Oil Independence– gas prices are already high- is it time to re-open the Keystone pipeline and drilling on Utah lands?
Biden takeaways:
Won’t talk to Putin
Putin not kicked out of SWIFT
Won’t comment on China
Oligarchs and high-tech imports sanctioned
Hall of Fame boxer, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko intends to fight for Ukraine with brother, Wladimir (Greg’s assigned reading)
ONE WEEK LEFT IN LEGISLATIVE SESSION:
Ballot initiative to end vote by mail dies
Education Earmark: “Utah legislative leaders are looking at a constitutional amendment that could change the longtime practice of using income tax revenue to fund public education. That, in turn, could lead to the eventual removal of the food sales tax, which many have pushed for this legislative session – but which has yet to happen.”
Eviction Expungement HB 359 still on the table
Mental Healthcare for doctors outside network passed house committee unanimously
UDOH has tacked on a large fiscal note to the birth certificate bill.
FILING DEADLINE BUMPED UP
Feb 28- March 4
CDC NEW MASK GUIDELINES EASED
The new metrics will still consider caseloads, but also consider hospitalizations and local hospital capacity, which have been markedly improved during the emergence of the omicron variant.
The Division of Services for People with Disabilities provides a wide range of services to help those with disabilities participate more fully in their communities and lead self-determined lives.
Jade Elliott spoke with Jamie Douglas, Department of Human Services, about how parents of children with disabilities can apply for disability services.
The Community Supports Waiver is available from birth throughout your life. The types of services that can be provided through this waiver include:
Behavior consultation: Behavior supports address serious behavior problems for people with disabilities. By focusing on sound principles of applied behavior analysis and on positive behavior supports, these services provide personalized behavior consultation to families and staff who support people with a range of serious to the most complex behavior problems that a person may exhibit.
Chore services: Chore services help maintain a clean, sanitary, and safe living environment for persons with disabilities who are unable to complete chore activities on their own
Companion services and personal assistance
Day supports: This is a non-medical care, supervision, and socialization service for functionally impaired adults. Companions assist or supervise such tasks as meal preparation, laundry, and shopping, but do not perform these services as discrete services.
Environmental adaptations: Environmental Adaptation services allow families to make physical alterations and adaptations to their home as needed to ensure the health and welfare of the individual, or enable the individual to function with greater independence in the home.
Financial management services: Financial Management Services are provided by a Fiscal Agent in connection with the Self-Administered Services Model. A Fiscal Agent is a company contracted with DSPD to handle employee payroll, including state and federal tax deductions. The fiscal agent will issue paychecks to employees who are delivering services based on approved timesheets
Non-medical transportation: DSPD provides a number of transportation options to help a person gain access to waiver and other community services, activities and resources. These may come in the form of UTA passes or paratransit to name a few and can often be modified to meet a person’s individual needs.
Respite care: Respite care is care provided by a trained person that temporarily relieves parents or caregivers from the day-to-day care they provide to the individual with disabilities. It can be provided in the family’s home, in the home of the respite provider or in a specialized facility, depending on the needs and preferences of the family or individual
Supported employment: Supported Employment includes job development, placement, intensive on-the-job training, and supervision by a job coach. It is intended for those people who may not be able to work in the community without some form of support, but does not rise to the same level of supervision as Day Services.
Supported living: Supported living provides support, supervision, socialization, personal care, training and assistance in order to help people live as independently as possible. This service is often for those who live alone in their own homes, with roommates, or a spouse and includes help with various activities of daily living necessary for an individual to maintain a self-directed life within the community.
And more.
Waitlist
The most important thing for parents to know is to get on the waitlist as soon as possible. The waitlist is NOT first-come, first served—it’s based on need. However, you can’t just call and get on the waitlist. You have to complete your intake packet and be approved before you will be added to the waitlist.
Important things to know about the waitlist:
The waitlist is based on need. It’s not first-come, first served. People are placed on the waitlist according to a needs assessment— those with the most need for services are given priority, no matter when they apply.
The quicker you apply for one of these waivers, the better.
Getting on the waiting list is the first, most important step to be able to get these services.
If your application is approved, you’ll be placed on the waitlist.
Eligibility – Who can apply?
The Community Supports Waiver provides services for people with an intellectual or developmental disability or a related condition, like Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, and Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.
To qualify for a Community Supports Waiver, you must have a medical diagnosis from a medical doctor, or an MD.
If your child has a diagnosis of Intellectual Disability (ID) or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), the diagnosis must show the condition began during the developmental period. You must have testing to support the diagnosis or a diagnosis from a medical professional with a PhD or PsyD.
Have at least 3 out of 6 functional limitations, or things that make it harder to live a full life:
Self Care : An applicant who requires assistance, training, and/or supervision with eating, dressing, grooming, bathing or toileting.
Expressive or receptive language: An applicant who lacks functional communication skills , requires the use of assistive devices to communicate, or does not demonstrate an understanding of requests or is unable to follow two-step instructions.
Learning: An applicant who has a valid diagnosis of an Intellectual Disability based on the criteria found in the current edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5).
Mobility: An applicant with mobility impairment who requires the use of an assistive device to be mobile and who cannot physically self-evacuate from a building during an emergency without the device.
Self-Direction: An applicant who is significantly at risk in making age appropriate decisions. A person who is a significant danger to self or others without supervision.
Capacity for Independent Living: An applicant who is unable to locate and use a telephone, cross streets safely, or understand that it is not safe to accept rides, food or money from strangers.
• Your child may also be eligible if he or she has a medical diagnosis with an additional condition that would result in a developmental delay.
The Baby Your Baby program provides many resources for all pregnant women and new moms in Utah. There is also expert advice from the Utah Department of Health and Intermountain Healthcare that air each week on KUTV 2News.
Most widely recognized for her service on September 11, Heather “Lucky” Penney was part of the pioneering first wave of women who entered fighters directly from pilot training. Lucky was the first and only woman in the 121st Fighter Squadron during her time flying the F-16, conducting combat air patrols over Washington DC and deploying to combat twice. She was airborne the first night of initial combat for Operation Iraqi Freedom, tasked as a night-time SCUD Hunter in the western deserts of Iraq and also supporting Special Operations Forces. Lucky flew the F-16 for ten years before having to make the difficult decision to leave the fighter aviation as a single mother. Heather’s passion for aviation has never faded – she founded the first collegiate cross-country air race team, has flown her antique Taylorcraft BC-12 coast-to-coast, owned several vintage aircraft, co-piloted the B-17 Flying Fortress for the Collings Foundation, and raced jets at the Reno Air Races; she is type rated in the Gulfstream G-100 and Citation 560 series jets, and she holds CFII/MEI, and ATP ratings. Today Lucky owns and loves to fly her WWII Army Air Forces PT-13 Stearman, 1961 aerobatic Bucker Jungmann, and 1950 Cessna 170A. Heather is a passionate advocate for aviation, women in aviation, aviation history and museums, and the future of aviation. She has been inducted as an Air Force Eagle at Air University; serves is a Director of the Board for the Experimental Aircraft Association; and is on the Steering Committee for the Purdue University National Aviation Symposium.
Governor Cox says state is moving to “steady state” model: March 31st the state will pivot to treating COVID as a seasonal virus in terms of tracking and testing as cases and hospitalizations drop.
Cox signs on to letter addressing Canadian Trucker Protest: Cox joins 15 other Republican Governor’s and 2 Canadian Premiers:
The joint letter reads in part, “The timing of your decision to terminate the vaccine and quarantine exemptions could not have been worse as North America already faces grave supply chain constraints.”
Governor Cox to Outdoor Retailers: We don’t miss them. “That threat of a boycott will do absolutely nothing to change any policy that’s happening here in the state of Utah,” Governor Cox said. “Not even an inch. We won’t give it another thought.”
A woman’s body goes through all kinds of physical changes during pregnancy and childbirth. Some of those changes are to the pelvic floor muscles, which support the increasing size and weight of the baby during pregnancy. After pregnancy and childbirth, it can take some time for those muscles to recover and get back in shape.
Jade Elliott spoke with Jessica Woodman, a physical therapist with Intermountain Healthcare who specializes in pelvic floor physical therapy, about what those pelvic floor muscles do and some common post-pregnancy symptoms and problems that involve the pelvic floor muscles, and how physical therapy can help.
Where the pelvic floor muscles are and what they do
The pelvic floor muscles are like a “hammock” on the inside of the pelvis. They run from the pubic bone in front back to the tailbone. There are three layers of the pelvic floor, which provides support for internal organs, controls function for your openings, and helps with sexual function.
“Before pregnancy, those without pelvic floor symptoms may not specifically pay much attention to this region. After pregnancy, it can be very common for several different pelvic floor symptoms to begin. This can be due to a possible weakness, or tightness, of the pelvic floor muscles, interfering with proper function,” said Jessica Woodman, a physical therapist with Intermountain Healthcare who specializes in pelvic floor physical therapy.
Pelvic floor conditions are common
National studies show between one fourth to one-third of U.S. women have a pelvic floor condition.
According to Woodman, pelvic floor symptoms can be especially common for women who have given birth more than once or to twins or multiples. Utah’s high birthrate means many Utah women are in this category.
Common symptoms of pelvic floor muscles not functioning properly
Urinary stress incontinence: leaking urine, when you cough, sneeze or do exercise that involves running or sudden movement.
Urinary urge incontinence: leaking urine when trying to get to the bathroom
Increased urinary frequency, or difficulty emptying bladder
Pain in the pelvis, abdomen, low back or tailbone
Pain with intercourse or sexual dysfunction
Constipation or fecal leakage
Pelvic organ prolapse: when one or more internal organs is not supported well
“Stress incontinence, or leaking urine when you cough, sneeze or exercise can occur after childbirth. It’s common, but it’s very important for women to know this can be treated. There are many women out there dealing with urinary leakage, not knowing they can get help and see improvement. I want women who have these symptoms to know they don’t have to accept the status quo or just live with these symptoms forever.”
“It’s also not uncommon for women to experience pelvic pain, which can include pain with intercourse. This can stem from tightness of the pelvic floor, which can be treated in a specific way. Pelvic floor physical therapy can be a truly life-changing intervention for many women,” added Woodman.
In addition to pregnancy and childbirth, other factors that contribute to pelvic floor conditions include aging, obesity, tailbone injuries, chronic coughing, chronic constipation, hip weaknesses, and pelvic/abdominal surgery. So even if a woman hasn’t had a baby, she could still have some pelvic floor issues.
Woodman said women with these symptoms can talk to their doctor or see a physical therapist specializing in post-pregnancy issues for an assessment. Pelvic floor symptoms can often be improved with physical therapy, especially if treated early on, but sometimes surgery may be recommended. It’s a good idea to start with the least invasive option of physical therapy first.
Kegels exercises may help some conditions if done properly
Many women have heard of doing Kegel exercises to help strengthen pelvic floor muscles. Kegel exercises are the repeated tightening and releasing of the pelvic floor muscles for a few seconds. Pelvic floor muscles are the same muscles used to stop urination midstream. Kegels can be done while standing, sitting or lying down. They were developed in the 1940’s by Dr. Arnold Kegel.
“Pelvic floor symptoms may be due to weakness or tightness of those muscles. Kegels can help with weakness, but may exacerbate the problem in patients with tightness. Kegels sound kind of simple, but there’s a right way to do them and a specialized therapist can help you know how to do them properly,” said Woodman.
“It’s not just squeezing those muscles, but also involves breathing and movement. Complete pelvic floor therapy involves not just Kegels, but working to stabilize the whole pelvis and help restore normalized function,” she added.
Therapists use different visualization techniques to help patients do pelvic floor exercises correctly. Each patient is unique, so different techniques work for different patients. Therapists can give patients a treatment plan for the type and frequency of exercises to do at home.
When to see a pelvic floor P.T.
You can see a therapist during pregnancy or postpartum. There are delivery positions that protect the pelvic floor. And you want to make sure you’re breathing when exerting. There are some foundation deep core exercises you can start while pregnant.
Postpartum visits are best after a woman’s six-week appointment with her doctor or midwife to ensure healing has gone well and there are no other concerns.
What to expect at your first appointment
Your first appointment will begin with a thorough history of a patient’s symptoms and personal goals. If the patient is comfortable, a pelvic floor muscle assessment can be performed with a pelvic exam in a closed private room. This is the best way to assess muscle weakness or muscle tightness, coordination or pain, so that treatment can be customized. Pelvic floor physical therapy can still be very beneficial without an exam. Physical therapists can also help with whole-body considerations to help patients learn the best practices and exercises to improve their physical conditions.
Pelvic floor treatments
Therapy and treatments may include strengthening and coordination, relaxation exercises and manual techniques varying from: scar mobilization, to joint mobilization, to muscle release.
Pelvic floor physical therapy is effective
According to medical studies, pelvic floor muscle training combined with bladder training effectively resolved urinary incontinence in women.
Studies also show pelvic floor therapy can also help reduce pelvic pain.
Finding a pelvic floor physical therapist
Intermountain has 12 pelvic floor physical therapy locations across Utah. For more information visit intermountainhealthcare.org to find a physical therapy location close to you and ask for a pelvic floor physical therapist.
The Orthopedic Specialty Hospital in Murray, Utah also offers online Pilates classes with a focus on pelvic floor muscles, which teaches control, strength and relaxation.
Classes are held twice weekly with daytime or evening options. Cost is $40 for one month of eight classes. Call TOSH at 801-314-2210 to register.
There are national websites where you can search for a registered pelvic floor physical therapist by zip code such as Pelvic rehab.com.
The Baby Your Baby program provides many resources for all pregnant women and new moms in Utah. There is also expert advice from the Utah Department of Health and Intermountain Healthcare that air each week on KUTV 2News.
Today with almost 500 million Chicken Soup for the Soul books sold, Mark Victor Hansen is glad he held fast to the principles of perseverance, excellence, and belief in one’s self that have allowed him to create extraordinary achievement in his life. As one of the world’s most respected thought leaders, he is known globally as the Ambassador of Possibility.
In this week’s episode of Fresh Off The Set, we talking to Utah’s restaurant king Michael McHenry!
Sunday’s Best is one of Utah’s hottest restaurants right now. The man behind the genius, Michael McHenry, sat down with Kari Hawker-Diaz to talk about his career. If you have ever been to Sunday’s Best, Ginger Street, or Dirty Bird, Michael is the person who had the vision and made these successful restaurants what they are today.
But, he didn’t start in food service. Michael was a professional bowler who fell into the restaurant industry because of his relationship with Fat Cats. And the rest is history! In this episode, Michael talks about how Costa Vida changed his life, gives inspiring advice to aspiring entrepreneurs, and explains why everything is better in a tortilla.
Kari, Brooke, David, Elora and Sarah host Fresh Living on KUTV, which airs on CBS Channel 2 every weekday at 1 pm in Utah. You can follow Fresh Living on all social media platforms @kutvfreshliving and watch our show on YouTube.
Host: Heidi Hatch
Guests: Maura Carabello, Exoro Group & John Dougall, State Auditor
Clean Slate Law goes into effect: Passed in 2019 delayed by pandemic
Individuals must remain conviction-free for five to seven years (depending on the level of the offense) to qualify.
Covered offenses include misdemeanor A drug possession, most misdemeanor B, and C level offenses, and all infractions.
Utah’s Clean Slate law will not clear any felony records, domestic violence related offenses, registered sex offenses, simple assault, or DUI offenses. Some of these cases may be eligible for clearance under the petition-based process but will not be automatically cleared.
Digital Driver’s License debate stalls in in Committee after strong opposition:
Utah already has a pilot project.
Community members warned of slippery slope, mark of the beast, vaccination passport.
Could be more secure, one-time QR code, lose your phone get new license on new phone without going to DMV.
State Tax Cut passed: Governor says he will sign
$192 million tax cut income rate drops from 4.95% to 4.85%
Earned income tax credit
Social security tax cut
Utah Tech community opposed income tax cuts.
Rep. Candice Perucci Files bill to change Utah Birth Certificate questionnaire?
Bill would make the first copy free, cut questions from 100 down 27.
CD4 Race heats up
Darlene McDonald will run against Burgess Owens in Utah Congressional race.
Utah Senate Race
Ally Isom promises 2 terms and done if elected, calls on Lee to call it a day and come home. Becky Edwards says she will serve 2 terms and be done if elected.
Mike Lee applauds Office of Civil Rights dismissing complaint against BYU
The Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights dismissed a Title IX complaint that alleged the private University discriminates against LGBTQ students by barring LGBTQ relationships.
Most people feel comfortable talking about health topics like nutrition and physical activity. They’re part of our everyday conversations. Since talking about physical health is such a normal part of our conversations, we’re also usually comfortable talking about times we’re just not our best or are struggling in these areas. We do lots of things to make sure we and those we love are physically healthy.
Jade Elliott spoke with Brook Dorff, MA, CHES Maternal Mental Health Specialist at Utah Department of Health, about what you can do to improve your mental health on this episode of the Baby Your Baby Podcast.
We support those around us in their efforts to make time to focus on their health every day. We encourage those we love to get help if they need extra support or can’t seem to be their best on their own. We cheer people on when they get help from a nutritionist, hire a personal trainer, find a workout buddy, or join a support group, so they can get healthier and feel better. However, mental health isn’t part of our normal, everyday conversations like physical health is.
Why is that?
We know our mental health is every bit as important to our overall health and well-being as our physical health. Throughout the pandemic, mental health issues have been all over the news and social media. However, many people still have a hard time talking about mental health issues because there is still a lot of stigma surrounding mental health conditions or mental illness. We often wait until something is really bad to talk about our mental health, instead of talking about it at the first sign we’re struggling. Talking about mental health like we do physical health, as just another part of our overall health and well-being, can make it easier to talk about.
How many Utah parents are affected by mental health conditions?
Data from the 2020 Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring Survey (PRAMS) show almost half of Utah parents with new babies experienced mental health conditions (like depression or anxiety) before, during, or after pregnancy. Utah PRAMS data also show the number of people who experienced anxiety and depression before and during pregnancy increased in 2020.
When people think about maternal mental health, or mental health conditions that affect women during pregnancy or after they’ve had their baby (postpartum), the first thing that comes to mind is usually postpartum depression. However, it’s important for parents to know they can experience other mental illnesses during the entire perinatal period, which is from the time you get pregnant up until a year after you give birth. Some examples of other mental health conditions parents can experience during the perinatal period are: depression, anxiety, OCD, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and psychosis.
What can you do if your mental health is suffering?
1. Know the signs.
We are have been living in a pandemic for almost two full years. Add on the fatigue and seasonal blues that often set in during the winter months, and many parents are left wondering if what they are experiencing is just “normal” burnout, or a mental illness. If you are wondering if you should seek help…you probably should. Knowing the signs of mental illness can help you decide if you should seek help or not. Signs of mental health issues include, but are not limited to:
Sleeping too much or too little
Eating too much or too little
Not enjoying the things you used to enjoy
Body pains
Anger
Brain fog
Heart palpitations
Avoiding loved ones
Feeling overwhelmed, even with simple tasks
2. Know what works.
Several strategies and treatments have been shown to improve mental illness during pregnancy and postpartum. Some of these include:
Therapy
Medication
Support groups
Getting enough sleep (at least four hours in a row)
Getting 10 minutes of movement (like a walk)
Proper nutrition
Drinking enough water
Taking a prenatal vitamins during pregnancy and for an entire year after you give birth
Talk to your doctor or medical professional about what would work best for you. It’s often a combination of strategies and treatments. For more information on what’s known to help, visit our website at: https://mihp.utah.gov/maternal-mental-health.
This is a searchable directory that includes many types of providers throughout the state. Results can be narrowed down by insurance type, location, specialty, and whether or not providers can accommodate virtual visits.
Additional education, information, links, and daily reminders that parents are doing better than they know can be found on our social media channels.
What is the most important thing for parents to remember if they are suffering with mental illness?
Experiencing mental illness during pregnancy and postpartum can feel overwhelming. We want parents to remember to reach out. You don’t need to suffer alone.
Our Instagram page is filled with information to help you recognize the signs of mental illness during the perinatal period.
The Baby Your Baby program provides many resources for all pregnant women and new moms in Utah. There is also expert advice from the Utah Department of Health and Intermountain Healthcare that air each week on KUTV 2News.
In this episode, Sean Whalen — whose social media posts have over 100-million views, clothing line “Lions Not Sheep” generates millions of dollars in monthly revenue, and whose coaching program “The Lions Den” has thousands of subscribers — shares his Core 4 program. Giving us an insight into how to live in every single moment to become the very best physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, financial, and family-focused versions of ourselves.
About Sean Whalen: He is also the author of the Amazon bestseller, How To Make Shit Happen, which has sold over 425,000 copies. He also coaches other male and female entrepreneurs on scaling their businesses AND their home lives. Whalen is also the founder and CEO of the clothing line, Lions Not Sheep.
