The Health News USA April 10 2018

• An investment banker from New Jersey and his wife walked out $37 million richer from a court in New Brunswick Thursday, after a jury ordered Johnson & Johnson and a talc mining company to pay for causing him to develop a deadly cancer linked to asbestos. Bloomberg reported that the verdict is the first time a jury has backed a consumer’s claims that the company’s baby powder causes mesothelioma.  
• The St. Paul Police Department says their new mental health unit is dedicated to connecting people with community resources and reducing escalations that could result in use of deadly force. The St. Paul Pioneer Press reported that the four-officer unit formally started last month. Calls to St. Paul police involving mental health issues have risen from about 4,100 calls in two thousand four to about 8,700 calls in 2016 two thousand sixteen.
• Sesame Place — Pennsylvania’s “Sesame Street”-themed amusement park — has just become the world’s first amusement park designated as a certified autism center. The park announced the news on Facebook this Monday, in honor of Autism Awareness Day, writing: “It’s our goal to provide every family with an enjoyable and memorable visit, and we are proud to offer specialized services to guests with autism and other special needs.”

News on Health Professional Radio. Today is the 10th of April 2018. Read by Tabetha Moreto.

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2018/04/06/couple-suing-johnson-johnson-over-talcum-powder-wins-37-million-judgment.html

An investment banker from New Jersey and his wife walked out thirty seven million dollars richer from a court in New Brunswick Thursday, after a jury ordered Johnson & Johnson and a talc mining company to pay for causing him to develop a deadly cancer linked to asbestos. Bloomberg reported that the verdict is the first time a jury has backed a consumer’s claims that the company’s baby powder causes mesothelioma.

The lawsuit was brought by Stephen Lanzo, who said he developed the often-fatal lung cancer after inhaling dust that was generated through his regular use of J&J talc powder products since nineteen seventy two. According to Lanzo’s lawyers, officials of J&J and Imerys, its talc supplier, were worried that asbestos were tainting talc and other products as early as 1969. The jury awarded Lanzo thirty million dollars and his wife seven million dollars in compensatory damages.
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J&J, based in New Brunswick, New Jersey, faces talc-related lawsuits by six thousand six hundred ten plaintiffs nationally, largely based on claims it failed to warn women about the risk of developing ovarian cancer by using its products for feminine hygiene.

https://www.newsobserver.com/news/article208278689.html

The Saint Paul Police Department says their new mental health unit is dedicated to connecting people with community resources and reducing escalations that could result in use of deadly force. The St. Paul Pioneer Press reported that the four-officer unit formally started last month.

Calls to St. Paul police involving mental health issues have risen from about four thousand one hundred calls in two thousand four to about eight thousand seven hundred calls in two thousand sixteen. The unit spends part of the day reviewing mental health-related reports that patrol officers have responded to. Officers look for ways to follow up on the situation to ensure everyone is aware about available mental health services. The mental health unit also monitors emergency radio traffic and responds to some calls.
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Some people have questioned why the police department is getting involved in issues that are traditionally dealt with by a social worker. Sergeant Jamie Sipes, the unit’s coordinator said people often call nine one one when having a mental health crisis because they don’t know what else to do so officers need to be prepared for that situation.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/sesame-place-becomes-worlds-first-theme-park-designated-as-a-certified-autism-center/

Sesame Place — Pennsylvania’s “Sesame Street”-themed amusement park — has just become the world’s first amusement park designated as a certified autism center. The park announced the news on Facebook this Monday, in honor of Autism Awareness Day, writing: “It’s our goal to provide every family with an enjoyable and memorable visit, and we are proud to offer specialized services to guests with autism and other special needs.”

The theme park partnered with The International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES) to ensure that all its staff members received autism sensitivity and awareness training in areas like sensory awareness, motor skills, program development, social skills, communication, environment and emotional awareness. All of its rides are now ranked on a special sensory guide from one to ten. Sesame Place offers a Ride Accessibility Program to help visitors determine which rides are an appropriate match. The goal is to maximize both enjoyment and safety for visitors with special needs. To enroll a child in the RAP program, parents simply have to fill out the Ride Accessibility Questionnaire on the amusement park’s website. Once the form is validated, a personalized list of rides and attractions, tailored to the individual child’s physical and mental attributes, will be provided.
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Guests who want to take in one of the park’s signature parades, but wish to do so without direct character interaction such as “hugs” or “high fives,” are encouraged to sit close to where the parade begins or several rows back from the parade viewing line. There are also now special instructions on the park’s website for guests who would prefer to dine in quieter environments or who would like to book special “character dines” with limited character interaction or seating furthest away from the performances.