Martha Bebinger

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey says the state will to take over bankrupt Steward Health Care's St. Elizabeth's Medical Center by eminent domain, and facilitate the transition of the hospital to a new owner.

Steward Health Care has reached a deal to sell its 5,000-doctor physicians network to Tennessee-based Rural Healthcare Group, a company owned by private equity firm Kinderhook Industries. The agreement still needs approval from regulators and from a bankruptcy judge.

In a state that prides itself on health care access, quality and innovation, some advocates say they're dismayed by how little the Massachusetts Legislature accomplished before wrapping formal business last month. Legislators can point to a few budget items as accomplishments. But the list of bills they did not send to the governor’s desk is long and sweeping.

An attorney for Steward Health Care said Tuesday the company has made "significant progress" on deals to sell five Massachusetts hospitals, which would allow them to remain open under new operators.

A federal judge on Wednesday cleared the way for Steward Health Care to close two Massachusetts hospitals, while the fate of the company’s other hospitals remains unsettled and Steward runs critically low on cash.

Steward Health Care said Friday that it is closing two of its Massachusetts hospitals — Carney Hospital in Dorchester and Nashoba Valley Medical Center in Ayer — that received no qualified bids in its sales process. The bankrupt company said it will shutter the hospitals by the end of August.

The state says versions of nitazenes up to 25 times stronger than fentanyl have been detected in Massachusetts, raising the overdose risks for people who use drugs. Naloxone or Narcan can reverse an overdose from this class of opioids, but several doses may be required.

It’s the largest single-year decrease in overdose deaths here in 20 years, state officials said. Preliminary data suggests the trend is keeping up this year. But the gains are uneven. Deaths among white men were down 16%, but deaths rose 6% among Black men.

In Massachusetts, preserving more forests, fields and wetlands is a critical way the state plans to slow climate change. But a popular land conservation program leaves many property owners in limbo. They apply, spend $5,000-$15,000 on surveys, appraisals and legal fees and then wait. “I might die before this is done,” said one applicant.

People who’ve struggled with bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety and other conditions are joining the mental health workforce to provide support for patients experiencing some of the same difficulties they have worked to overcome. In Massachusetts, mental health care leaders call them game-changers.

Instead of automatically reporting to the state infants born dependent on addictive substances like opioids, new policies ask hospital staff to evaluate whether the newborn faces an imminent risk of neglect or abuse.

Reparations aren’t usually seen as a way to make sure Black Americans have the same chance at health and longevity as do whites. But some public health and medical leaders are making the case for health considerations in reparations conversations.

In an emergency, an inhaler can save a life. But the gas it releases contributes to global warming. Each of the most commonly prescribed inhalers has about the same climate warming impact as driving 100 miles in a gas-powered car. So doctors are starting to offer patients alternatives.

When it comes to inhalers commonly used in the U.S., each puff has about the same climate impact as driving a gas-powered car one mile. But increasingly, there are alternative inhalers for some patients.

An estimated 42% of adults in the U.S. — roughly 125 million people — know at least one person who has died of a drug overdose, according to a RAND Corporation study published Wednesday that demonstrates the sweeping effects of America’s drug overdose crisis.

Boston’s first distribution of opioid settlement funds will go to families who’ve lost a member to an overdose. Initial grants for funerals, child care and housing are expected this summer. Boston plans to renew the $250,000 fund annually.

Some grieving parents who’ve become leaders in the drug overdose crisis called on Massachusetts lawmakers to allow overdose prevention or supervised consumption sites in the state. They are angry that lawmakers aren’t acting on legislation these parents say might have saved their children.

Money from the settlement of opioid-related lawsuits is pouring into Massachusetts. The state has set spending priorities and is awarding grants. But most municipalities haven’t spent any of the more than $51 million delivered since payments began in July of 2022.

Boston has its first tree ordinance. These rules govern when trees can be trimmed or removed from city-owned parks, the land around schools, libraries and public housing. The ordinance does not apply to trees on private property, which is half or more of Boston’s tree canopy.

WBUR’s Martha Bebinger wanted to write about home-based supervised consumption for many years. She keeps hearing from parents, siblings, partners and kids who do it but wouldn’t talk about it. Here’s why one mom finally agreed to speak out, and how the story came together.