Saving moms, ending vets’ homelessness and making body cameras work

Who says the world is just a bunch of nasty, dead-end stories? Here are a few that feature positive endings, chosen by the Solutions Journalism Network. What do we mean? Scroll down to see how Nepal cut its maternal mortality rate by 75 percent, New Orleans ended veteran homelessness and why the use of body cameras in Oakland has helped drop the “use-of-force” incidents by 72 percent.

1. The surprising city where rape victims are finding justice

Take Part | Jacob Kushner

The UN counted 1,700 rapes in Mogadishu from January to November 2013. The total number of rape convictions that year in all of south-central Somalia? Two. But the future isn’t so bleak. Jacob Kushner highlights a model for success, just 450 miles away–a one-stop center that’s getting women the support they need. [1,959 words]

2. Water pricing in two thirsty cities: In one, guzzlers pay more, and use less

New York Times | Nelson Schwartz

Santa Fe, New Mexico, has the most drastic tiered pricing system for water use in the country, charging heavy users a premium. The result? The city has cut its usage by 20 percent, even while its population grew by 10 percent. It’s saving tons of water, but is Santa Fe’s pricing system replicable? Nelson Schwartz investigates in this data-rich solutions piece. [2,043 words]

3. In Detroit hospital, black babies are latching on

Women’s e-news | Molly Ginty

African Americans have the lowest breastfeeding rate of any ethnic group in the country, which contributes to high incidences of obesity, diabetes, and other series health problems. Molly Ginty explores how Mother Nurture’s peer-counseling program–which has boosted the rates among its obstetrics patients by 40 percent in just four years–could become a model for the nation. [1,761 words]

4. New Orleans ends veterans homelessness a year ahead of schedule

NationSwell | Chris Peak

It was anything but (the Big) Easy. But New Orleans managed to end veteran homelessness this past January, a full year ahead of the curve (many US cities are trying to end vet homelessness by the end of 2015). Chris Peak dissects how continual innovation and creating a “continuum of care” attributed to their success. [1,206 words]

5. With body cameras rolling, police use less force

San Francisco Chronicle | Kevin Fagan

As protests continue over the police shootings of several unarmed citizens, communities and law enforcement alike are seeking ways to prevent further incidents. One key bright spot? Body cameras. Since Oakland deployed cameras among its police force in 2010, “use-of-force” incidents have dropped by 72 percent. Kevin Fagan on how this technology is becoming a “no-brainer” for PDs everywhere. [1,005]

6. Nepal’s renegade strategy to save mothers

Foreign Policy | Patrick Adams

The poorest country in Asia after Afghanistan, Nepal faces its share of uphill battles, including seemingly insurmountable deficiencies in its health care system. But the country has already met the 5th UN Millenium Development Goal: cutting its maternal mortality rate by 75 percent by 2015. How’d Nepal do it with so few resources in so short a time frame? Patrick Adams reports. [2,452 words]

7. St. Michael’s Hospital health team offers prescription for poverty

Toronto Star | Catherine Porter

The link between poverty & higher rates of illness are undeniable. People in low-income brackets are more likely to suffer from heart disease, lung cancer, depression and more. Now, one Toronto hospital is incorporating everything from legal aid to social work into physician’s visits. Catherine Porter on innovative “poverty treatment.”  [1,248 words]

8. Overkill

New Yorker | Atul Gawande

Six years ago, Atul Gawande wrote about McAllen, Texas, a town with one of the highest per-capita Medicare costs in the nation–almost twice the national average. Five years after the passage of Obamacare, Medicare costs in McAllen have dropped almost $3,000 (or 20 percent) per patient. How has the ACA successfully decreased widespread and unnecessary medical tests, operations and drugs that drive up costs for everyone? [8,369 words]

9. Doctoring, without the doctor

New York Times | Sabrina Tavernise

In March, Nebraska became the 20th state to pass a law that allows nurses with advanced degrees to practice without doctor oversight. Nurses are able to order diagnostic tests, prescribe medications, and administer treatments–a huge benefit to rural states like Nebraska that have difficult attracting doctors to remote areas. Sabrina Tavernise reports on this important trend in health policy. [1,353 words]