Tag: Safety

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Bills Address Educator Shortage, Mental Health, Safety

Bills Address Educator Shortage, Mental Health, Safety





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And other legislative updates in this week’s Up the Street

Photo © 2016 NEA / Moses Mitchell Photography

THIS WEEK IN ANNAPOLIS

Governor’s Bill Addresses Educator Shortage Head-on

Confronting the shortage of educators and the inadequate pipeline to supply their ranks, Gov. Moore has introduced his Educator Shortage Act, House Bill 1219. The bill would achieve several goals that MSEA has fought for, including establishing a paid internship program for aspiring educators.

The Educator Shortage Act would set targets for the recruitment and retention of teachers in teacher preparation programs, including requiring the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) to create a dashboard for educator recruitment, retention, and diversity. It also requires the state to join the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact to create reciprocity among participant states and reduce the barriers to license portability and employment. In addition, the Act:

  • Reforms the Teaching Fellows for Maryland program, expands eligibility, and directs MSDE to publicize the program at HBCUs and to students who are members of groups that are under-represented among teachers.
  • Establishes the Grow Our Own Educators Scholarship Program and Fund, which includes a four-year service requirement in a public school or pre-k program and scholarships for tuition and mandatory fees.
  • Establishes the Educator Internship Stipend Program, which provides stipends of up to $20,000 for student teachers participating in an internship or practicum as an undergraduate or graduate student leading to a teaching certificate.

To implement the Educator Shortage Act, the governor allocated $15 million in his proposed Fiscal Year 2024 budget, Senate Bill 181/House Bill 200. The Educator Shortage Act will be heard at 1 p.m. on March 1 in the House Ways and Means Committee.

Workgroup Proposed to Examine Wage Solutions for Education Support Professionals

Chair of the Senate Democratic Caucus Senator Craig Zucker (D-Montgomery) is building on the education support professional-focused legislation he introduced last year. This year Zucker has introduced Senate Bill 735, and Del. Melissa Wells (D-Baltimore City) crossfiled House Bill 1234, to establish a workgroup to explore the best ways to improve support staff wages. The workgroup would make recommendations to the General Assembly for future legislation, and MSEA would have a seat on the workgroup.

The idea for the workgroup was originally part of Zucker’s bill last year, which included paying ESPs $1,000 retention bonuses divided across two years. However, when SB831 passed in 2022 it did not include the workgroup. The bonuses passed, but former Gov. Hogan did not fully fund them in fiscal year 2023, and as promised Gov. Moore fixed that to make ESPs whole in his proposed FY24 budget.

SB735 will have its first hearing in the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee at 1 p.m. on March 8.

Labor Rights Central to Senate Bill 367/House Bill 984

The Senate Finance Committee on Thursday held the first hearing on Senate Bill 367, which would improve the collective bargaining law for public employees and is one of MSEA’s legislative priorities. MSEA testified that public employees need an efficient, well-resourced labor board that can resolve disputes in a timely manner. Sen. Clarence Lam (D-Howard and Anne Arundel) is sponsoring SB367, crossfiled as House Bill 984, which is sponsored by Majority Whip Del. Jazz Lewis (D-Prince George’s), who serves as the Chair of the Personnel Subcommittee of the Appropriations Committee.

The bill would merge the three state public labor relations laws into a single, standardized, and modernized framework for public employee collective bargaining. Ineffective, understaffed, and unduly divided, the setup of these three boards currently limits labor and management’s ability to have fair and timely resolution of disputes over contracts, unit clarifications, unfair labor practices, and bargaining. The House Appropriations Committee will have a hearing on HB984 at 1 p.m. on March 7.

MSEA Supports Mental Health, Gun Violence Prevention Bills

Headlines about mental health challenges among students and the epidemic of gun violence are appearing all too frequently in Maryland and across the country. This week a number of bills that would address these crises had hearings. Among the bills that MSEA provided verbal testimony in support of are:

  • House Bill 307/Senate Bill 858, Jaelynn’s Law, would strengthen regulations and laws for the storage of firearms and ammunition accessible to children and require the state to develop a youth suicide prevention and firearm safe storage guide
  • House Bill 82/Senate Bill 201 would enable Medicaid reimbursement for school-based mental health services
  • House Bill 488/Senate Bill 482 would repay loans for mental health professionals serving as school psychologists, resource psychologists, psychologist coordinators, social workers, social worker supervisors, or mental health coordinators in public schools and require the Office of Student Financial Assistance to publicize the program to help recruit and retain mental health professionals in public schools
  • House Bill 515 would require MSDE to adopt regulations to incorporate active shooter safety drills in the annual schedule of drills and provide notice to parents, students and school personnel

NEWS AND NOTES

Cabinet Appointments Cause Legislative Changes; Del. Kelly Tapped to Fill Senate’s 16th District Seat

The Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee has nominated Del. Ariana Kelly (D-Montgomery) to fill the Senate District 16 seat. Gov. Moore’s Secretary of State Susan Lee, who was confirmed to her post on Monday, held the Senate seat until January 18. In addition to Lee, on Monday the Senate confirmed six other cabinet secretaries Gov. Moore appointed. Also on Monday, the Executive Nominations Committee approved the re-appointments of two members of the State Board of Education, elected teacher member Rachel McCusker and current chair Clarence Crawford, sending them on to the Senate. Moore has sent more than 100 names to the Senate for various state appointments.

Harford County Executive Bullies Kindergarten Teacher Elected to County Council

In the 2022 election, MSEA supported educators vying to represent and serve their communities, and celebrated the victories like those of Jacob Bennett, a kindergarten teacher in Harford County. Bennett, a first-time candidate, ran a grassroots campaign and won a close race for a seat on the Harford County Council. Newly elected Harford County Executive Bob Cassilly, a former state senator who often took anti-public education positions during his time in Annapolis, immediately launched an effort to bully Bennett off the council, from passive-aggressive moves like not inviting him to the official county inauguration ceremony to mounting a legal case to disqualify Bennett.

Bennett has been serving on the council without receiving a council salary during the litigation, and he is now appealing a judge’s ruling, based on a specific provision of the Harford County charter, that as a teacher he is disqualified from serving on the council. As Bennett pointed out in his case, numerous other teachers, of both political parties, serve on county councils in other areas of the state.

Study Finds Maryland’s Education Level to Be Second Highest in Country

Maryland is the second most educated state in America, according to a recent study by WalletHub.com. Only Massachusetts ranked higher on WalletHub’s scale. WalletHub compared all 50 states across 18 metrics that examined the key factors of a well-educated population: educational attainment, school quality, and achievement gaps between genders and races.

Educators Have Opportunity to Rally to Cancel Student Debt in Washington, D.C.

On February 28 NEA and a wide range of labor and social justice allies are taking part in a rally in Washington, D.C. to support the cancelation of student debt. Information about attending the event is in this link.

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How one health system developed AI to tackle patient safety

How one health system developed AI to tackle patient safety

Image: Brownie Harris/Getty Photos

Sheba Clinical Center is focused on employing artificial intelligence to change all over statistics on client basic safety.

“In terms of individual security, we have manufactured no progress around the previous 30 a long time,” reported Prof. Dr. Eyal Zimlichman, main transformation and innovation officer at Sheba Professional medical Middle, positioned on the outskirts of Tel Aviv. 

Following observing a report on these conclusions, Zimlichman claimed he and his workforce understood two factors: It was a substantial problem and they had “no clue how to deal with” it.

Zimlichman, who has also served as the wellbeing system’s CMO given that 2017, turned to electronic well being technological innovation to deal with affected individual basic safety.

Zimlichman leads the Speed up Redesign Collaborate (ARC) Innovation Middle at Sheba, which, with shut to 2,000 beds, is among the largest wellbeing devices in the Center East. ARC is targeted on precision medicine, large info, artificial intelligence, predictive analytics, telemedicine and cell wellness.

In 2016, ARC introduced Aidoc to assist doctors examine CT scans. It has been carried out in 1,000 hospitals, with 800 of all those located in the United States, in accordance to Zimlichman.

Aidoc is currently being utilised, for illustration, to additional correctly forecast stroke. Medical professionals have to read a couple of hundred CT scans in one particular night time, which can direct to delays in interpretation and therapy of this sort of problems, he stated. 

“By introducing an AI answer to study these scans, if there is a suspected stroke in the CT scan, (it can) much more properly and go through a lot more quickly than the regular way,” Zimlicman explained. “One thing like this also lessens mortality. You’re able to initiate therapy.”

Aidoc can also predict a pulmonary embolism in the lungs and other life-threatening ailments, Zimlichman claimed.

Beyond the profit of top quality of treatment, there are charge discounts and efficiencies in staying able to interpret a lot more scans. It also helps simplicity the workforce scarcity of radiologists. Dealing with situations previously also potential customers to reducing the size of stay and the price tag of rehabilitation and publish acute care, he said.

Zimlichman believes that the even bigger photo for innovation is the transformation from sickness to wellness.

“We’re hunting to remodel from a property for the ill to a town of well being,” he explained. “That’s the long term for hospitals.” 

Zimlichman is a graduate of the Harvard College of General public Overall health Care Management Learn of Science application and beforehand labored for Mass Basic Brigham, where by he uncovered a massive emphasis on good quality and individual safety.

“One particular of the major challenges is the potential to supply better top quality of treatment,” he reported. “A quarter of people who come into the healthcare facility are harm. This is why we have to convert to innovation.”

WHY THIS Matters

Transformation is not just about striving tougher, but in redesigning the procedure, he mentioned.

Initial, complications need to be tackled from the medical doctor side, Zimlichman claimed.

To do this, there must be a culture for innovation.

“We communicate a large amount about organic innovation,” he reported. “To thrive there requires to be a program and procedures in location to provide the desired assist to carry people ideas ahead. We have innovation champions, health professionals who go by means of education, start out with a dilemma and then facilitate what would be the remedy and then get that forward as much as a prototype.”

The revenue used usually will come back to the medical center in financial savings.

A different benefit is easing burnout. 

“We have located innovation is a good way to deal with burnout,” Zimlichman reported. “Clinicians really like to innovate. “At the conclude of the day, it’s more than viewing yet another affected person, an additional individual, an additional affected individual. They will need to obtain an outlet.”

THE Much larger Pattern

The next Aidoc problem is a complete bedside alternative to accomplish echocardiography by a primary care supplier or a nurse fairly than sending the individual to a cardiologist. This also permits for a a lot quicker examine, procedure and quality improvement. 

“This is a latest growth that we will deliver to the United States over the upcoming number of months,” Zimlichan said.

Transferring the needle is generally a wrestle, he explained.

Innovation calls for the proper management to make this a target for their companies.

It is really also not just for large well being devices, he claimed, due to the fact a whole lot of transformation is not a substantial price. It may possibly not even contain technology.

Hospitals need to have to uncover the proper partnerships these kinds of as aligning with balanced food stuff supermarkets or working with Lyft, Uber or other experience shares to transport individuals.

“There is something,” he said, “called an innovation society.” 

Twitter: @SusanJMorse
E mail the writer: SMorse@himss.org

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Gov. Tim Walz names new education, health and public safety commissioners

Gov. Tim Walz names new education, health and public safety commissioners

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz named six new state commissioners on Wednesday, filling out his cabinet as he heads into his second term.

Former St. Cloud school district Superintendent Willie Jett was named education commissioner, and Brooke Cunningham, assistant commissioner of the Health Department’s Health Equity Bureau, will take over as health commissioner. Bob Jacobson, who served more than three decades in active law enforcement, will lead the Department of Public Safety.

In written statements, Jacobson said he will seek to “elevate and support” public safety personnel across the state; Cunningham said she will prioritize equity in the Health Department’s science, operations and partnerships; and Jett said he is excited to partner with educators, lawmakers, businesses and colleges.

“Together, we will continue to advance access and opportunity for every child in every corner of Minnesota,” Jett said.

Former DFL state Rep. Paul Marquart was appointed revenue commissioner. He served on the House Taxes Committee for 18 years, including four years as chair.

Nicole Blissenbach, who has served as temporary commissioner of the Department of Labor and Industry since August, will permanently lead the agency.

Ida Rukavina, executive director of the Range Association of Municipalities and Schools and daughter of the late Rep. Tom Rukavina, was named commissioner of the Department of Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation.

“I am looking forward to working with people and communities of the Taconite Assistance Area to continue working towards a future which includes jobs that support families, a strong educational system, and thriving cities and towns,” Rukavina said in a statement.

The appointments come after recent retirements and departures from Walz’s cabinet.

Cunningham will be the first Black woman to serve as Minnesota health commissioner, a Department of Health spokeswoman said.

Timothy Beebe, interim dean of the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, praised Cunningham’s “extensive experience in public health, patient care and public service.” Cunningham was previously an assistant professor in the U’s Medical School, where she focused her teaching and scholarship on race and medicine.

St. Cloud schools Superintendent Laurie Putnam, who served as assistant superintendent under Jett for three years, said that having him as education commissioner is “an incredible win for Minnesota students.” Jett has focused on expanding opportunities for students throughout his career, she said.

“I think it’s also a win for educators — not only administrators,” Putnam said. “It’s wonderful to have somebody in that chair who has done the role of assistant principal, principal and superintendent. But he’s also been a teacher and a coach.”

Jacobson will bring a wealth of experience to the public safety commissioner job. Before his appointment, he was interim deputy assistant commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS). He spent 16 years as New Brighton’s director of public safety and police chief, leading the city’s police, fire and emergency operations. He also briefly served as Stillwater’s interim police chief and as interim inspector general for DHS.

“Bob Jacobson is one of the highest-integrity leaders I have met,” state Human Services Commissioner Jodi Harpstead said in a statement. “He will bring a balance of law enforcement experience and kindness and flexibility to the position of Commissioner of Public Safety.”

Staff writer Jenny Berg contributed to this report.

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What To Know: New Laws on Education, Public Safety and Water Security Go Into Effect Today

What To Know: New Laws on Education, Public Safety and Water Security Go Into Effect Today

“This year’s legislative session is positive to be one particular to remember  — and not only because of the historic bipartisan price range agreement. We took file revenues and despatched a crystal clear message about our state’s foreseeable future: we’re ready, and we’re unstoppable.” – Governor Doug Ducey

Governor Doug Ducey signed 387 bills all through the next session of Arizona’s 55th Legislature, capping 8 successful years of collaboration with lawmakers to situation our quickly-rising point out as a land of option.

The expenditures – which prioritized K-12 training, public security, water stability, infrastructure, veterans, wellness care and far more –  go into result today, September 24.

The Arizona Republic, Arizona’s Family and KOLD 13 included some of the legislation that influence the each day lives of Arizonans. 

Beneath are some highlights of the laws heading into result currently:

Securing Arizona’s H2o Potential

Arizona’s daring prepare to secure its h2o long term goes into effect nowadays. S.B. 1740 was a bipartisan exertion across the Home and Senate, legislative leaders and Governor Ducey. The $1 billion expense will fund projects to bring additional h2o to the condition and assist make sure that Arizona households, businesses and agriculture continue to have satisfactory very long-expression water provides.

The governor forged the plan in partnership with Arizona Senate President Karen Fann and House Speaker Rusty Bowers, and Leaders Rebecca Rios and Reginald Bolding, taking an “all of the above” strategy to deal with drinking water supply for the up coming 100 yrs.

The financial investment expands the H2o Infrastructure Finance Authority with a new board and with responsibilities to offer financial loans and grants to drinking water vendors and entities for the reasons of importing drinking water into Arizona, conservation, efficiency and reuses, and new systems.

Cracking Down on Criminal offense at the Border

H.B. 2696, sponsored by Rep. Leo Biasiucci, cracks down on human smuggling throughout the border by generating obvious that an individual who aids unlawful human smuggling organizations or operations will be held accountable for their crime. The law goes a move further to make sure people who prey on the most susceptible, including minors, are held accountable by the criminal justice technique.

The regulation builds on Arizona’s monumental border security investments in this year’s finances, which allocated a lot more than $560 million for the Border Security Fund. The investments have presently been set to use, filling border wall gaps around Yuma.

Solidifying Arizona’s Position as a Nationwide Chief in Civics Education and learning

H.B. 2632, sponsored by Rep. Quang Nguyen, strengthens Arizona students’ competency in civics just before graduating superior university. The bill pushes the Arizona Civics Take a look at passing score up from 60 to 70 percent, will allow pupils to choose the examination as early as center faculty and necessitates test score data to be created publicly available online. 

In addition, the governor signed S.B. 1497, sponsored by Sen. Vince Leach, creating the Arizona America250 Fee. The commission which will strategy a celebration for the United States’ 250th anniversary and fortify teachings of our nation’s founding in schools.

Civics instruction has been a legislative priority for Governor Ducey given that he took office. The to start with bill he signed into law made the Arizona Civics Exam. 

Enhanced Accessibility to Precision Drugs

H.B. 2144, sponsored by Rep. Regina Cobb, improves obtain for clients and their medical doctors to progressive testing that can assistance determine the most successful healthcare treatment for most cancers and other health conditions.

Governor Ducey celebrated the monthly bill signing in Could at the Dignity Wellness Cancer Institute at St. Joseph’s Medical center and Professional medical Centre in Phoenix. Arizona now joins only a handful of other states in necessitating overall health insurance coverage options to address biomarker tests when there’s a medical will need.

Supporting our Veterans

H.B. 2741, sponsored by Rep. Joanne Osborne, waives condition organization licensing costs for navy spouses and honorably discharged veterans, aiding individuals who have served their place begin their individual enterprise.

The go provides to the latest rule that organizations will have to waive any preliminary organization licensing rate for an applicant whose cash flow does not exceed 200 per cent of the federal poverty rules.

Safeguarding Parental Rights

H.B. 2025, sponsored by Rep. Michelle Udall, strengthens mom and dad rights by necessitating university governing boards to undertake policies for visits, tours and observations of all lecture rooms by mom and dad of enrolled pupils and parents who would like to enroll their small children in the constitution university or faculty district.

H.B. 2161, sponsored by Rep. Steve Kaiser, elevated obtain for dad and mom to their children’s instructional information. It also states that dad and mom need to be presented any study language their child may choose. 

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