectively, almost half of the counties in Indiana have limited or no access to obstetric care. Not all Hoosiers can easily get access to reproductive, sexual health and general OB-GYN-related care in Indiana. This bill is only going to exacerbate that. Planned Parenthood last year received 34,403 visits from Hoosiers across 11 health centers, 53% of whom had incomes at or below the federal poverty line. In 35% of cases, patients were insured by Medicaid. Planned Parenthood provided 30,000 family planning visits, 42,000 STI tests, 5,500 HIV tests and 1,300 Pap tests. Federal law threatens all of those services for Medicaid enrollees. For Hoosiers on Medicaid who live in areas where obstetric care is limited or nonexistent, there aren't always alternatives to Planned Parenthood clinics. Planned Parenthood often is the alternative. It's not just Planned Parenthood that's going to be negatively impacted. Indiana could lose 12 rural hospitals, Wilkinson said. When hospitals shut down, health care deserts worsen. This allegedly big and beautiful bill is about taking bodily autonomy and control away from patients and placing it in the hands of elected officials. Limiting access to family-planning and contraceptive resources has ripple effects. 'When you take away people's abilities to decide if and when and how to become a parent, all the downstream impacts are worsened,' Wilkinson said. 'Infant mortality is worsened, maternal mortality is worsened and pregnancies tend to be more complicated.' For Hoosiers enrolled in Medicaid, it's important to be vigilant and aware about your coverage. Dr. Wilkinson recommends regularly checking to make sure you are still enrolled. Rebecca Gibron, a regional CEO for Planned Parenthood, said the organization will continue to build new pathways to care. Planned Parenthood recently increased access to its telehealth services, helping more patients access remote services. "Indiana's reproductive health care landscape is being reshaped by relentless political interference from local and national leaders —designed to limit our freedom to control our own bodies," Gibron said. "But they should know: Planned Parenthood will never stop showing up for our patients." Despite what some politicians and pundits may say about the Big Beautiful Bill, the reality is that people will lose access to healthcare in some way. The outlook on reproductive health in Indiana is only going to get more grim.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
150 newly planted trees ‘deliberately pulled up' in ‘senseless act'
Around 150 newly planted trees have been ripped up is what has been described as a 'senseless act'. A variety of British native trees, including oak, hawthorn, and crab apple were destroyed recently on the council owned South Avenue field in Kearsley, Bolton. Around 300 saplings were planted in March as part of the City of Trees, a community forest charity working to create greener, healthier spaces across Greater Manchester. READ MORE: Manchester Airport hit by 'power cut' as computer terminals go down READ MORE: GRIDLOCK! Staggering pic shows 40 BUSES stuck in city centre roadworks Now around half of that number have been ripped out. Farnworth and Kearsley First councillor Tracey Wilkinson said the loss of the trees was 'incredibly frustrating and disheartening'. She said: 'We are deeply disappointed to report that after the painstaking time and effort given by volunteers to plant and protect new trees on the South Avenue field in Kearsley, many of these trees have been deliberately pulled up. 'Following initial feedback from residents about the planting location, City of Trees and council officers took the time to meet with residents on site where a compromise was reached, and the volunteers returned the following week to relocate the trees to the rear of the council-owned site. 'It's incredibly frustrating and disheartening to witness this destruction, especially after double the effort was put into making the scheme work for everyone. 'Let's hope this senseless act doesn't deter City of Trees from continuing their vital work in our community.' She added that the matter had been reported and is currently being investigated by police. The City of Trees charity aims to plant trees for people, combat the climate crisis, and boost wellbeing while enhancing green skills. The Kearsley project, which was supported by The Conservation Volunteers (TCV), saw 15 volunteers from NatWest Bank take part in planting the trees in late March. At the time of planting Council Wilkinson said the trees had been 'carefully selected to suit local conditions, ensuring they thrive long-term'. The funding for the project includes 15 years of maintenance, covering pruning and thinning to reduce future management costs.
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
'They still have nightmares and flashbacks - it's with you for life'
After 10 years of waiting in fear that their homes will be flooded again, traumatised residents have taken matters into their own hands. Dozens of homes have been flooded in Riverside Drive in Prestolee over the last decade, including 39 properties which were damaged in the Boxing Day floods of 2015. Five years later, a further 22 houses were flooded on the street near the banks of the River Irwell. Last year, residents were told that new flood defences worth more than £30m that had been planned would no longer be built due to a funding gap. READ MORE: 'Stolen' Range Rover ploughs into dental practice with 'patient in waiting room and dentists working away' READ MORE: Woman's panicked messages revealed as soon as she knew Manchester Airport plot was failing Fed up of living in fear, residents have raised more than £5,000 for their own temporary flood defences - and over the last three weeks, they have come together to install them. Farnworth and Kearsley First councillor Tracey Wilkinson has told the Manchester Evening News that the community spirit has been 'unbelievable' - but she believes it shouldn't be this way. She said: "The kids still have nightmares and flashbacks. It's with you for life. "I don't think anyone can understand it unless you've been in their shoes. "I'd love the Environment Agency to come down and see what's being done. "These residents mean business. They're not going to sit there and roll over. This isn't the first time these residents have come together to install their own flood defences. In 2020, they raised more than £3,000 which they used to make their own sandbags to put up along the banks of the river. Residents believe that these sandbags have saved them from flooding three times so far. However, according to Coun Wilkinson, these sandbags have now corroded and needed to be replaced. New Year's Eve was another near miss with flood water from the drains coming into people's gardens. She said: "At the end of the day, they're the residents who, every night, when it's been another downpour, they're the ones who are sat up, looking at the flood warnings and the river going up, watching the other residents like we did on New Year's Eve." Coun Wilkinson is still fighting for a permanent solution. Last month, she raised the issue at a Bolton council meeting. Council leader Nick Peel said that the local authority has asked the Environment Agency to draft up new options for flood defences, including temporary measures that could be deployed and alternatives to the £30m project for which funding has not been secured. An Environment Agency spokesperson said: 'We understand the devastating impacts that flooding can have. 'We have looked closely at ways to reduce flood risk for residents in Riverside Drive. However, we are unfortunately unable to proceed due to estimated construction costs, engineering difficulties in preliminary works and the complexities involved. "We understand this news will be disappointing and we will continue to work alongside our local partners and the community in Kearsley to manage flood risk in this area.' A Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs spokesperson said: 'The role of any Government is to protect its citizens. Yet the Government has inherited flood defences in their worst condition on record. 'That is why under our Plan for Change, we are investing a record £2.65 billion to build and maintain flood defences to protect lives, homes and businesses in Manchester and across the country from the dangers of flooding.'
