-
Report: HHS must do more to ensure an adequate number of effectively trained…
Scott E. Rupp Medical & Allied HealthcareThe nation's ability to respond to natural disasters and pandemics is currently being strained. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is responsible for leading the public health and medical response to such emergencies. During the push to battle COVID-19, HHS deployed caregivers enrolled in the National Disaster Medical System (NDMS), who are individuals, including doctors and nurses, that usually work outside the federal government and are used intermittently. However, the Government Accountability Office found HHS didn’t follow critical principles of competent strategic workforce planning.
-
K-12 learning is poised for a more tailored approach
Bambi Majumdar EducationIt is summer and time for children to relax. Parents this year are finding it hard to relax, though. They cannot help but worry about the COVID-19 risks awaiting their kids in the fall if schools decide to reopen and resume in-person learning. A Morning Consult survey states that a vast majority of parents in the U.S. want schools to be ready to shift to online learning by the fall. K-12 school districts can do this by equipping themselves with better technologies and focusing on robust blended learning for all children.
-
Why US school districts require more facility management support
Scott E. Rupp Facilities & GroundsThe career of a facility manager is no cakewalk, and the overwhelming burden placed on these professionals is far greater amidst COVID-19 than before the novel coronavirus' infiltration of the U.S. population. Private and corporate facilities may possess more considerable resources to manage the new burden, and public entities, especially school districts, are in a bind. With summer in full swing after most U.S. schools shuttered in March, district leaders may realize they are woefully underprepared for the facility management tasks ahead.
-
For now, a lack of transparency for the Paycheck Protection Program
Seth Sandronsky Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementHow is Uncle Sam’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) helping small firms with forgivable loans during the COVID-19 pandemic that has closed businesses across the U.S. and put tens of millions of Americans out of work? The answer is unclear. On that note, we turn to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. He wants to prevent the taxpaying public from knowing PPP borrowers’ names. They are "confidential" and "proprietary," Mnuchin said in sworn testimony to the Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship recently.
-
COVID-19 and national responses, part 2 of 2: The United States and around…
Keith Carlson Medical & Allied HealthcareAs the summer of 2020 begins, the COVID-19 pandemic shows no signs of abating. In fact, as many economies open up, spikes in infections are on the rise. While some attribute this phenomenon to increased testing, others also point to increased community transmission. Now that we find ourselves on the brink of six months of this global battle, what can we say about the pandemic response in the bigger picture?
-
How to avoid COVID-19 scams
Terri Williams Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementCOVID-19 has led to a loss of life, decimated the economy, and instilled uncertainty and fear. Unfortunately, those aren't the only negative effects. The Federal Trade Commission has issued a warning regarding numerous coronavirus scams, which have the potential to cause even more financial woes among consumers. And Self Financial, a credit-building company, recently published a comprehensive list of current COVID-19 scams.
-
Qualified immunity and why changing US policing will be very difficult
Patrick Gleeson Law Enforcement, Defense & SecurityLess than a month after four Minneapolis policemen were charged with the killing of George Floyd — one of them on a second-degree murder count — public opinion in the country on race and criminal justice has shifted dramatically. By a remarkable 28-point margin, Americans now support Black Lives Matter. Additionally, by a three-to-one majority, citizens believe that U.S. police departments need major reform. Unfortunately, achieving this will be much harder than most Americans understand.
-
Pandemic leads to calls for increased domestic pharmaceutical manufacturing
Bambi Majumdar PharmaceuticalThe emergence of the COVID-19 crisis has revealed the glaring truth and danger of how dependent the U.S. is on pharmaceutical imports. Critical shortages of vital pharma and medical resources have hindered the federal government's pandemic response efforts. Experts now say it's time to reduce the reliance on other countries that America has built up over decades in this sector.
-
A closer look at police reform and defunding proposals
Bambi Majumdar Law Enforcement, Defense & SecurityAmericans have hit the streets to demand justice and accountability from the police, with many proposing some level of defunding departments. One of the first to put such proposals into motion is Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, who said he is planning to defund the Minneapolis Police Department heavily following a veto-proof vote by the Minneapolis City Council. He is prepared to heed to demands that some of the department's funding be redirected toward mental health resources, affordable housing, and solutions for the opioid epidemic. Frey, however, is not in favor of abolishing the city's police department.
-
COVID-19 testing costs make a huge impact as payers wrestle with 2021 premium…
Scott E. Rupp Medical & Allied HealthcareAs uncertainty continues to surround COVID-19 and its impact on care and health systems, two new thorns are beginning to dig into the conversations about healthcare's future: costs of testing and planning for insurance rates despite the current chaos. According to a report commissioned by America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), diagnostic testing for COVID-19 may creep past $25.1 billion annually. Meanwhile, antibody testing costs could touch more than $19 billion.
All Civil & Government Articles