Opinion

Waiting to be called for ‘my appointment’s turn’ in an office recently, I picked up a magazine that featured “The Most Admired Women In America.”

As I sit down to write this week’s newsletter, we have completed 16 days of the 90-day 2025 Legislative session. Committee hearings have begun in earnest and the initial flurry of legislative bills advancing from Committee are being debated on the floor of the legislature.

The most recent survey of teen mental health by the Centers for Disease Control in 2023 revealed that 20.3% of adolescents in the United States have been diagnosed with a mental health condition. This reflects a 35% increase since 2016. The survey also found that 40% of teens reported persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, 20% seriously considered suicide, and, tragically, 9% attempted suicide.

The date is Jan. 26, 2025. You are seated in a nice restaurant in Lincoln, Nebraska waiting to have your order taken.

At the conclusion of the time period for introducing new bills on January 22, a total (715) legislative bills, and (20) resolutions or proposed constitutional amendments have been submitted.

For the last five years, I have had the great privilege of serving my local health system as Medical Director for Home Hospice. Every week I sit in a meeting with the multidisciplinary caretakers on this team – the nurses who provide the great majority of the hands-on care, social worker, pharmacist, dietician, and pastor. We discuss all the patients currently under our care and discuss how we can improve each patient’s suffering and maximize their quality of life.

We wanted to let other people know about our experience at Rosaritos in Syracuse. My wife and I were there recently. It was our first… Login to continue reading Login…

The Legislature is nearing the end of the period for new bill introductions. Committee hearings will be held in the afternoons, beginning on Wednesday, January 22nd and continuing through the end of March. Debate on proposed changes to the rules governing the legislative process, is expected to begin next week with consideration of legislation advancing from Committee to occur during the morning sessions.