Health

(WASHINGTON) Just hours after Kathleen Sebelius resigned her position as Kansas Governor, she was sworn-in as Secretary of Health and Human Services. Sebelius left for Washington just moments after the U.S. Senate confirmed her nomination.  The vote was 65 Yeas to 31 Nays. Both Kansas Senator Sam Brownback and Senator Pat Roberts voted for Sebelius.  President Barack Obama was there when Sebelius took the oath of office Tuesday evening.   The President said, he wanted Sebelius  to be sworn in immediately to dealing with a significant health issue -- the swine flu.  Mr. Obama said the C.D.C and Homeland Security officials have done a superb job so far but "we need all hands on deck.

It's everything you wanted to know about the health and well-being of people in Sedgwick County. The Health Department has released its 2012 Data Book. Click Here to Read the Data Book The 44-page book includes information on population, employment, pregnancy rates and more.    

A public health advisory has been issued for parts of the Arkansas River.  The Kansas Department of Health and Enviorment put out the warning Friday due to elevated levels of bacteria. The bacteria was discovered during routine sampling of the water.  KDHE also says there's been a fishkill in areas where there is black and odor filled water.  The parts of the river under an advisory extend from the Lincoln Street Bridge in Wichita to the Oklahoma state line. KDHE advises individuals to have no contact with the Arkansas River between the locations identified above until further notice.  Residents are also advised to keep their pets and livestock from making contact with the water.

By Roger Cornish (WICHITA, Kan) The Salvation Army will help U.S. residents locate and verify the health and safety status of family and friends in Haiti by using its Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network (SATERN). People can check on the status of their loved ones by accessing the SATERN locator system at www.satern.org . During Hurricane Katrina SATERN processed over 65,000 health and welfare requests. The SATERN organization includes more than 2,800 volunteer licensed radio operators all across the United States.

W e used to be able to say, you can drive anywhere in Wichita in 15 minutes.  Not so much anymore, and that may be a bad thing when it comes to your health. A new study finds health consequences when your commute to work is longer than ten miles.   A drive of 15 miles or more has an even greater impact on your health.  Researchers theorize the longer commutes leave less time for exercise, and suggest workers to find ways to make time for fitness. Read more about the study here .

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment issues an "Emergency Order of Suspension" for a Coffeyville daycare. The Montgomery County Health Department says it investigated a complaint at Ms. Jiffies Day Care on September 1. After seven attempts to reach the licensed provider, health department officials say they went to the day care at 1005 W. 1st in Coffeyville. Health officials say they found a woman at the home taking care of the children, but it wasn't Jiffie Mae Sweeney, the licensed provider.

A new report shows just how much college-age drinkers consume when they get drunk-an average of nine drinks. The government looked at the dangers of binge drinking, and found 1 in 6 U.S. adults said they'd binged at least once in the previous month.  The number was 1 in 4 for those 18 to 34. Health officials say binge drinking leads to more than 40,000 deaths each year and contributes to violence, health issues and accidents.  Read...

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has issued an Emergency Order of Suspension against Grammys Day Care Home, a licensed day care home located in Beloit, Kansas. State law allows the Secretary of KDHE to issue such an order when, in the opinion of the Secretary, the order is necessary to protect children in the home from any potential threat to health or safety. The order is subject to appeal to the Secretary.  

Here Are The Results of SurveyUSA News Poll #15141 Geography Surveyed: Kansas Data Collected: 02/19/2009 Release Date: 02/19/2009 20:40 ET Sponsor: KWCH-TV Wichita 1   Asked of 500 Adults   Margin of Sampling Error for this question = ± 4.3% Should Kansas Governor Kathleen...

There's several ways you can get information about loved ones in Joplin . If you are looking for a potentially missing person, you can call the Missouri Department of Health at #417-659-5464. You can also check the "Safe and Well" Registry. People are able to check in on the site and let their loved ones know they are safe. That website is www.safeandwell.org .

The Salina School District has increased the number of hours needed to work to earn insurance from 17.5 to 30, to better comply with the restrictions in the Affordable Health Care act, they say. About 130 employees will lose their coverage, according to human resources manager Steve Dorzweiler. The number includes many part-time employees including para-educators and food service employees. There are certain regulations and penalties in place and the district says that if they don't make changes it could cost them money.

A woman from Pretty Prairie, Kan., who fraudulently received payments from the Kansas Medicaid program to care for her sister with Downs Syndrome has pleaded guilty to federal health care fraud charges.   Lupe Adela Mains, 46, pleaded guilty to one count of health care fraud and one count of mail fraud. In her plea, she admitted that from Oct. 1, 2007, to March 31, 2009, she received Medicaid funds for providing supportive home care services to her sister even though she had ceased to provide those services.

Kansas health officials say the thought that a bill in the legislature could mean the state could quarantine people with HIV is misleading. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment's Communications Director says, it's illegal to quarantine persons with HIV and that that's not the intention of the bill. "The bill was never about isolation or quarantine related to persons with HIV," writes Miranda Steele in an email to KWCH, asking for a correction on our story.  "It is not legal to quarantine people with HIV even if HB2183 passes.

Abdul Arif, an American immigrant, opened the Mayflower Clinic in 2010 as a way to give back to a community he says has given him so much. The clinic gives uninsured working adults free medical care. Nursing Director Mary Burke says, "We have a lot of people in their 50's. Mostly because they've been laid off and they're too old to get a job. " A recent move to a new building allows the clinic to now offer mental healthcare everyday of the week, free of charge. Arif says, "The need for mental health services is enormous.

Residents in northeast Wichita now have more access to health care.  The expanded Tyree Health and Dental clinic opened Thursday.  It's located at 1525 N. Lorraine Street. Click here to learn more about the clinic The clinic is part of a ministry through St. Mark United Methodist Church.  The new wing includes a waiting room, chidren's area, medical exam rooms and dental operating rooms. Since treating about 400 patients in 2006 to 6,000 in 2012, the clinic has experience a growing demand.  "The number of people who are uninsured who don't have access to affordable health care has risen over the years, and those numbers have increased consistently," said Pastor Junius Dotson with St. Mark United Methodist Church.

Patients of the Salina-Saline County Health Department are getting some help getting to their appointments.  Recently, the health department qas forced to relocate because of roof problems. Many of the services were moved to North Salina near Elm and North Street, about three blocks away from the nearest bus stop. "A lot of our clients have little children and walking in the street with little children puts them in danger," Del Myers, health education supervisor of the health department said.

It is one of the fastest growing health problems in the country, but a Garden City elementary school will get some help to fight childhood obesity. Buffalo Jones Elementary School won a competition for at $45,000 Healthy School Makeover grant. As part of the grant, the school will get special health training and fitness equipment. Teachers at the school say 45 percent of its students are overweight. "We do have an issue in our school with healthy eating and exercise after school, and so we really thought that, with the curriculum, and the with the grant, we would be able to provide something for our students that they are not able to get right now," said teacher Kerri Steelman.

The Salina-Saline County Health Department's resources remain split in two locations after it was forced to leave its building over the summer. "There were concerns with the roof support structures, part of the framework of the roof," city manager Jason Gage said. There are now two locations at 625 E. North Street and 148 N. Oakdale in Salina. The county and the city are trying to decide if they want to repair the old building, buy a new one and just who is responsible for the existing facility.

The federal government will create a health insurance exchange in Kansas after Governor Sam Brownback refuses to support the state creating its own. The governor's office released the following statement Thursday afternoon: “Kansans feel Obamacare is an overreach by Washington and have rejected the state's participation in this federal program. My administration will not partner with the federal government to create a state-federal partnership insurance exchange because we will not benefit from it and implementing it could costs Kansas taxpayers millions of dollars.

The U.S. Supreme Court has upheld the heart of President Barack Obama's health care overhaul -- ruling in favor of the requirement that most Americans can be required to have health insurance, or else pay a penalty.    The decision means the historic overhaul will continue to take effect over the next several years, affecting the way countless Americans receive and pay for their personal medical care.    The court found problems with the law's expansion of Medicaid.