public health

A federal lawsuit alleges that Missouri's dysfunctional system prevents low-income residents from getting food aid. Now that the state is also reassessing the Medicaid eligibility of more than 1 million recipients — and kicking people off the rolls — advocates said those flaws have escalated into a crisis for the most vulnerable.

Residents can book appointments to get updated COVID booster shots at local CVS and Walgreens pharmacies. However, the city's health department says it could be weeks before vaccines are delivered to its clinics.

July 2023 marked the hottest month on record. As climate conditions worsen and extreme weather events spread across the globe, so do uncommon diseases. Health experts warn of the health consequences of not addressing climate change.

The Missouri Supreme Court ruled unanimously Tuesday that Jackson County and St. Louis County should have been allowed to intervene in a lawsuit that struck down local health orders aimed at mitigating the spread of COVID-19.

Across the Kansas City metro, departments are making strategic efforts to rebuild from the COVID-19 pandemic and prepare for future health emergencies. But they are fighting uphill battles against lackluster funding, a mass exodus of employees and public perception.

The Parvin Estates tenant union is the first of its kind in Kansas City's Northland. Residents say that rents are being raised by 35% after years of neglect, including broken air conditioning and infestations of rodents and insects.

Republican state Sen. Holly Thompson of Scott City sponsored legislation to decriminalize the harm reduction tool. She hopes this will help lower opioid overdoses.

The federal public health emergency over COVID, declared in 2020, came to an end on May 11. Health officials say the expiration of the order means that vaccines and tests are no longer being provided free from the federal government.

In Missouri, the average person born in 2021 could expect to live to be 74.6 years old, a whole three years younger than the average age 10 years ago. The state’s drop is part of a nationwide decline, though the life expectancy in Missouri is lower than the United States average.

The U.S. national emergency to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic ended Monday as President Joe Biden signed a bipartisan congressional resolution to bring it to a close after three years.

The Kansas legislature is considering a bill that would strip powers from local public health officials to contain disease outbreaks.

The city of Shawnee will not enforce future masking, vaccination and social distancing orders from Johnson County.