This week: What does the minimum wage have to do with infant health? Plus, reducing the lead that comes out of our faucets, and that gets lodged in the bodies of our young men during gun fights. Teens who are bullied are high-risk for taking their own lives, but so are the perpetrators. And the Supreme Court strikes a blow against state law that restricts abortion.
From The ER, A Chance To Move Beyond A Violent Life
“It's the teachable moment. This is the time when they're real tender and ready for some kind of intervention.” Counselor Keith Smitherman meets his clients for the first time in the ER - young men from poor backgrounds, who are injured as a result of their involvement with drugs or other crime. For Side Effects, Jake Harper reports on a hospital-based program that works to connect these patients with education, jobs and services.
Higher Minimum Wages, Healthier Babies
The U.S. has a higher infant mortality rate than most developed countries. Could the disparity have to do with our low minimum wage? Two recent studies found that states with higher minimum wages saw fewer low-weight births and more babies living past their first birthday. Citylab reports.
Supreme Court Strikes Down Restrictions In Texas Abortion Law
The law, which placed restrictions on both providers and facilities where abortions are performed, had reduced the number of places where women in Texas could have an abortion by half since 2013. The court said they "constitute an undue burden on abortion access." What are the implications for other states with similar legislation in place? Kaiser Health News has more.
Teen Bullies And Their Victims Share Suicide Risk
A report out this week from the American Academy of Pediatrics urges doctors to screen teenagers for suicide risk. In the study, cyberbullying was found to increase suicide attempts, as NPR reports. But the internet can also be a safety net. For instance, one young man says a connection he made through the Reddit forum SuicideWatch saved his life. WNYC's Only Human has that story.
Is There Lead In Your Water?
A National Resource Defense Council report out Tuesday cites over 5,000 water systems in violation of a federal lead rule - and those are just the jurisdictions that actually reported their lead levels! Legislative action is needed to beef up enforcement, write the authors of this story from Vox. Search for your town in their interactive table.
