Amidst a blizzard blanketing up to 10 inches of snow, Snowshoe Mountain Resort started spinning its lifts for this winter's ski season. The resort opened Thursday for its 50th winter season.
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Appalachia Health News is an ongoing series that tells the story of our health challenges and how we overcome them throughout the region. Our reporters cover topics such as women’s health, chronic disease and substance abuse, as well as documenting the health-related innovation, improvement and success within the Appalachian region.
Our Appalachia Health News Reporter is Emily Rice.
Appalachia Health News is produced with support from Marshall Health.
On this West Virginia Week, Jim Justice, the state’s two-term Republican governor, won a decisive victory in the race for the U.S. Senate in Tuesday’s general election. Patrick Morrisey, West Virginia’s three-term attorney general, won the …
A Charleston-area childcare center has ceased operations pending further investigation by the Department of Human Services. It follows the circulation of a video that documented alleged abuse.
An investigation into alleged Medicaid fraud at a substance use treatment facility in Wood County led West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey to file a lawsuit against the facility.
The CDC announced cases of Whooping Cough have more than quadrupled nationally in the last year. Emily Rice reports that state health officials are urging parents to check their child’s vaccination status.
The agency federally mandated to protect and advocate for those with disabilities in West Virginia has announced plans to take the Secretary of the Department of Health Facilities to court.
Health and safety agencies are urging West Virginians to keep their home’s smoke detectors in good working condition during this year’s annual Fire Prevention Week.
Gov. Jim Justice issued a …
The West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine was recognized in a CDC report that examines how state and county-level agencies used COVID-19 grants.
Advocates say they are disappointed lawmakers did not consider increasing funding for tobacco prevention during the second special session of the legislature.
According to the CDC, adolescent mental health in the U.S. was worsening before the COVID-19 pandemic, and now, the nation’s youth is experiencing a mental health crisis.
At the beginning of the year,…
More states than ever before will distribute opioid reversal medication for Save A Life Day on Sept 26.
Save A Life Day began in 2020 as a pilot project in Kanawha…
Early Center for Disease Control (CDC) data shows a dramatic fall of 12 percent in overdose death rates across the U.S. in the last year. During the same period, West Virginia’s dru…
By the end of the month, U.S. households will again be able to order free at-home COVID-19 tests from the federal government.
While the agency that oversees the testing has not announced an exact date f…
As temperatures cool and respiratory illnesses become more prevalent, state health officials are urging the public to get the latest versions of their vaccines.
A Sept. 1 analysis of provisional overdose death rate data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows a rapid decrease in the number of drug overdose deaths in th…
Advocates of a pilot program that covered expensive weight loss medications for West Virginia state employees say the state will end up paying more for obesity-related health problems. In March, the state’s Public Employees Insurance Agency (PEIA) cance…
One of America’s greatest contributions to world culture … is hip hop. A new compilation documents what it sounds like across Appalachia.
Also people in the region love their local water sprin…
The foundation responsible for dispersing West Virginia’s opioid settlement money has approved the launch of the application process for its first grant cycle.
The West Virginia First Foundation’s (…
West Virginia University (WVU) and Ascend West Virginia are lending work space at no cost to the West Virginia First Foundation (WVFF) in Morgantown, Fayetteville, Elkins, Martinsburg and Lewisburg.
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The re-organization of the DHHR, as directed by lawmakers in 2023, is going well, with a few hiccups, Department of Health Secretary Sherri Young told a legislative committee on Tuesday.
A program that doubles or triples nutrition assistance benefits when consumers use them at local farmers’ markets has been temporarily paused because of a lack of funding. The problem is the program’s popularity.
Researchers say mosquito-borne illnesses are on the rise across the U.S. due to rising temperatures. Appalachia Health News Reporter, Emily Rice, reports West Virginia is fairing well.
Saturday is International Overdose Awareness Day. Held annually, it is the world’s largest campaign to end overdose without stigma and remember those who have died and their families.
A national organization that works to improve the home care industry’s West Virginia Chapter says a higher reimbursement will help seniors and those with disabilities live in their homes with dignity.
Attorneys suing West Virginia for its alleged treatment of children in foster care say the Department of Human Services should not be granted the summary judgment it requested.
While politicians on both sides of the aisle have touted support for child care tax credits in recent years, no bill has passed the House or the Senate, leaving West Virginia child care providers wondering how they will fund their programs in the future.
Residents served by public assistance programs should have easier access to their eligibility status and streamlined services thanks to a new information technology system.
The executive director of the organization responsible for dispersing West Virginia’s opioid settlement funds challenged board members to award funds by the end of the year.
On Monday, the Department of Human Services announced the hiring of West Virginia’s first Statewide Intellectual and Developmental Disability, or IDD, Coordinator, Susan File.
Attendees at Charleston’s Summit will spend the next three days learning from CIT-certified law enforcement officers and behavioral health professionals about improved communication methods, identifying mental health resources for those in crisis and ensuring officer and community safety.
Cancer advocates are petitioning West Virginia’s governor to consider an investment for tobacco prevention in his expected call for a special session in August.
Even in ideal circumstances, the removal of a child from their home by Child Protective Services is always traumatic. Emily Rice spoke with community advocates about that process and what resources children need to adapt.
When it comes to several different measures of overall well-being, a new report shows West Virginia’s children rank 44th nationally. But there are some important improvements.
The foundation responsible for distributing West Virginia’s opioid settlement money met Thursday to enact mission statements and answer questions about when funds will be available to communities.
A new federal silica dust rule is about to take effect. Monday, a panel of Black Lung experts expressed hope for the future of young miners — if they’re educated about their rights.
The commission that oversees West Virginia’s state-run hospitals questioned state officials but received few answers following the January death of a man held at a state-run psychiatric facility.
Following a special session focused largely on funding her department, the Secretary of the West Virginia Department of Human Services, Cynthia Persily, released a statement promising transparency Tuesday.
One in seven West Virginian children experience anxiety or depression. Appalachia Health News Reporter, Emily Rice spoke with Keith Schemper, adviser for Psychosocial Support at Save the Children about how parents can intervene.
Health care services for nearly 30 percent of West Virginia’s population may be difficult to access if lawmakers don’t fully fund the Medicaid program in an expected special session.
The West Virginia Department of Human Services Bureau for Medical Services released updated data following the completion of the state’s Medicaid unwinding period.
Mental health providers and substance use disorder counselors are coming together to share information between those who may work with veterans in the community.
A county commissioner has joined a chorus of healthcare professionals asking Gov. Jim Justice to veto a bill that would eliminate vaccine requirements for certain students in West Virginia.
West Virginia, a state that has long been a standards bearer for vaccination rates across the country, has passed a law to loosen restrictions for certain students in the state. But the law has one final hurdle to clear before it’s implemented.
The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) is asking lawmakers to support the West Virginia Tobacco Use Prevention and Cessation Task Force’s request for $5 million.
A House Bill that aims to change vaccine requirements for virtual public, private and parochial students in West Virginia moved through the Senate Health Committee Wednesday afternoon after a lengthy discussion.