Bloglander

Strolling Thunder in D.C.
Hundreds of parents, caregivers and little ones in strollers will march in Washington, D.C., on May 2 as part of Strolling Thunder, an event to draw attention to the need for government policies that support families. Spokane mother Katie Zobell will be there, along with her 21-month-old daughter. “My husband and I are doing everything we can to provide for our growing family, but finding quality, affordable child care is a challenge," she says in a statement.

The event is organized by Zero to Three, a global nonprofit organization that works to ensure that babies and toddlers benefit from the early connections that are critical to their well-being and development, with the goals of raising legislators' awareness of brain development during a child's first three years of life, and how legislation and investment in early childhood pays big dividends down the road.

Addiction assistance
Washington state will receive $11 million in federal funds to combat opioid addiction. The funding, which will go toward strengthening the state's program for monitoring prescription drugs, as well as expanding treatment programs, is part of the 21st Century Cures Act signed into law by President Obama in December. The grants were announced by Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price last week. All 50 states and six territories received some funding; awards were based on the rates of overdose deaths and the number of people who needed treatment, but were unable to get it.

Read more about opioid addiction in Spokane in the current issue of InHealth.

Teaching therapy
A new outpatient therapy teaching clinic at the Spokane Teaching Health Clinic on Front Avenue opened today (Thursday, April 27). The 5,400-square-foot clinic, a partnership between St. Luke's Rehabilitation Institute and Eastern Washington University, will offer clinical experience for physical and occupation therapy students, as well as "state of the art" rehab equipment. Initially, an occupational therapist and physical therapist will provide evaluation and treatment as students look on from a clinic observation room.