AGP Executive Report

Public Health Watch: CDC data shows U.S. overdose deaths are still falling for the third straight year, down nearly 14% in 2025—though the West is where the slowdown is uneven, with Arizona and New Mexico seeing increases. Wildlife & Environment: Wyoming wolf numbers dropped 19% in the state’s biggest management area as disease pressures rise, with distemper-like outbreaks suspected; meanwhile, a new study found the “brain-eating amoeba” in multiple western national parks, and Oregon’s tests came back negative. Rural Health Funding: Wyoming is dropping a plan to stretch federal rural health dollars for decades after federal rules derailed a proposed “perpetuity fund,” raising sustainability concerns. Community Safety: Bears are showing up in residential areas in parts of Sheridan and Johnson counties, and Game and Fish is asking residents to report sightings fast. Healthcare Business: Sanford Health signed a deal to merge with North Memorial Health in Minnesota, pledging major investment to expand in a competitive market. Wyoming Policy: Filing opens today for the 2026 Wyoming Primary Election, with a busy ballot expected.

Medicaid + Immigration Enforcement: North Carolina is joining a fast-growing GOP trend that pushes state public health agencies to flag Medicaid recipients to Homeland Security when legal status is in question—researchers say Wyoming and other red states are likely to expand this model as Trump’s deportation push ramps up. Home Birth Rules: A new report highlights how some non-nurse midwives are still assisting home births despite state crackdowns, as demand for planned home deliveries keeps rising. School Funding Pressure: Wyoming districts are warning that the new recalibration model is creating staffing and budgeting uncertainty even as overall school budgets rise—administrators say rules on how money must be spent are driving cuts. CWD Watch in Wildlife: Wyoming Game and Fish confirmed chronic wasting disease on the National Elk Refuge, triggering heightened monitoring and renewed scrutiny of herd size and refuge practices. Public Health Alerts: The state DEQ is warning residents to avoid harmful cyanobacteria blooms and report sightings as warm-weather conditions approach.

CWD Watch: Wyoming Game and Fish confirmed chronic wasting disease in a female elk on the National Elk Refuge, triggering continued heightened monitoring and mandatory testing for refuge-hunted elk—though recent results suggest the Jackson elk herd’s prevalence is still very low. Wolf Health: A separate WyoFile report links last year’s sharp wolf decline in Wyoming and Yellowstone to canine distemper, especially hard on pups. Water Pressure: A 70+ group coalition is pushing Congress for at least $2B for Lake Powell as drought and low snowpack push the reservoir toward critical thresholds. Local Governance: Medicine Bow approved buying an online meeting camera system so its attorney can join remotely. School Funding Friction: District leaders say new K-12 finance rules raise teacher pay money but create spending “silos” that still force cuts elsewhere. Community Food Security: One22 Resource Center and Hole Food Rescue are launching a countywide survey to map food insecurity beyond current program users. Public Safety Staffing: Laramie County is advertising a straight-to-the-street hiring event for patrol deputies.

Community Health Access: Banner Wyoming Medical Center is opening its doors to the public for a free engagement fair May 13–14, with 40+ booths, clinic meet-and-greets, and a mini job fair for candidates as young as 16. Public Safety & Care: A woman is in critical condition after a shooting in Wyoming, Mich., triggering school lockdowns while investigators work to piece together what happened. Wildlife Health Watch: Chronic wasting disease has been confirmed on the National Elk Refuge near Jackson, prompting more monitoring and biosecurity steps. Policy Pressure on Water: The EPA is moving to shift coal-ash monitoring to states, raising fresh groundwater concerns across the Mountain West. Health Workforce Reality: Planned Parenthood’s Santa Fe health center reopened after more than a year closed due to staffing shortages. Wyoming Economy Snapshot: County job trends are mixed statewide, with payroll up overall even as employment slips slightly. Behavioral Health: Southwest Counseling Service marks the retirement of long-time behavioral health staffer Mike Bauer after decades of work.

Chronic Wasting Disease at the National Elk Refuge: Wyoming’s CWD problem just jumped a major line—Game and Fish and federal partners confirmed the disease in an elk on the National Elk Refuge near Jackson, triggering tighter monitoring and a renewed push to protect the Jackson herd. Wildlife & public safety: The week also brought fresh bear-attack fallout across the region, plus a broader warning that “brain-eating amoebas” have been found in popular U.S. recreation waters, including Yellowstone and Grand Teton. Behavioral health in the spotlight: Douglas County specialty courts marked National Treatment Court Month with a tree-planting ceremony featuring a Drug Court graduate’s recovery story, while Southwest Counseling Service announced the retirement of long-time leader Mike Bauer after decades of mental health work. Health system growth: Sanford Health signed an agreement to acquire North Memorial Health in Minnesota, aiming to expand trauma, maternity, and specialty/behavioral care. Policy pressure points: AARP Wyoming is pushing the Joint Appropriations Committee to address outdated pension COLAs, and Wyoming’s raw-milk latte crackdown is drawing political heat. Local government: Rawlins approved demolition of a dangerous vacant home, and WYDOT began fog-sealing shoulder work with a 24-hour safety warning.

CWD Alert: Wyoming Game and Fish says chronic wasting disease has been confirmed in an adult female elk on the National Elk Refuge, with officials euthanizing and sampling the animal and sending all samples to the state lab—then promising tighter monitoring, bio-security, and program reviews. Public Lands Policy: The Interior Department is canceling a 2024 rule that treated conservation and development equally on Bureau of Land Management land, a move Wyoming officials and industry groups backed while conservation groups warned it could mean less protection for water and wildlife. Blood Supply Push: Vitalant’s “Donate for Mothers” campaign is running across Wyoming in May, urging donors to help keep blood “on the shelves” for emergencies, including childbirth complications. Road & Travel Updates: WYDOT is moving ahead with major bridge replacements in Sheridan County (I-90) and summer paving in Crook and Weston, while Yellowstone’s South Entrance reopened May 8, restoring access toward Old Faithful and key areas. Health & Safety Watch: Public health officials ordered a stop to selling raw milk lattes in Wyoming, and a new study found the “brain-eating amoeba” in water samples across multiple national parks, including Yellowstone and Grand Teton.

Wildlife & Safety: Wyoming’s outdoor season gets a jolt as Yellowstone reports a bear attack near Old Faithful that injured two hikers, with closures still in place around the Mystic Falls Trail area. Public Health Watch: Health officials also flagged the “brain-eating” amoeba Naegleria fowleri in water at parks including Yellowstone and Grand Teton—reminding visitors to stay on paths and avoid submerging in warm water. Mental Health in the Outdoors: Teton County Health Department launches “Mental Health in the Wild,” a free speaker series focused on grief and trauma for people who spend time outside. Rural Care & Access: Wyoming Farm Bureau says the House passed a modernized 2026 farm bill that includes rural health care and conservation, while advocates push back on pesticide immunities. Community Health Workforce: Safeguard Veterans rolls out a pilot meant to connect veterans to suicide-prevention support no matter where they first seek help. Local Infrastructure: Carbon County residents get a chance to weigh in before the Brush Creek Road bridge is demolished and replaced under a WYDOT federal bridge program.

In the last 12 hours, Wyoming-focused coverage centered on public health leadership and community-level preparedness. A Laramie County Coroner’s annual report highlighted a rise in deaths by manner—showing a 63% increase in suicides, a 60% increase in homicides, and a 2% increase in natural deaths in 2025 versus 2024—while also noting the office investigated 93% of 385 reported deaths. Separately, Hartville began work on a southern fire break through a partnership involving the Wyoming National Guard, Wyoming State Forestry, and the Hartville Volunteer Fire Department, framed as a preventative step for an expected tough 2026 fire season.

The same 12-hour window also included health-adjacent community and workforce items. Wyoming Game and Fish commissioners voted to keep antler point restrictions in place, with managers describing the goal as reducing harvest pressure on younger mule deer bucks and supporting herd recovery—while also acknowledging concerns that extending APRs too long can shift harvest toward older age classes. In addition, blood drive announcements in Cody and Burlington (May 11–14) sought to collect 200 units of red blood, with Vitalant noting it supplies many Wyoming hospitals.

Beyond Wyoming, the most prominent “health system” theme in the last 12 hours was patient-safety reporting via national hospital grades. Multiple articles describe Leapfrog Group Spring 2026 Hospital Safety Grades, including examples of hospitals earning “A” or “B” ratings and notes that Leapfrog’s grading is based on performance measures tied to errors, accidents, injuries, and infections. While these stories are not uniformly Wyoming-specific, they provide context for how patient safety is being measured and communicated nationally.

Looking to the prior 12 to 24 hours for continuity, coverage included operational and policy shifts that can affect care delivery. One item described a transition in Medicare DMEPOS appeals and rebuttals: starting May 8, NPE contractors (including Palmetto GBA for Wyoming) would take over handling submissions previously managed by C-HIT. Earlier background in the 24 to 72 day range also included Wyoming public health and clinical-service items—such as UW Extension reopening a statewide Plant Diagnostic Clinic (free to the public)—but the most direct healthcare-policy and safety signals in the rolling week were the DMEPOS appeals change and the Leapfrog patient-safety grading coverage.

In the last 12 hours, Wyoming-focused healthcare-related coverage centered on practical community health services and near-term operational changes. UW Extension re-opened its Plant Diagnostic Clinic statewide (free to the public), emphasizing that county educators should be the first point of contact—an example of how extension services continue to expand accessible, preventive support. In addition, multiple blood drives were announced for Wyoming communities (Cody and Burlington), with Vitalant seeking donors to help ensure timely blood availability for local hospitals. The most directly healthcare-system oriented item was a federal administrative shift: NPE DMEPOS contractors will take over Medicare durable medical equipment appeals and rebuttals starting May 8, ending C-HIT’s role for those submissions and redirecting suppliers to the appropriate NPE based on enrollment jurisdiction.

Patient safety and healthcare quality also featured in the most recent coverage, though not Wyoming-specific. The Leapfrog Group reported improvements in patient safety measures in its spring 2026 Safety Grades, including decreases in central line-associated bloodstream infections, catheter-associated urinary tract infections, MRSA, and C. difficile—while still noting variation across hospitals and urging consumers to consult Safety Grades when choosing care.

There was also evidence of broader public health and policy pressures in the same 12-hour window, but the healthcare relevance is indirect. Coverage included a renewed push in Congress to raise the federal minimum wage to $25 (with elimination of subminimum wages), alongside discussion of how such proposals could affect workers and costs. While not a healthcare delivery story, it reflects ongoing attention to economic determinants that can influence health outcomes. Other non-health items dominated the remaining headlines in the last 12 hours, so the healthcare signal is strongest in the blood drive and Medicare appeals/contractor update.

Looking beyond the last 12 hours for continuity, the 3–7 day and 24–72 hour ranges include additional healthcare-adjacent developments that help contextualize the week. These include Wyoming’s first confirmed 2026 measles case in Fremont County and related exposure guidance, plus broader reporting on opioid settlement implementation and healthcare access themes (e.g., abortion pill access and telehealth uncertainty appear in the wider feed). However, the most recent 12-hour evidence is comparatively sparse on Wyoming-specific clinical system changes beyond the blood drives and the DMEPOS appeals transition, so any assessment of major statewide healthcare shifts should be conservative based on the latest items alone.