PublicSource | News for a better Pittsburgh (https://www.publicsource.org/author/alexandra-kanik/)
Alexandra Kanik was a web developer and designer for PublicSource between 2011 and 2015.
How many gun crimes happened within a mile of your home? Using police data, we built a map that allows you to type in your address and see.
Since January 2010, Pittsburgh has had more than 322 gun homicides, 1,250 shootings with an injury and 1,490 gun assaults. Many of these are on the map.
By 2030, Pennsylvania’s must cut it's CO2 levels by 33 percent percent from 2005 levels.
PublicSource plotted every murder in the city of Pittsburgh from 2010 through 2015. Using arrest data recently made available by the Bureau of Police, we have illustrated the gulf in murders and arrests. Using disposition data from the Allegheny County District Court, we have tracked each case to verdict and illustrated when those prosecutions fail.
Have a family emergency plan
Make sure everyone knows where the exits are in your house, workplace or school. Decide how you will contact each other. Have a meeting place everyone knows in case you can’t go home. See more suggestions at this link. Have a communications plan
Pick a person for everyone to contact in case you can’t get in touch with each other.
Hepatitis C is the most common blood-borne infection in the United States, affecting an estimated 3.2 million people. The virus mainly affects the liver and can lead to cirrhosis (liver scarring) and liver cancer. Hepatitis C is the leading cause of liver transplants in the U.S.
It is transmitted when an infected person’s blood enters the bloodstream of another person. You should be tested if:
you were born between 1945 and 1965, regardless of other risk factors
you’ve used intravenous or intranasal drugs even once
you’ve engaged in anal intercourse or vigorous, unprotected sex with multiple partners
you had a transfusion of blood or blood products, like plasma, before 1992
you are or have been on hemodialysis
you got a tattoo or piercing in a non-sterile environment
you have sex or share personal care items, like a razor or toothbrush, with someone who has hepatitis C
To get tested:
Ask your healthcare provider if you are eligible for the hepatitis C antibody test. A few Southwest PA sites that screen for hepatitis C are:
Mercy Behavioral Health, 1200 Reedsdale St., Pittsburgh
Central Outreach, 1860 Centre Ave., Pittsburgh
Butler Community Health Clinic, 103 Bonnie Drive, Butler
To learn about prescription assistance programs, visit:
For Harvoni or Sovaldi, http://www.gilead.com/responsibility/us-patient-access
For Viekira Pak, http://www.abbviepaf.org/
For Olysio, www.JanssenPrescriptionAssistance.com
For more information on hepatitis C, visit:
Help-4-Hep: http://www.help4hep.org/
Caring Ambassadors hepatitis C program: www.hepcchallenge.org
CDC Division of Viral Hepatitis: www.cdc.gov/knowmorehepatitis
HCV Advocate: www.hcvadvocate.org
Hepatitis C Association: www.hepcassoc.org
Pennsylvania does not have a law on cameras in nursing homes. The state defaults to federal guidelines that protect the dignity and privacy of nursing-home residents, but they do not address the use of cameras. If you want the state to address this one way or the other, contact:
Your local ombudsman program or the state ombudsman. Here’s a list of contact information by county. Wilmarie Gonzalez, the state long-term care ombudsman, can be reached at 717-783-8975.
Search Pennsylvania nursing homes by location, size and ownership on the Nursing Care Facility Locator Page, provided by the PA Department of Health. It includes inspections, payment options and nursing hours per resident. The Pennsylvania Health Care Association’s Facility Finder allows users to search for a facility by location and type of long-term care, as well as by specialized services, like adult day care, dementia care and dialysis. Use ProPublica’s Nursing Home Inspect application to search inspection reports for issues that matter to you, like pressure sores or emergency plans. Nursing Home Compare, developed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services [CMS], is another way to search for ratings and quality measures of nursing homes throughout the country.
CMS also has a guide to choosing the right nursing home and information on how to file a complaint.
The National Institute on Aging also has a guide on choosing a nursing home and paying for it.
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If you live in an area and want to be watchful about the air, here are some options to take action:
If you witness an air quality violation — maybe you see heavy smoke or smell bad odors that aren’t typically there — you can report it to the Allegheny County Health Department. Call (412) 687-ACHD (2243) or click here to report an incident. Many of these permits are up for renewal in the next year or two. After reviewing a company's air-quality permit, you may want to provide input during the permitting process, which could result in a change. Here’s an EPA guide to participating in the process.
Check your benefits. Many companies pay for confidential counseling through an Employee Assistance Program. These are intended to help employees find treatment and resume their careers. Services are often available for family members. Check professional groups.
