Keystone State News Connection

February 17, 2022

Emily Scott

A new partnership is bringing support services to incarcerated pregnant women in Pennsylvania as they prepare for childbirth and reentering communities once they’re released.

The pilot program at State Correctional Institution (SCI) Muncy provides seven incarcerated women with doula services. Doulas support pregnant women by providing emotional and physical support and resources before and after childbirth.

Gerria Coffee, founder of Genesis Birth Services, which is providing doula care at SCI Muncy, said it is about reducing the trauma of incarceration to ensure a positive birthing experience for both the mom and baby.

“It separates the circumstance and really focuses on the person and gives that holistic support,” Coffee explained. “And in turn, that’s going to benefit birth outcomes, that’s going to benefit mental-health outcomes, and it’s going to benefit the child.”

The program is a partnership between the state Department of Human Services, Department of Corrections and the Tuttleman Foundation. The pilot also connects the family caring for the child while the mother is incarcerated to services such as home visiting, assistance paying for child care and cash assistance.

Part of the aim of the program is to address Pennsylvania’s maternal mortality crisis. Research shows doulas can reduce the likelihood of birth complications and increase breastfeeding rates.

Rep. Morgan Cephas, D-Philadelphia, said the investment can help reverse some troubling trends in the state.

“Doula care helps to cut down on maternal mortality and morbidity,” Cephas pointed out. “We know women are the fastest growing population in our prison system. So why not use that as an opportunity when you see two problems, bring those two issues together to make a shift in these abysmal numbers.”

Keystone State News Connection

February 17, 2022

Emily Scott

Gov. Tom Wolf is calling for sweeping investments to make higher education more affordable with a focus on programs with workforce needs. The average student debt for Pennsylvanians now stands at $39,000, one of the highest in the country.

As part of his final budget proposal, the governor is requesting $200 million for the Nellie Bly Scholarship Program to support students who attend a community college or one of the 14 state universities.

Wolf said it is about providing people with more opportunities to get a college education without overwhelming debt.

“All we’re asking is that students simply stay in Pennsylvania,” Wolf emphasized. “This is a huge investment in our students, but it’s more than that. It’s really an investment in the future of Pennsylvania. We make college more affordable, we’re going to help Pennsylvania. We’re going to help our economy. We’re going to help everybody.”

The scholarship would be funded by both the American Rescue Plan and the Race Horse Development Trust Fund, the latter coming from taxes on slot machines at racetracks. Wolf previously has attempted to fund the scholarship program with the Trust Fund but has received pushback from the horse-racing industry, which said it would hurt it financially.

Kellen Johnson, a student at Harrisburg Area Community College’s paralegal studies program, said as a father of two young kids, his furthest concern should be worrying about paying tuition and books. He contended scholarships such as Nellie Bly can ease the burden on students.

“A lot of our students come to Zoom classes with cellphones,” Johnson pointed out. “Just extra funding for some of our students really goes a long way. A lot of this can help us focus on other things that actually truly matter, like homework assignments and studying for exams.”

The Nellie Bly scholarship is needs-based and can cover tuition, along with other expenses such as housing and books. It will prioritize students pursuing degrees in fields facing worker shortages, such as health care and education. Scholarship recipients must also agree to stay in the state for the same amount of time they received the benefit.

Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.

(File Photo)

Story by Frank Sparks, News/Program Director

(New Sewickley Twp., Pa.) Pa State Police have released an update about the man that was hit and killed early yesterday morning while walking in a westbound lane of the Pennsylvania Turnpike in New Sewickley Township

Troopers said via release that 30 year-old Devin Glace, of Pittsburgh was struck by at least two tractor-trailers just before 3 am while walking in the right lane of traffic in the area of milepost 20 on the turnpike. Glace was pronounced dead by the Beaver County Coroner at the scene due to his injuries.
The first two trucks stopped but there was a third truck involved that is being described as a “green Peterbilt long wood trailer with grain on top.” Anyone with information about that truck is asked to call Pennsylvania State Police in Gibsonia at 724-443-5907.
A car that was towed from the scene is believed to be Glace’s according to Troopers.

More virus rules fall as CDC hints at better times ahead
By SARA BURNETT Associated Press
The nation’s top federal health official says the U.S. is moving closer to the point that COVID-19 is no longer a “constant crisis” as more cities, businesses and sports venues began lifting pandemic restrictions around the country. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said at White House briefing Wednesday that the government is contemplating a change to its mask guidance in the coming weeks. Walensky noted recent declines in COVID-19 cases, hospital admissions and deaths and acknowledged “people are so eager” for health officials to ease masking rules and other measures. With the omicron variant waning and Americans eager to move beyond the virus, government and business leaders have been out ahead of the CDC in ending virus measures.

(File Photo)
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A statewide court that declared that Pennsylvania’s expansive 2-year-old mail-in voting law violates the state constitution is following that up by saying its ruling can take effect in mid-March. That’s a week after the state Supreme Court hears arguments on the appeal. Commonwealth Court Judge Mary Hannah Leavitt, in siding again with Republican officeholders who challenged the law, said Wednesday they are likely to prevail at the state Supreme Court. The case is throwing Pennsylvania’s voting laws into doubt as the presidential battleground state’s voters prepare to elect a new governor and a new U.S. senator in 2022. The state Supreme Court scheduled the case for oral arguments on March 8.

(Center Twp., Pa.) The Community College of Beaver County’s e-sports team is competing in the NJCAAE Match of the Week tonight at 6 p.m. ET

CCBC’s e-sports team is NJCAA-sanctioned and the largest sports team on campus with over 40 students! It will be streamed live here: https://www.twitch.tv/njcaae

(Story & photo by Matt Drzik/Beaver County Radio)

“All I know is that I don’t believe we’re providing equitable education opportunities across the entire county.”

Those words came from Commissioner Jack Manning at the February 16 work session at the Beaver County Courthouse, one day after the Beaver County Partnership released a study done by Johns Hopkins University in regards to education and educational opportunities in Beaver County. Manning, who himself has been working with the BCP on this process, feels that there are greater opportunities for students to have.

“I’m not a fan of mergers, and this isn’t about mergers in my mind,” Manning stated, “but there are plenty of examples where 9 through 12th graders–when they really start to identify with their career paths and could have opportunities to go to centers for excellence that meet their and their families needs for them to be successful in life, and I think some of the smaller school districts struggle with that–with resources and capability.”

The study made mention of Beaver County’s declining population coinciding with increasing numbers in “wealthier neighboring counties”, and Manning hopes that certain improvements in attainable and affordable options within the county can reverse that trend and keep families here.

“It’s not about bigger being better,” Manning added, “it’s about equitable opportunities that will really prepare kids for life and the career path that’s right for them and their families…and I think we can do better.”

(Beaver Falls, Pa.) The Beaver County Partnership along with John Hopkins University and the Community Catalyst Partners partnered for a study conducted by John Hopkins University that looked at what education will look like in Beaver County in 2030. The Beaver County Partnership, which was formed in 2016, started the research in 2018 and in 2020 they handed the study over to the researchers at John Hopkins University. Those results were released yesterday.

The study focused on 5 factors: Economic and job growth, desirable housing, quality of place, good government, and quality Education.

Skip Homan, Vice Chair, Board of Directors Beaver County Partnership, Sarah Dettinger, Blackhawk High School Student, and Dr. Rob Postupac Superintendent for Western Beaver and Blackhawk School and part of the Beaver County Partnership joined Eddy Crow on Teleforum this morning  to talk about the results of the study.

You can watch the interview as it streamed live on our Facebook Page at 10:00 AM this morning.

 

(File Photo)

(Pittsburgh, Pa.) The Diocese of Pittsburgh is easing its COVID-19 restrictions for churches and schools on Saturday February 26, 2022
Priests, deacons, ushers, and others will no longer be required to wear masks at mass.
Parishioners can once again share the sign of peace. Also, parish events outside of mass will be allowed to be held in-person.
For schools, masks will not be required inside elementary or high schools. However, students must continue to wear them on school buses per federal law.
Anyone who tested positive for COVID-19 will not only have to quarantine at home for five days but will also have to wear a mask for five days after they return to school.