Patricia Murphy

Stories

• House Committee Takes No Action On Death Penalty Bill

  A House Committee in Olympia took no action Wednesday on House Bill 1504 which would eliminate the death penalty and replace it with a sentence of life

  Mar 07, 2013 at 11:05 am
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  Washington House Committee Considers Eliminating Death Penalty

  A House committee in Olympia will hear public testimony Wednesday for a bill that would abolish capital punishment in Washington. House Bill 1504 would

  Mar 05, 2013 at 5:52 pm

• Sequestration Suspends King County Housing Vouchers

  The King County Housing Authority has stopped issuing new Section 8 vouchers. The program is federally subsidized through the Department of Housing and

  Mar 01, 2013 at 4:05 pm
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  Military Marriage Endures Despite Multiple Deployments

  Love is a popular theme today and for retailers, it's a cash cow of hearts and roses. But relationships that endure take work. For the Silsby family of

  Feb 14, 2013 at 9:55 am
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  Army Keeps A Lid On Madigan PTSD Investigation

  The Army says it won’t release the investigation into how Madigan Army Medical Center handled some soldiers' diagnoses for post-traumatic stress disorder.

  Feb 11, 2013 at 7:06 pm
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  Corrections Officers Say Prisons Still Unsafe Two Years After Biendl Death

  Runners in a 5K race will wind through the grounds of the Monroe Correctional Complex on Sunday to remember Corrections Officer Jayme Biendl. Tuesday will

  Jan 25, 2013 at 11:46 am
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  Military Judge Orders Sanity Review For Soldier Accused In Massacre

  Attorneys for Staff Sergeant Robert Bales say they’re unsure if they’ll pursue a mental health defense in the case. But if they do, the judge has ordered

  Jan 18, 2013 at 10:25 am
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  Military Suicide Prevention Should Include Personal Weapon Disclosure, Retired General Suggests

  Suicide is now the number one cause of death for US troops. Nationally, more than two-thirds of suicides of active duty troops involve firearms. Most are personal weapons.Former vice chief of staff for the Army General Peter Chiarelli wants commanders to have the ability to talk to distressed troop members about their private weapons as part of an effort to reverse the trend.In an editorial Chiarelli co-wrote for the Washington Post,  he points out a little-known provision in the 2011 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that prevents military commanders and non-commissioned officers from asking about their troops’ personal weapons. A new amendment to the 2013 NDAA would reverse that.Chiarelli says the change could help troop members who may be distressed but are not deemed “high risk” by behavioral health specialists. Chiarelli suggests, "Either that specialist or the commander should have the ability to make a recommendation that they separate themselves from their personal weapons."Additional recommendations come from a 2011 study on military suicide by the Rand Corporation. The study recommends implementing measures to help limit at-risk soldiers access to guns.There were 12 suicides among troops stationed at Washington’s Joint Base Lewis-McChord last year. That’s up from 7 in 2010.

  Dec 17, 2012 at 3:56 pm

• Memorial For U-District Needle Exchange Founder

  A public memorial service is planned Thursday for Bob Quinn. Quinn was a public health maverick. He died last month.

  Dec 13, 2012 at 12:00 am

• Native American Veterans Get New Access To Local Health Care

  American Indian and Alaska Native veterans can now see local Indian Health Service providers for care that is covered by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Under the agreement the VA will now reimburse local Indian Health Service doctors for providing things like mental health care, pharmacy services, and diagnostic testing.Roughly 6,200 Native American veterans live in Washington. Many live in rural areas, so getting health care at VA facilities meant hours of travel time on the road. The new agreement will lift that burden.It could also improve the relationship between health provider and patient, according to Terry Bentley from the VA office of tribal-government relations for its western region.  "Veterans who get their care at those IHS facilities probably feel that the care is more culturally competent and they're more comfortable [than at VA clinics and hospitals]," Bentley says.Bentley says local access to care for Native Americans and Alaska Natives will also help shorten wait times, which can be significant at VA facilities. Many are hopeful the agreement will serve as a first step for more agreements between the VA and tribal health programs.

  Dec 10, 2012 at 5:27 pm