Michelle Baruchman

John King criticized for weak enforcement of Georgia mental health law Three years after Georgia passed a mental health parity law, critics say the Senate hopeful and insurance chief hasn’t held insurers accountable or raised public awareness.

It is 2025 and Georgia is still not enforcing mental health parity laws (aka making insurance companies pay for mental health treatment).

To be clear, federal parity laws first passed in 2008. Story via @mlbaruchman.bsky.social
www.ajc.com/politics/202...

Hahahaha

blue smoke seen over teamsters building in Atlanta signifying new DPG chair

NPF also awarded @taylorknopf.bsky.social from @nchealthnews.bsky.social an honorable mention for her investigation into understaffing at a psychiatric hospital.
www.northcarolinahealthnews.org/2024/05/06/f...

The National Press Foundation has awarded Sarah Wildman of the @nytimes.com the Carolyn C. Mattingly Award for Mental Health Reporting for her personal, in-depth reporting on pediatric end-of-life care.
nationalpress.org/award-story/...

NPF and the Luv u Project established the award in memory of the Potomac, MD, philanthropist and activist after her tragic death in 2014. Thank you to them and to this year's judging panel, journalists @mlbaruchman.bsky.social, @aliadastagir.bsky.social, @nnguerrero.bsky.social and Deborah Wang.
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State Sen. Billy Hickman was one of four Republicans to co-sponsor a Democrat-backed bill that would expand eligibility for Georgia’s Medicaid program.

Not anymore.

Read more in today's Politically Georgia newsletter

(h/t @mlbaruchman.bsky.social)

www.ajc.com/politics/pol...

Seattle Times Wins NPF Mattingly Award for Mental Health Reporting - National Press Foundation The National Press Foundation has awarded the Carolyn C. Mattingly Award for Mental Health Reporting to The Seattle Times.

NPF and The Luv u Project established this award in 2015 to honor excellence in mental health reporting. @hannahfurfaro.bsky.social and @mlbaruchman.bsky.social won last year for their
@seattletimes.bsky.social series on insurance denials and "ghost therapists."
nationalpress.org/award-story/...

The new state legislative session begins today The Georgia General Assembly begins the first of a two-year legislative session at the state Capitol Monday.

Welcome to the first day of the 2025 Georgia legislative session! This is the time to tune in.
Here's what to watch at the Georgia Capitol this year. The @ajc.com has a large staff dedicated to bringing you the news. Here's a thread of our pre-session coverage.
#gapol www.ajc.com/politics/the...

Hahaha thank you thank you 🧹

House Speaker wants to see changes to new school vouchers program Georgia House Speaker Jon Burns wants to see changes to the newly passed school vouchers bill.

A new debate over school vouchers is coming to the Georgia Capitol.
House Speaker Jon Burns said the agency in charge of the voucher program went too far in granting them for entire school districts -- not just low-performing schools. By @mlbaruchman.bsky.social #gapol www.ajc.com/politics/hou...

Introducing The Michelle & Maya Show, your dedicated @ajc.com statehouse reporters for the 2025 Georgia Legislative session.

We’re here to hold space for you. 🩷💚

Email us with new tips, tap us in the hallways, or meet us at Manuel’s. @mayatprabhu.bsky.social

Today’s front page of @ajc.com with @mlbaruchman.bsky.social in Plains. @cartercenter.bsky.social #JimmyCarter

Georgia farmers have mixed feelings about Trump’s immigration proposals Many Georgia farmers live in areas that voted for Trump, but some are wary of promised mass deportations that could limit the supply of labor to work their farms.

Agriculture is the No. 1 industry in GA. Farmers, already devastated by #Helene, could be worse off if they lost migrant labor.
But for some, their politics pose a challenge: they want to go the legal route to get workers but H2A workers are more $$ than undocumented.
www.ajc.com/politics/geo...

The holidays can be a joyous but also difficult time.

REMINDER: HELP IS AVAILABLE.

☎️ Call 988 if you need mental health support or just someone to talk to.
Trained professionals will take your call for FREE, and no crisis is too small.

Sending ❤️ this holiday season

Thankful that @mlbaruchman.bsky.social was able to hold space for me yesterday 🥹 cc @katherinelandergan.bsky.social @wickedmovie.bsky.social #wicked #holdingspace #defyinggravity

State behavioral health agency seeks money from Legislature to address crisis in jails During the upcoming legislative session, the state agency that handles behavioral health needs plans to ask the Georgia General Assembly for more resources.

Georgia jails are filled with people who are mentally ill and need treatment before they can stand trial.

The state agency responsible for overseeing behavioral health is asking lawmakers for $ to move those people into hospital beds and out of jail.

www.ajc.com/politics/sta...

Thousands of women left the state for elective or medically necessary abortions since Georgia enacted one of the country’s strictest abortion laws. Three of those women spoke with @samantha-hogan.bsky.social and me about their experiences.
#gapol #abortionnews @ajc.com www.ajc.com/politics/num...

Georgia lawmakers float caregiver exemption for Medicaid Lawmakers are interested in exploring a change to Georgia's Pathways program that would allow caregiving to be considered approved work to meet the requirement.

Gov. Kemp’s Pathways program provides Medicaid to low-income adults who meet certain work requirements. But some critics have argued those have been too narrow.

Now, some state lawmakers want to see caregiving added as an approved work activity and Kemp is open to it.
www.ajc.com/politics/geo...

Everyone welcome @mlbaruchman.bsky.social to the butterfly app! #gapol

🦋🩵🦋

Hi 👋 I’ve joined BlueSky, and I’m just getting started on here.

I’m a politics reporter at @ajc.com, and I previously worked at @seattletimes-rss.bsky.social. 📰🗞️

Follow me for news updates about 🍑 Georgia and email me for news tips. 💌

If Trump initiates mass detainment of migrants, Georgia sheriffs say they have no space available in jails Among nine Georgia sheriffs surveyed, all said they don't have space to take on mass detainment of migrants.

“We could round up every illegal immigrant there is, but what are we going to do with them when we do that?” Sheriff Chapman said.

Brilliant reporting on the logistics of mass deportations via AJC
www.ajc.com/politics/if-...