As Mpox cases continue to rise across the commonwealth, the PA Department of Health (DOH) is asking for help in spreading awareness about the Mpox vaccine and the protection it can provide against severe symptoms and infection. Less than 30% of those most at-risk for transmission of Mpox are vaccinated against the virus. Increased vaccination coverage can provide protection against severe symptoms and infection as well as mitigate the potential for a resurgence in Mpox cases. DOH is encouraging any provider office that has not yet done so to please feel free to share the Mpox Vaccine Locator to help individuals find the prevention services that best suit their needs. If you offer the mpox vaccine or provide HIV/STD prevention services, but are not listed on the locators, please submit your information to https://npin.cdc.gov/organization/submit.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Abrysvo, a Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) vaccine, the first vaccine approved for use in pregnant individuals to prevent lower respiratory tract disease (LRTD) and severe LRTD caused by RSV in infants from birth through 6 months of age. Abrysvo is approved for use at 32 through 36 weeks gestational age of pregnancy. Abrysvo is administered as a single-dose injection into the muscle. RSV is the leading cause of infant hospitalization in the U.S. The Prescribing Information for Abrysvo includes a warning to inform that a numerical imbalance in preterm births in Abrysvo recipients (5.7%) occurred compared to those who received a placebo (4.7%). The warning informs healthcare providers that to avoid the potential risk of preterm birth with the use of Abrysvo before 32 weeks of gestation, administer Abrysvo as indicated in pregnant individuals at 32 through 36 weeks of gestational age.

The Homeless and Housing Resource Council (HHRC) is offering the course Trauma-Informed Outreach and Engagement to provide foundational information about trauma-informed outreach and engagement strategies, approaches, and service delivery models. There will be a focus on ways to support individuals who have serious mental illness, substance use disorders, or co-occurring disorders. This course has been accredited for 3.0 continuing education units (CEUs) by the National Association of Social Workers (NASW). NOTE: If you are not yet registered on the HHRC website, free registration is necessary to access the course.

View a presentation to understand the recent changes in training requirements for providers prescribing medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD). Physicians, psychiatrists, nurse practitioners, and behavioral health professionals can visit the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Bureau of Primary Health Care (BPHC) behavioral health technical assistance website to watch the 11-minute presentation.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Together TakeMeHome initiative is a national direct-to-consumer program that offers free HIV self-tests by mail. People can order up to two free HIV self-tests every 90 days. Tests are available to anyone 17 or older, regardless of health insurance or immigration status. CDC supports this program in partnership with other organizations. They also offer resources health centers can use to promote self-testing as part of their “Let’s Stop HIV Together” initiative.

Becker’s Hospital Review reports that a common scapegoat for the gender wage gap now has numeric value: U.S. women would collectively make an additional $627 billion per year if paid for their caregiving work. That figure comes from the 2022 American Time Use Survey, conducted by the National Partnership for Women & Families. If a woman earned the mean wage of $14.55 per hour for childcare workers or home aides, the average American woman would bring home an additional $4,600 annually. Unpaid caregiving labor costs financial opportunity for everyone, regardless of gender, according to the report. Men’s unpaid caregiving work is worth more than $300 billion per year, costing each individual $2,300 annually.

Five babies were dropped off at the state’s Safe Haven sites last year, new data from the PA Department of Human Services shows. The state’s Safe Haven Law allows new moms to relinquish babies at sites, such as hospitals and police stations, in a bid to provide a means to protect the children in situations where they might be unsafe. Since the law was enacted in 2002, a total of 55 newborns have been received as Safe Haven infants. These infants have come from 31 counties, with most relinquishments occurring in the Western region of the state (27 infants). The Central region had the second highest number of infants relinquished at 16, followed by seven in the Northeast region, and six in the Southeast region. The data was included in the state’s annual report on Child Protective Services.