Changes in Healthcare
By Wyatt Emmerich
It’s been seven years since Obamacare passed. My how time flies. Time to dust off my thoughts on the American health care system.
By Wyatt Emmerich
It’s been seven years since Obamacare passed. My how time flies. Time to dust off my thoughts on the American health care system.
Drop-off collection sites for pharmaceutical waste available
By Becky Gillette
There are growing environmental concerns about the improper disposal of pharmaceutical drugs and household personal care products, said Robbie Wilbur, communications director for the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ).
“MDEQ encourages the proper management of pharmaceutical wastes and discourages flushing of household medications and other similar products down the toilet or sink,” Wilbur said. “MDEQ helps promotes the biannual collection events sponsored by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The DEA works with numerous local law enforcement agencies throughout Mississippi and the country to host local one-day collection events for prescription drugs and other pharmaceuticals. “
Also, the Mississippi Department of Public Safety provides drop-off collection sites for prescription drugs and expired pharmaceutical wastes at the agency’s Driver’s License offices.
“MDEQ has developed a brochure promoting the program and the various drop-off locations are available on the MDEQ website and distributed at various health fairs and public events,” Wilbur said. “The next National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day is April 29.”
Residents can bring unwanted prescription and over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, and other similar medicinal items (liquid or solid form) to any of the participating locations so the drugs may be disposed of safely.
Unused prescription drugs are not just a danger to the environment and drinking water supplies, but also to people in the household who have access to the medicines. There is particular concern with potential of opiate painkillers to start with someone taking medicine prescribed to another person in the household.
According to the DEA, the majority of prescription drug abusers report in surveys that they get their drugs from friends and family.
“Americans understand that cleaning out old prescription drugs from medicine cabinets, kitchen drawers, and bedside tables reduces accidents, thefts, and the misuse and abuse of these medicines, including the opioid painkillers that accounted for 20,808 drug overdoses—78 a day—in 2014 (the most recent statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention),” the DEA said. “Eight out of 10 new heroin users began by abusing prescription painkillers and moved to heroin when they could no longer obtain or afford those painkillers.”
There are indications are that more and more Americans are participating in the drug take-back programs. In 2016 Americans turned in a record amount of unwanted medicines, almost 447 tons compared to a previous high of 390 tons in the spring of 2014. That included 4,494 pounds of drugs collected in Mississippi. There were about 5,400 drug take back sites across the country.
“These results show that more Americans than ever are taking the important step of cleaning out their medicine cabinets and making homes safe from potential prescription drug abuse or theft,” said DEA Acting Administrator Chuck Rosenberg. “Unwanted, expired or unused prescription medications are often an unintended catalyst for addiction. Take-back events like these raise awareness of the opioid epidemic and offer the public a safe and anonymous way to help prevent substance abuse.”
The Associated Press has reported that a large number of different types of pharmaceuticals including antibiotics, anti-convulsants, mood stabilizers and sex hormones have been found in the drinking water supplies of at least 41 million Americans. AP said that while utilities say the tiny concentrations of these chemical are not of concern, the presence of so many prescription and non-prescription drugs is causing concerns among scientists about long-term consequences to human health.
Latest News Vertical Canford Lecture, Dr. Calvin White
Dr. Calvin White to speak April 9
Delta State University is gearing up for the 20th annual Sammy O. Cranford Memorial History Lecture on April 6 at 7 p.m. in Jobe Hall Auditorium.
The 2017 lecturer is Dr. Calvin White Jr., associate professor of history and chair of the history department at the University of Arkansas. White’s talk is entitled, “Standing at the Vanguard: Oscar Stanton De Priest, A Black Congressmen Amongst White Segregationists.”
The Cranford Lecture is sponsored by the Delta State Division of Social Sciences and History and is supported by a generous grant from the Mississippi Humanities Council. The DSU Quality Enhancement Plan is also providing support for the lecture, which honors the life of Dr. Sammy Orren Cranford, longtime history professor and archivist at Delta State. The event is free and open to the public.
White is a native of Stuttgart, Arkansas, and earned his doctorate in history from the University of Mississippi. He is the author of “The Rise to Respectability: Race, Religion, and the Church of God in Christ,” published in 2012 by the University of Arkansas Press.
“We are thrilled to have Dr. White deliver this year’s Cranford Lecture,” said Dr. Charles Westmoreland, Jr., Delta State assistant professor of history and coordinator of the Cranford Lecture. “He is a leading scholar in the fields of African American and southern religious history. His book on the Church of God in Christ provides tremendous insight into the connections between race, religion, and class in the Mississippi and Arkansas Delta.”
White’s current project and subject for this year’s lecture is Oscar De Priest, a civil rights advocate from Chicago and U.S. Representative from 1929-1935. According to Westmoreland, White’s lecture will explore Congressman De Priest’s story and the myriad ways race intersected with local and national politics in the age of Jim Crow.
“It will be a great time for learning and honoring Dr. Sammy Cranford, one of Delta State’s most distinguished faculty members,” said Westmoreland. “For 20 years, the Cranford Lecture has been a signature event at Delta State. We have been fortunate to feature many great historians and speakers over the years, and 2017 will be no exception.”
Previous lecturers include: 1998, John Marzalek; 1999, John Ray Skates; 2000, James Cobb; 2001, Martha Swain; 2002, Lawrence Nelson; 2003, Nan Woodruff; 2004, David Sansing; 2005, Charles Reagan Wilson; 2006, James Hollandsworth; 2007, Elbert Hilliard; 2008, Larry Griffin; 2009, William LaForge; 2010, Chris Myers Asch; 2011, Charles Eagles; 2012, George Rable; 2013, Jeannie Whayne; 2014, Tim Huebner; 2015, Alecia Long; 2016, Aram Goudsouzian.
For more information on the Sammy O. Cranford Memorial History Lecture, contact Westmoreland at cwestmoreland@deltastate.edu.
Pelicia Hall will oversee 3 state prisons and more than 2,200 employees
Gov. Phil Bryant recently announced the appointment Pelicia Hall commissioner of the Mississippi Department of Corrections. Hall replaces Marshall Fisher, who was recently appointed commissioner of the Mississippi Department of Public Safety. Hall has served as interim MDOC commissioner since late January.
Previously, Hall served as Fisher’s chief of staff. In her role as commissioner, Hall will oversee more than 2,200 employees, three state prisons, three private prisons, 15 regional facilities, 10 community work centers, three technical violation centers and four restitution centers.
“Pelicia’s previous experience within the Department of Corrections has made it clear that she is the perfect choice to lead the agency,” Gov. Bryant said. “I know she will continue her outstanding service to the people of Mississippi, and I am delighted she has agreed to accept this appointment.”
Hall is former lead counsel for the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics. She has 15 years of legal experience in the government and private sectors in a wide variety of disciplines. She has litigated cases in federal and state courts and served as both a special assistant United States attorney and as a special assistant attorney general with the Office of the Mississippi Attorney General. The MDOC was one of the agencies she represented during her nearly three years as a state attorney.
Hall assumed the state position after six years with the private Jackson law firm of Page, Kruger & Holland, where she litigated cases involving personal injury claims, employment discrimination, contract disputes, products liability, premises liability, insurance coverage and general tort litigation.
She learned about both civil and criminal matters as a law clerk for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi and Hinds County Circuit Court. Hall clerked two years for Circuit Judge Tomie Green.
A graduate of Mississippi College School of Law, Hall was the recipient of the American Jurisprudence Award in Real Estate Finance & Development. She earned her bachelor of arts degree from Alcorn State University, where she graduated cum laude in political science.
Hall is admitted to practice in Mississippi and before the United States Court of Appeals and the United States District Court. She is a member of the Mississippi Bar Association, National Bar Association, Magnolia Bar Association, Capital Area Bar Association, Mississippi Women Lawyers Association and the American Bar Association.
Named “Hospital of the Year” by Mississippi Nurses Association
By Angela Rogalski
The Mississippi Nurses’ Association and the Mississippi Nurses’ Foundation recognized North Sunflower Medical Center, March 6 as their Hospital of the Year. The Nightingale Awards are the highest honor that the Nurses’ Association and Foundation gives. CEO Sam Miller said receiving the award was the result of a team effort on the part of every member of North Sunflower.
“Of course, we’re proud of every member of the North Sunflower family,” Miller said. “We value the commitment they make to provide the best care anywhere. Awards like this are a team effort, and the honor is spread equally throughout the entire community. We know that nurses are most often on the front lines of providing quality health care and personalized service. The commitment and sacrifice to help others is an inspiration to me and everyone else who works here.”
The Nightingale Awards for Excellence in Nursing are inclusive of all health care settings: hospitals, home health care, health centers, schools, health departments, long-term care facilities, nursing schools, agencies, and medical practices. Miller said the Nightingale Awards consist of many different awards.
“Hospital of the Year is one among many that were awarded that night,” he added. “And receiving this award was absolutely a team effort; I can’t stress that enough. Clinical staff, nursing staff and physicians, and we have the best and most wonderful patients in the world. We are very blessed to be in the Delta, and to do what we do. We were nominated for a series of classes and processes involving innovation in nursing leadership.”
Miller said it actually all started a few years ago with Debbie Logan when she nominated North Sunflower for the award.
“Debbie works for the Office of Nursing Workforce,” Miller said. “A few years ago we had talked about classes, leadership, education and lifelong learning classes for nursing and clinical staffs, and we were blessed to get a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation grant. We teamed with the Mississippi Nursing Association and assisted in putting on a series of classes throughout the state. Those would include Advanced Nursing Practices, which were done internally with us and we are continuing that process today. Debbie Logan was instrumental in helping us start that.”
Miller said many nurses took advantage of the classes, as they were averaging 40 to 50 in a group.
“One of the grants that we received was a matching grant,” he added. “And when we committed to doing it, we did it locally in our hospital, but it also affected a group of classes that the Mississippi Nurses Association had throughout the state, and Debbie Logan was one of the principal people involved in that. She helped set that up, so it benefited not just North Sunflower, but a lot of other areas also.”
Miller said they were so grateful and blessed by the Nightingale Award of Hospital of the Year, because North Sunflower recognized how many other great providers were in the Delta.
“They are many wonderful providers in the Mississippi Delta,” Miller said. “We’re very thankful for the honor and we try very hard to be one of the best providers in the Delta. In addition, my thoughts when it comes to nursing education, or any medical education, are in lifelong learning. So, the program continues and we’re very proud to be a part of it.”
Latest News entergy training facility
New employees of Entergy Corporation’s transmission organization are gaining valuable knowledge and experience in maintaining substations at the new Arthur “Dub” Barfield Training Substation in Clinton, Mississippi.
“This is the only training facility of its kind in Entergy’s four-state utility service territory,” said Jim Schott, vice president of transmission for Entergy. “It’s designed to give employees an opportunity to learn and train in a safe environment because the training facility is not energized. The facility offers a critical first step to preparing new employees to effectively maintain essential infrastructure and reliably deliver electricity to customers.”
Refresher courses for existing employees will also be offered in the new training facility.
The facility is named for Entergy employee Arthur “Dub” Barfield, former Entergy director of transmission grids, who died in November 2015. Barfield spent nearly 35 years of his career at Entergy and was a champion of safe work and training practices.
Employees from across Entergy’s four-state utility service will learn to operate, maintain and test equipment at the “Dub Sub.” The facility:
“This is a cutting-edge training facility that reflects Entergy’s commitment to excellence and adding value for our stakeholders, especially customers and employees,” said Haley Fisackerly, Entergy Mississippi’s president and CEO. “This investment by the company supports Entergy’s We Power Life vision by ensuring a skilled workforce to deliver safe, reliable electricity for customers today and well into the future.”
Entergy Corporation is an integrated energy company engaged primarily in electric power production and retail distribution operations. Entergy owns and operates power plants with approximately 30,000 megawatts of electric generating capacity, including nearly 10,000 megawatts of nuclear power. Entergy delivers electricity to 2.9 million utility customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Entergy has annual revenues of approximately $10.8 billion and more than 13,000 employees.
Latest News capps technology center, community foundation of northwest mississisppi
The Community Foundation of Washington County (hereinafter referred to as “CFWC”) is pleased to announce the Delta Workforce Marketing Initiative, which is a collaborative partnership between the CFWC, the Washington County Economic Alliance (hereinafter referred to as “WCEA”), the Mississippi Delta Community College Charles W. Capps, Jr. Technology Center (hereinafter referred to as the “Capps Technology Center”), and the Delta Regional Authority (hereinafter referred to as “DRA”). The Delta Workforce Marketing Initiative is a collaborative partnership that will work to rebrand and promote the training programs and classes of the Capps Technology Center. This Initiative is being deployed throughout Washington County, a rural community classified as high need, in all unemployment, under-employment, and underserved sectors with the goal of helping our residents become aware of the training available for skill enhancement so they can gain employment in an effort to close the middle skill job gap in Washington County.
The CFWC committed Twenty Thousand Dollars and 00/100 ($20,000.00) towards the Delta Workforce Marketing Initiative, which was coupled with funding from the DRA in the amount of Twenty Thousand Dollars and 00/100 ($20,000.00), to yield a Forty Thousand Dollar and 00/100 ($40,000.00) total investment towards the development and implementation of a marketing plan for the Capps Technology Center. Cary Karlson, Executive Director of the WCEA, stated “We are so pleased to have the partnership between the WCEA, the DRA, and the CFWC as we look to inform those in Washington County and the Mississippi Delta about the training opportunities at the Capps Technology Center. Having a trained workforce will help us greatly as we work to grow the economy in the Mississippi Delta.” Karlson further stated, “We knew that by matching the priorities of both of these organizations this workforce development initiative could really be expanded to maximize its impact on our Washington County community.”
According to Terri Lane, Executive Director of the CFWC, “After extensive research surrounding the landscape of Workforce Development here in our county, it was evident to our board that many valuable training programs, services and resources existed that were targeted to help enhance the workforce training and skills of residents with the goal of helping the unemployed and under-employed successfully compete for gainful employment. However, communications and marketing are vital components towards ensuring that residents are aware of how to access and take advantage of these workforce training resources.” The CFWC and the DRA took this as a challenge and committed funding towards the development and implementation of a communications and marketing plan to work, in partnership, with the Capps Technology Center to help tell their story.
Improved workforce competitiveness is one of DRA’s key strategic goals, according to Chris Masingill, Co-Chairman of the DRA, “Workforce development and training throughout the Delta region is essential to develop communities that can be competitive regionally, nationally and globally,” Masingill said. “This project will have an immediate and strong impact on the residents of Washington County, encourage attendance at workforce training classes at the Capps Technology Center and increase the ability of trainees to enhance their earning potential.
“We greatly appreciate the WCEA for administering a program that will be a vital component of workforce development in the region. This program will enable area workers to access information and develop the skills necessary to close the job gap in Washington County and contribute to the growth of the Mississippi Delta economy,” Masingill added.
The Capps Technology Center, the workforce training arm of Mississippi Delta Community College, is located in Indianola, Mississippi and offers a wide array of training opportunities from manufacturing basics to welding to hospitality. Todd Donald, Vice President of Workforce Economic Development, at the Capps Technology Center, is equally as optimistic about this initiative. “This project is so exciting to our team here at the Capps Technology Center. We’ve selected Aha! Creative to work with us on the development of our plan to reach out to residents across Washington County to educate them on the offerings at our facility and local offerings held at the Greenville Higher Education Center, right here in Greenville. We are grateful to be a part of this larger conversation of how to communicate and educate our Mississippi Delta communities of how the Capps Technology Center can help them make a difference in their lives and enhance their earning potential to best care for their families and give back to their communities.” The plan in development by Aha! Creative is being created with a timeline for implementation throughout this year. “We are looking to pilot our plan here in Washington County, as we have strong support from the WCEA and the CFWC,” states Donald. “With measurable positive outcomes and success stories, our plan is to continue our efforts into additional counties in the future. This initiative shows that the combination of governmental dollars and non-profit dollars can work together to truly make a long-lasting, positive impact on our communities here in the Mississippi Delta.”
The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP) Fisheries Bureau and the Mississippi State University Extension Service are hosting pond management workshops in Yazoo and Tunica Counties. The Yazoo County workshop will be held at the Yazoo County Extension Service Office located at 212 East Broadway Street in Yazoo City on Thursday, April 6th at 6 p.m. Those interested in attending this workshop are asked to register by calling the Yazoo County Extension Service Office at (662) 746-2453.
The Tunica County workshop will be held at the Tunica County Extension Service Office at 1221 Kenny Hill Avenue, Suite 3, in Tunica on Saturday, April 8, at 9 a.m. Those interested in attending this workshop are asked to register by calling the Tunica County Extension Office at (662) 363-2911 or emailing Mr. Anthony Bland at adb7@msstate.edu.
An hour-long presentation will include topics on pond design, fish stocking, harvest, vegetation control, liming, and fertilization. A question-and-answer period will follow. “These workshops will allow biologists and private pond owners the opportunity to discuss all aspects of pond management,” said MDWFP Fisheries Bureau Assistant Director Larry Bull. “We talk to many people each year who want help managing their ponds, and this is a great way for us to provide personal how-to information that can help pond owners achieve their goals.”
For more information regarding fishing in Mississippi, visit our website at www.mdwfp.com or call us at (601) 432-2212. Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/mdwfp or on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MDWFPonline.
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