Health Equity & Youth Leadership: Milwaukee County’s Health Equity Champion Awards added a new teen-focused honor, the Equity In Action Youth Leadership Award, partnering with the Milwaukee County Youth Commission to elevate youth voices in racial equity work. Disaster Recovery Funding: FEMA approved more than $15.3 million for post-disaster Public Assistance and Hazard Mitigation projects across Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin, including reimbursements for Wisconsin healthcare facilities tied to COVID-19 risk reduction. Aging & Care Access: A grassroots Senior Empowerment Project is holding summits as older Wisconsinites report mounting worries about housing, healthcare, transportation and isolation—especially the strain from closures and staffing shortages that make “aging in place” harder. School Health & Staffing: Milwaukee Public Schools approved a $1.6B 2026-27 budget aimed at lowering class sizes, boosting educator pay, and adding teaching and support positions, including children’s health assistants. Tick-Borne Disease Prep: ThedaCare urged Wisconsin residents to use repellent, do tick checks, and remove ticks promptly as deer ticks spread Lyme disease, anaplasmosis and babesiosis. Community Health Access: Milwaukee County treatment court graduates celebrated new beginnings, highlighting how treatment courts use supervised recovery instead of a simple jail cycle. Public Safety & Screening: Kenosha Unified will use metal detectors at high school graduation ceremonies, with accommodations for medical devices and secondary screening if needed. Medical Care Expansion: MD Hyperbaric announced new HBOT centers opening in San Antonio, Las Vegas and Rochester, expanding access to medical-grade hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Food Deserts & Affordability: Coverage also points to affordability pressures and the scale of food deserts in Wisconsin, underscoring ongoing gaps in basic health needs.