Prosecutors probe Pennsylvania contact tracing data breach
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The Pennsylvania attorney general’s office is looking into a breach of COVID-19 contact tracing data that may have compromised private information of some 72,000 people. Attorney General Josh Shapiro said Wednesday that investigations have begun “on multiple fronts,” but he declined to elaborate. The state Health Department disclosed two weeks ago that employees of contact tracing vendor Insight Global ignored security rules and created unauthorized documents outside the state’s secure computer systems. Insight Global has acknowledged mishandling sensitive information and apologized. The state has paid Insight Global about $28.7 million since March 2020.

Lawmakers want kids to have option for extra year in school
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Legislation that would give parents in Pennsylvania the option to have their children repeat a grade in school because of disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic is on its way to the state House of Representatives. The bill passed the state Senate unanimously on Wednesday. Under the bill, parents could have their child repeat, event if the student met the grade-level requirements to move up a grade. Currently, schools and teachers make the decision on whether to hold a student back. The bill also provides similar enrollment exceptions for children in programs for special education or for deaf and blind students.

Keystone State News Connection

Andrea Sears

PHILADELPHIA — A report to the U.S. Civil Rights Commission recommends banning exclusionary discipline for nonviolent offenses in Pennsylvania public schools.

Monday will be the 67th anniversary of the Supreme Court’s landmark Brown v. Board of Education ruling found racial segregation in schools is unconstitutional.

Deborah Gordon Klehr, executive director of the Education Law Center who served on the Commission’s Pennsylvania Advisory Committee, said students of color, students with disabilities and LGBTQ students in the state are more likely to face suspension, expulsion or transfer despite evidence they do not misbehave at higher rates.

“We have to acknowledge how much work we still have to do to achieve the goals of Brown v. Board and that in our schools we still discriminate,” Klehr asserted.

The report recommended using positive behavior supports and restorative practices for nonviolent behavior rather than punishment.

Klehr pointed out so-called “zero tolerance” policies that impose harsh punishments for even minor infractions have negative consequences that affect the entire school.

“Exclusionary discipline practices are harmful not only to the students who are expelled or suspended but to all of the students who remain in that classroom,” Klehr contended.

She emphasized actions need to be taken on the local, state and federal levels to help create a positive climate in schools.

The report cited inequities in school funding as a factor contributing to discriminatory disciplinary practices.

Klehr noted underfunded districts are more likely to resort to punishment rather than providing more costly and more effective social supports.

“We need to address the systemic inequities affecting the educational outcomes of Black and brown students and other marginalized students whose identities intersect with those groups highlighted in this report,” Klehr urged.

The report noted in 2013, when Texas implemented alternatives to exclusionary discipline, serious disciplinary actions, expulsions and violence in schools declined sharply.

(Story by Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Curtis Walsh, Photos by Matt Drzik and Curtis Walsh)

(Center Township, PA) Nearly 300 cars showed up at the Beaver County Office on Aging senior day drive-thru event that took place this morning.  This event enabled senior citizens to drive up and receive bags containing a lunch and other gifts.  Before the event even started, over at least 20 cars were lined up through the Beaver Valley Mall parking lot in anticipation of the bags being given out.  In addition to the BCOA, State representative Josh Kail volunteered his time at the event.  Overall, the event was a great success and all of the senior citizens in Beaver County that participated left the event with lunch, goodies, and a smiling face.  Check out photos from the event below!

Story by Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano

(Center Twp., Pa.) Center Township  Water Authority Operational Supervisor Bill DiCioccio, Jr. and township engineer Ned Mitrovich  from Lennon, Smith and Souleret  met with Beaver County Radio yesterday to talk about the  water filtration plant to be built  behind Columbia Gas next to its existing plant. Shell Chemical did  the most  safe alternative and moved the wells  during the  construction  of  their plant, according to  Mitrovich . DicCioccio said the existing plant is 5 years old and it is just a temporary one.

(Beaver County, Pa.) Today at 5 p.m. is the deadline to apply for a mail ballot for the May 18 primary. More than 743,700 registered Pennsylvania voters already have applied for a mail-in ballot and more than 63,200 voters have applied for an absentee ballot.

Pennsylvanians voting by mail-in or absentee ballot should return their voted ballot as soon as possible, delivering it in person to their county election board. Check votespa.com/county to find ballot drop-off locations and hours for your county. The deadline for county election boards to receive voted mail ballots is 8 p.m. on May 18, Election Day. Postmarks do not count.

Today also is the last day to vote early in person by mail ballot. Voters can visit their county election office before 5 p.m. and apply for a mail-in or absentee ballot. County election officials will check their eligibility while they wait and, once verified, will provide them with the ballot. Voters can then complete their ballot and cast it all in one visit.

Before making the trip to vote in person by mail ballot, voters should check the hours of their county’s election office.

Voters who have not voted by mail ballot can vote in person at their polling place on Election Day. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on May 18.

(Moon Twp., Pa.) Heritage Valley Beaver announced that it has been recognized as a Healthgrades 2021 Patient Safety Excellence Award TM recipient. This distinction places Heritage Valley Beaver among the top 10% of all short-term acute care hospitals reporting patient safety data as evaluated by Healthgrades, the leading marketplace
connecting patients and providers.

From 2017 through 2019, there were 190,273 potentially preventable patient safety events among Medicare patients in U.S. hospitals.* And, if all hospitals, as a group, performed similarly to hospitals performing better than expected on each of 13 Patient Safety Indicators (PSIs) evaluated by Healthgrades, on average, 106,052 patient safety events could have been avoided.* “Enhancing and ensuring patient safety is a priority of all our physicians, nurses and other clinical staff,” said Amy McBrien, MSN, RN, vice president and chief quality/safety officer, Heritage Valley Health System. “The achievement of Heritage Valley Beaver reaching the top 10% in the nation for patient safety is the result of commitment and dedication by our employees to deliver the highest quality care to the communities we serve.”

During the 2017 to 2019 time frame, four patient safety indicators accounted for 72% of all patient safety events (collapsed lung, hip fracture due to an in-hospital fall, pressure or bed sores and catheter-related bloodstream infections). Healthgrades found that patients treated in hospitals receiving the Healthgrades 2021 Patient Safety Excellence Award were, on average*:

• 50.3% less likely to experience a collapsed lung due to a procedure or surgery in or
around the chest, than patients treated at non-recipient hospitals.*
• 60.3% less likely to experience an in-hospital fall resulting in hip fracture, than patients treated at non-recipient hospitals.*
• 66.5% less likely to experience pressure sores or bedsores acquired in the hospital, than patients treated at non-recipient hospitals.*
• 65.4% less likely to experience catheter-related bloodstream infections acquired in the hospital, than patients treated at non- recipient hospitals.*
“The importance of hospital quality is now at the forefront of consumer’s minds, especially as we continue to navigate COVID-19. We congratulate the recipients of the Healthgrades 2021 Patient Safety Excellence Award for their ongoing commitment to upholding the highest quality standards for their patients and communities,” said Brad Bowman, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Healthgrades.

During the study period (2017 through 2019), Healthgrades 2021 Patient Safety Excellence Award recipient hospitals demonstrated excellent performance in patient safety within the Medicare population, as measured by objective outcomes—risk-adjusted patient safety indicator (PSI) rates—for 13 PSIs defined by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). A 14th PSI is included in the evaluation – Foreign Objects Left in Body During a Surgery or Procedure – which is a “never” event and does not have an expected rate. View Healthgrades hospital quality methodologies.

*Statistics are calculated from Healthgrades Patient Safety Ratings and Excellence Award methodology which is based primarily on AHRQ technical specifications (Version 2020.0.1) to MedPAR data for years 2017 through 2019 and represent three-year estimates for Medicare patients only.

By MARC LEVY Associated Press
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Sean Parnell announced his candidacy Tuesday for the Republican nomination for Pennsylvania’s open U.S. Senate seat. Parnell is a decorated Army veteran and regular guest on Fox News programs who became a favorite of former President Donald Trump. Parnell unsuccessfully challenged Democratic U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb here in the 17th District last year. The Senate seat is being left open after two-term Republican Sen. Pat Toomey announced in October that he wouldn’t run again. Both the Democratic and Republican fields are getting crowded, with next year’s primary election still a year away.