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Sarah True

Sarah

Sarah True was a public health reporter for the Baltimore Banner. She previously worked as a freelance journalist covering health care and health policy, and has been both a medical social worker and a health policy analyst in a past life. She holds dual Master’s degrees in public health and social work from Washington University in St. Louis, and is a recipient of the 2022-2023 National Science-Health-Environment Reporting Fellowship (SHERF.) Sarah covers all aspects of health with a focus on what happens at the intersection of health care delivery and health policy and how this affects real people — especially underserved communities.

The latest from Sarah True

Maryland doctors are loosening sickle cell’s painful grip on patients worldwide
Last month, two groundbreaking gene therapies thought to cure sickle cell were approved by the Food and Drug Administration, and one will be available locally starting in a few weeks.
Simone Day sits for a portrait in Federal Hill on December 22, 2023.
100,000 Marylanders lost Medicaid coverage in the last 6 months
In November, more than 1 in 5 people up for renewal lost their public health insurance because they did not turn in the necessary paperwork.
Maryland is halfway through a yearlong effort to renew health insurance for the 1.8 million Marylanders on Medicaid, following the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency in May.
Can Howard County’s hospital cut ER wait times with a new behavioral health unit?
Johns Hopkins Howard County Medical Center is building a space for 24 patients in mental health crisis, a growing need in the region.
The  Johns Hopkins Howard County Medical Center in Columbia, Maryland.
Struggling to find an RSV vaccine in Maryland? Here’s what to know about the shortage
Maryland pediatricians report vaccine shipments far below what’s needed, and the CDC released guidance last month instructing providers on how to prioritize the few doses they have.
There is a new vaccine to prevent severe illness caused by respiratory syncytial virus, known as RSV, left. But the vaccine for infants is in short supply.
Johns Hopkins doctor on leave following violent anti-Palestinian social media posts
Johns Hopkins Hospital has placed its director of pediatric cardiac critical care on leave while it investigates anti-Palestinian social media posts from a now-deleted account.
The Johns Hopkins Hospital in East Baltimore
Johns Hopkins nursing school launches D.C. institute focused on health equity
The Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing announced Wednesday that it’s launching a Washington, D.C. research institute that aims to move the U.S. health care system away from its focus on treating problems and toward to preventive, whole-person care.
Guests attend a reception for the opening of the Johns Hopkins University’s new Washington, D.C., location last month, which will house the School of Nursing’s Institute for Policy Solutions and elements of other schools.
One month later, U. of Maryland’s pig heart transplant patient is ‘embracing his life’
One month ago today, Larry Faucette became the second human ever to receive a pig heart in place of his own at the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Larry Faucette, who received a pig heart transplant last month at the University of Maryland Medical Center, gets physical therapy.
Where Baltimore residents without insurance can get COVID vaccine for free
The city health department will hold vaccine clinics every Friday through November.
Geraldine Long, a neighborhood resident, comes in to get her COVID booster. Baltimore City's continued effort towards combating COVID-19 includes a stationary mobile clinic that gives vaccine recievers incentives to keep up to date on their vaccines.  A mobile setup is shown here on February 10, 2023.
What we know, and what we don’t, about the state of Baltimore-area drinking water
A Baltimore City Council hearing Wednesday offered new information but left a number of questions less than fully answered.
Cryptosporidium is a microscopic parasite that causes the diarrheal disease cryptosporidiosis. Both the parasite and the disease are commonly known as “Crypto.”  While this parasite can be spread in several different ways, water (drinking water and recreational water) is the most common way to spread the parasite.
Protesters disrupt Pete Buttigieg’s interview at iMPACT Maryland
Dozens of protesters concerned about climate change stormed the Baltimore stage where U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg was taking part in a daylong conference coordinated by The Baltimore Banner.
A group of protestors from Climate Defiance interrupt a discussion with Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg at Impact Maryland, a thought leadership conference hosted by The Baltimore Banner Tuesday, Oct.10, 2023 in Baltimore.
How Morgan State can protect student and staff mental health after a campus shooting
Mental health professionals and crisis response researchers now have more than two decades of experience responding to school and campus shootings, and have a better idea of how to help survivors and community members whose mental health may suffer.
A woman comforts a student after she is released from lockdown at Morgan State University following a shooting on Oct. 3, 2023 that rocked the historically Black campus.
How safe is your water? Questions about cryptosporidium in Baltimore answered
How safe is the drinking water in Baltimore right now? How did Baltimore discover cryptosporidium in the water? We answer those questions and more.
Cryptosporidium is a microscopic parasite that causes the diarrheal disease cryptosporidiosis. Both the parasite and the disease are commonly known as “Crypto.”  While this parasite can be spread in several different ways, water (drinking water and recreational water) is the most common way to spread the parasite.
Baltimore could get contaminated water tested in 24 hours. So why is it taking a week?
In the wake of confirmed — or even suspected — cryptosporidium contamination, it is common for certified labs to offer 24-hour testing for an additional fee.
A woman fills a glass with water from the tap in the kitchen sink of her home.
Can local universities help get more social workers in Maryland schools?
New fellowship program offered by local universities aims to strengthen school social worker pipeline, but schools still won’t have enough social workers.
Bianca Collins, a member of the first cohort of a new fellowship for school-based mental health jointly offered by the University of Maryland and Coppin State University, outside the school of social work at UMB where she is in her last year  of earning a Master's degree, on September 25, 2023.
Parasite in Baltimore-area drinking water may harm elderly, children, immunocompromised
Portions of Baltimore City, Baltimore County and Howard County are affected, and those with compromised immune systems should filter or boil water before drinking, officials said.
A woman fills a glass with water from the tap of a kitchen sink.
Springsteen ‘on fire’ with peptic ulcer disease. An expert weighs in.
A gastroenterologist at the University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Centerexplains what the disease is and why it could cause the Boss to take a month off.
Bruce Springsteen performed the first concert at CFG Bank Arena post renovations on April 7, 2023.
Medicare can now negotiate drug prices. How will this affect costs?
Medicare’s ability to negotiate drug prices will result in lower out-of-pocket costs for beneficiaries as well as premiums for Part D, Medicare’s prescription drug benefit, experts say.
Pharmaceuticals are seen in North Andover, Mass., June 15, 2018. Maryland will soon be the first state in the country with a functional Prescription Drug Affordability Board, aimed at bringing down the high prices of some prescription drugs.
What to know about the lethal strain of malaria contracted in Maryland
Maryland’s first locally acquired case of malaria in 40 years was caused by a strain responsible for 95% of deaths worldwide.
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Locally acquired case of malaria found in Maryland for the first time in 40 years
The Maryland case involves a strain that is different from the strain seen so far in Florida and Texas, and can be more severe, state health officials said Friday afternoon.
Matthew Vanderpool, environmental health specialist and entomologist for the Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness, is fed upon by a female mosquito on Aug. 25, 2021 in Louisville, Kentucky. Maryland health officials Friday announced the discovery of the first case of locally acquired malaria in the state in 40 years.
How many Marylanders have lost their Medicaid coverage?
Though some people are losing their coverage because they’re no longer eligible, most people get dropped from Medicaid because of paperwork issues. This month, the state pressed pause on disenrollments.
During Maryland’s COVID-19 public health emergency, Medicaid coverage was extended to all Marylanders already enrolled. With the emergency coverage now ending, Maryland is beginning the process of re-enrolling all 1.8 million Medicaid beneficiaries. Organizations like Health Care for the Homeless help patients through the process of re-enrolling in Medicaid, which can include creating email addresses, locating necessary paperwork to enroll, and selecting insurance.
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