How does Tennessee’s mental health compare to the rest of America? Plus, the local news for May 15, 2025.
The US has 1,001 measles cases and 11 states with active outbreaks
The U.S. is up to 1,001 confirmed measles cases, including in Tennessee. Measles is caused by a highly contagious virus that’s airborne. It is preventable through vaccines, and has been considered eliminated from the U.S. since 2000.
VUMC starts forewarned hiring freeze and layoffs triggered by federal funding cuts
Cutbacks at Vanderbilt University Medical Center have started. “In response to reductions in federal funding, VUMC is strategically reducing operating costs,” reads a statement. “Hiring for most research and administrative positions has been paused and some positions have been eliminated.”
‘We’ll be a partner’ versus ‘we’ll see you in court’ — officials far apart on federal funding disruptions
Tennessee has suddenly lost hundreds of millions of dollars as the federal government cancels promised funding, and recent reactions from two prominent elected officials differ sharply.
More whiplash for Tennessee’s Title X family planning funding after Trump freezes and reinstatements
Tennessee’s Title X funding has been on a rollercoaster for years, and the drama is continuing into President Donald Trump’s second term.
Metro Nashville joins lawsuit against federal government again — this time over sudden public health cuts
Metro Nashville and a handful of other local governments are suing the U.S. Health and Human Services Department. The agency cut $11 billion in local public health funding — without warning — earlier this year.
RFK stumps for overdose prevention in Nashville as Tennessee’s death rate declines
Before his appointment as HHS secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. cast doubt on drugs like methadone, which help opioid use disorder patients stave off withdrawal and cravings. He touted them at the RX and Illicit Drug Summit in Nashville.
Study: Rural Tennessee hospitals could lose additional labor and delivery wings
Rural Tennesseans already have limited access to labor and delivery services, and a recent study shows the problem could get worse.
Misinformation about fentanyl exposure threatens to undermine overdose response
Fentanyl overdoses occur from ingesting the synthetic opioid. But popular culture has misrepresented the risks to first responders.
NashVillager Podcast: Lethal injection
Can execution be humane? Plus, the local news for April 16, 2025.
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