BOSTON — Gov. Maura Healey has put plans to close the Pocasset Mental Health Center in Bourne on hold after facing bipartisan opposition from families, local officials, mental health advocates, […]
Health & Healthcare
HEALTH CARE ACCESS
Navigating Abortion Care on the Outer Cape
National anti-abortion efforts have an effect on local access
PROVINCETOWN — Despite Massachusetts laws protecting access to abortion, logistical and institutional barriers persist for Outer Cape residents seeking care. Most abortions in the U.S. today are early in pregnancy: […]
PUBLIC HEALTH
Outer Cape Prepares for Federal Ruling on HIV Prevention Meds
Public health leaders focus on shoring up state support and private donations
PROVINCETOWN — When Jeff Schaffer learned in January that the Supreme Court would hear a case that threatened coverage of lifesaving HIV-prevention medications, he was not surprised. Schaffer, a registered nurse […]
CUTTING CARE
Mental Health Center Closing Would Ripple Across Cape, Officials Say
State budget cuts would affect access to the Cape’s only inpatient psychiatric care
Editor’s note: Because of a production error, the last section of this article did not appear in the print version of the Feb. 13 edition. The full text of the […]
H5N1
Avian Flu Is Spreading, Affecting Wild Birds Most
Waterfowl hit hardest, with poultry and pets at risk; more surveillance underway
WELLFLEET — If you feel like you’ve been noticing a lot of dead birds lately, you’re not alone. According to State Ornithologist Andrew Vitz, we are in the midst of […]
BLOODSUCKERS
Ticks — and Their Diseases — Are a Winter Problem, Too
Adult deer ticks, which carry Lyme disease, are most active in colder months
WELLFLEET — Life on Cape Cod includes ticks — and increasingly, tick-borne diseases. According to the state Dept. of Public Health, 113 people on Cape Cod were diagnosed with illnesses […]
PERTUSSIS
A Resurgence of Whooping Cough Reaches Cape
Boosters are recommended for adults living with infants
TRURO — Pertussis, more commonly known as whooping cough for the piercing inhalations or “whoops” that punctuate its painful coughing attacks, has re-emerged in New England this year after four […]
MENTAL HEALTH
ARPA-Funded Behavioral Health Clinician Serves the Outer Cape
Short-term counseling is free, designed as a bridge to longer-term care
EASTHAM — Even in the best of circumstances, accessing mental and behavioral health care can become a Herculean journey. The country’s mental health care system is byzantine, there are rarely […]
PARENTING
Piecing Together Postpartum Care on the Outer Cape
Nurses, doulas, and support groups provide reassurance and company
TRURO — On a Thursday morning in early December, Rana O’Laughlin arrives at Jelena Duarte’s house, greeted by Pickle the cat and Duarte’s 18-month-old daughter, Vera. The atmosphere is subdued, […]
MENTAL HEALTH
ARPA-Funded Behavioral Health Clinician Serves the Outer Cape
Short-term counseling is free, designed as a bridge to longer-term care
EASTHAM — Even in the best of circumstances, accessing mental and behavioral health care can become a Herculean journey. The country’s mental health care system is byzantine, there are rarely […]
PUBLIC HEALTH
Officials Want Handlers of Rabid Raccoon to Seek Care
If tests show the animal was from here, wild animals will be vaccinated in spring
EASTHAM — A dead raccoon that turned up on Smith Lane with a face full of porcupine quills on Nov. 17 tested positive for raccoon variant rabies — a variant […]
HEALTH CARE
Deadline Looms for Blue Cross Medicare Clients
Patients can still pay ‘out-of-network’ rates at Outer Cape Health
WELLFLEET — As the Dec. 7 deadline to change Medicare Advantage plans approaches, over 500 patients of Outer Cape Health Services (OCHS) must decide whether to choose a new plan […]
HEALTH CARE
BCBS Drops OCHS From Its Medicare Plans
Blue Cross move may be a strategy to increase profits
WELLFLEET — On the first day of open enrollment for Medicare recipients to choose a health-care plan, Catherine Hess received a notice that her current insurer, Blue Cross Blue Shield, […]
ELDER CARE
Healey Signs Long-Term Care Bill Into Law
State will have new powers over owners of nursing homes
PROVINCETOWN — Last month, a long-term care reform bill that had failed to pass during the legislature’s normal session, which ended July 31, became law after the state House and […]
RECOVERY
A New Wellness Center Offers In-Person Support
Its focus is on helping those affected by substance use disorder
WELLFLEET — Outer Cape Health Services has opened a new behavioral health facility in Wellfleet. It will be open year-round to help people recovering from substance use disorder. The A.I.M. […]
