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Centurion Health Partners with Allegheny County to Launch Jail-Based Competency Restoration and Support Program to Reduce Wait Times

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PITTSBURGH, April 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The Allegheny County Department of Human Services (DHS) announced the launch of the Mobile Competency Restoration and Support Team (MCRST), a new program that delivers critical services to individuals found not competent to stand trial. The MCRST is the only mobile competency restoration team in Pennsylvania that offers both clinical treatment and psychoeducational support in a community-based model.

“The MCRST reflects our commitment to delivering compassionate, coordinated care…”

People may be found not competent to stand trial due to serious mental illness, cognitive delays, or conditions like dementia that prevent them from understanding court proceedings or assisting in their defense. Once someone is found not competent, their case is paused until they are restored – or until alternative legal or clinical solutions are in place.

Yet the only option for competency restoration for people held in the Allegheny County Jail (ACJ) is Torrance State Hospital – a facility operated by the Commonwealth with extremely limited capacity. In 2024, individuals committed to Torrance for competency restoration spent a median of 81 days in jail waiting for a bed. That waiting period added up to more than 13,000 jail bed days this year alone, often for people charged with low-level crimes: nearly half (49%) had only a misdemeanor as their highest charge.

“In spite of a class action settlement nearly a decade ago requiring the state to expand capacity, people still languish in jail waiting for treatment,” said Erin Dalton, Director of Allegheny County DHS. “This community-based alternative allows us to restore people faster, avoid unnecessary incarceration, and use public dollars more wisely—all while treating people with dignity.”

Developed in partnership with DHS, the Fifth Judicial District of PA and the ACJ, the MCRST is operated by Centurion Health, a DHS-contracted provider with more than 25 years of experience in correctional healthcare. The multidisciplinary team includes a psychiatrist, mental health nurse, dual diagnosis therapist, certified forensic peer counselor, competency support specialist, and a Justice Related Services liaison to ensure coordination with the courts and community providers.

“We’re proud to expand our existing programs in Pennsylvania to partner with the Fifth Judicial District and the Allegheny County Jail to bring this innovative model to life,” said Timothy Harlin, CEO of Centurion Health. “The MCRST reflects our commitment to delivering compassionate, coordinated care that not only supports individuals through the legal process but also lays the foundation for long-term recovery and stability in the community.”

“We’re happy to have another solution that can help individuals avoid incarceration and enjoy the benefits of community-based restoration,” said Holly Martin, ACJ Deputy Warden of Healthcare Services. 

Historically, around 125 individuals from Allegheny County have been committed to Torrance State Hospital each year for competency restoration. The MCRST gives courts a less restrictive, faster alternative – and gives individuals the care and respect they deserve.

Witold Walczak, Legal Director, ACLU of Pennsylvania lauded the program, stating, “As class counsel for people deemed incompetent to stand trial and waiting far too long to access competency treatment, the ACLU is pleased to hear about new alternatives that reduce the number of people who are detained.  We have long advocated for community-based treatment for the many people who can and should be treated in the community, with strong supports to improve their chances of success.”

The launch of the MCRST reflects Allegheny County’s commitment to expanding behavioral health services and addressing the intersection of mental illness and the criminal-legal system with dignity, care and effectiveness.

About Centurion Health

Centurion Health is a leading national provider of medical, dental, behavioral health, and rehabilitative services to incarcerated and justice-involved persons. Our services go beyond patient care, helping advance the potential of the people we serve. Centurion Health is dedicated to correctional healthcare, a service that is provided for the health and well-being of persons in the justice system.

For more information on Centurion Health, please visit TeamCenturion.com.

Media Contact:
Centurion Health: MediaInquiries@TeamCenturion.com

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SOURCE Centurion Health

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Brightmoor Hospice, LLC Provides Notification of Data Security Incident

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GRIFFIN, Ga., Oct. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Brightmoor Hospice, LLC (“Brightmoor”) is providing notification of a data security incident that may have impacted certain protected health information.

On or around March 25, 2026, Brightmoor Hospice, LLC (“Brightmoor”) discovered suspicious activity related to two employees’ email accounts. Upon discovery, Brightmoor took immediate action to secure the accounts and engaged a team of third-party specialists to investigate. The investigation determined that two employee email accounts were accessed without authorization between March 24, 2026, and March 25, 2026. Upon confirmation of unauthorized access, Brightmoor began a comprehensive review of the contents of the affected accounts to determine whether they contained sensitive information pertaining to individuals. On August 18, 2026, Brightmoor determined that protected health information belonging to certain patients was present within the accounts. Brightmoor then conducted a time-intensive review of its internal records to locate address information for the potentially impacted individuals. On October 16, 2026, Brightmoor began notifying individuals by mail.

The types of information vary by individual and may include name and one or more of the following: addresses, Social Security numbers, driver’s license information, dates of birth, patients’ identification numbers, diagnosis, medical history information, medical record numbers, medical treatment information, lab information, treating doctor’s name, medication information, vaccination information, medical insurance information, and family and social history information.

In response to this incident, Brightmoor worked with third-party specialists to investigate and implement additional security measures within its network. Brightmoor has no evidence of actual or attempted misuse of information as a result of this incident. Nonetheless, in an abundance of caution, Brightmoor is providing notice to potentially affected individuals and offering complimentary credit monitoring services. Individuals are also encouraged to monitor their account statements and explanation of benefits forms for suspicious activity and to detect errors. In addition, Brightmoor has notified the U.S. Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights of this incident. 

Brightmoor has established a toll-free call center to answer questions about the incident and to address related concerns. The number for the hotline is 1-800-759-8524. The hotline hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 8 PM EST, excluding holidays. You can also write to 3247 Newnan Rd, Griffin, GA 30223.

Brightmoor takes protecting the privacy and security of personal information seriously and is reviewing and implementing further security enhancements designed to strengthen the protection of our systems.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/brightmoor-hospice-llc-provides-notification-of-data-security-incident-302911735.html

SOURCE Brightmoor Hospice, LLC

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EVIDENT Expands Its Pramana Digital Pathology Portfolio to Support Small and Medium-Sized Labs

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The new Pramana™ POD benchtop WSI scanner delivers autonomous imaging to help laboratories create pathologist-ready whole slide images with minimal operator intervention.

NEEDHAM, Mass., Oct. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Today, Evident announced the Pramana™ POD whole slide imaging (WSI) scanner, a new benchtop system designed to help laboratories produce trusted images. Built for small and medium-sized laboratories and specialty applications within larger institutions, the scanner helps make digital pathology adoption more accessible.

As pathology laboratories expand digital workflows amid increasing case volumes and operational demands, they need scanning systems that produce consistent, high-quality images across specimen types while integrating into existing laboratory workflows. Evident designed the Pramana POD scanner to address those needs, extending proven Pramana autonomous WSI technology to smaller laboratories.

“Pramana WSI technology has received tremendous acceptance from pathology labs across academic medical centers and network labs across the United States,” said Prasanth Perugupalli, Vice President of Digital Pathology, Evident. “By incorporating quality assurance into the whole slide imaging process, Pramana technology can help labs of varying sizes reduce the need for post-scan QA and the associated costs and delays.”

The Pramana POD scanner automates imaging with an advanced tissue finder, extensive label detection, and automated focal plane and scan-profile selection. Built-in image-quality assessment helps deliver pathologist-ready whole slide images and identify scans that may require further review. Volumetric imaging captures multiple focal planes to support the selection of sharp focal information across the scanned area, with true 40X imaging at 25 slides per hour under defined conditions.

The Pramana series of autonomous WSI scanners is well-suited for most brightfield imaging applications, including histopathology, core biopsies, hematology, cytology, and microbiology.

“Scientific advances move quickly, but laboratory infrastructure changes slowly,” Perugupalli added. “With the Pramana POD scanner, small and medium-sized labs can build as their needs evolve.”

To learn more about the Pramana POD benchtop WSI scanner, visit evidentscientific.com/products/slide-scanners/pramana-pod.

About EVIDENT
For over 100 years as Olympus, we set the industry standard for optical precision in microscopy, helping the world see what was once out of view. Today, as Evident, we continue to help scientists, physicians, and engineers illuminate the unseen with advanced imaging solutions that combine renowned optics with cutting-edge digital innovation.

Our life science portfolio supports research, clinical diagnostics, and education, offering a comprehensive range of imaging methods from essential brightfield and darkfield microscopy to advanced fluorescence, 4D analysis, and digital pathology. In industrial microscopy, we deliver precision and flexibility through laser scanning, digital, and semiconductor microscopes designed for tasks ranging from routine inspection to intricate quality control and manufacturing analysis.

Whether advancing new therapies, ensuring product integrity, or exploring the unknown, Evident is defining a new era of discovery with easy-to-use tools that help unlock hidden answers and empower exciting new breakthroughs.

Evident is headquartered in Tokyo and supported by R&D and manufacturing centers in Japan, the United States, Germany, and China, with operations and dedicated sales and service centers around the world. For more information, visit EvidentScientific.com.

For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures. Future clinical availability is subject to applicable regulatory authorization, and regulatory status and availability may vary by country. Performance varies by specimen type and workflow.
Pramana is a trademark of Evident Corporation or its subsidiaries.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/evident-expands-its-pramana-digital-pathology-portfolio-to-support-small-and-medium-sized-labs-302911714.html

SOURCE Evident

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PhotonPay Secures UK EMI Licence, Advancing Its Global Payment Operating System

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HONG KONG, Oct. 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — PhotonPay, a next-generation payment operating system, today announced that it has secured an Electronic Money Institution (EMI) licence from the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

The licence enables PhotonPay to issue electronic money and provide regulated payment services in the UK within the scope of its authorisation. It further strengthens PhotonPay’s local capabilities in the market and supports the company in delivering broader payment and treasury solutions for businesses operating globally.

The UK is one of the world’s leading financial and commercial hubs, and an important gateway for businesses operating across Europe and international markets. As companies expand into more countries and regions, their financial needs are evolving beyond individual cross-border transactions toward more integrated management of accounts, collections, payouts, foreign exchange, cards and treasury operations.

For PhotonPay, entering a market means more than making products and services available. It requires building a local financial foundation that meets regulatory requirements and can support businesses over the long term. The EMI licence further strengthens PhotonPay’s position in the UK and provides an important foundation for deeper connectivity with local banks, payment networks and the broader financial ecosystem.

JP, Global Head of Compliance at PhotonPay, said:

“Securing our UK EMI licence marks an important milestone in the continued expansion of PhotonPay’s global regulatory footprint. Building a global payment operating system requires strong local regulatory foundations. This authorisation strengthens our ability to build for the long term in the UK, while supporting our continued expansion across more markets, currencies and payment networks. Ultimately, it enables us to deliver a more complete and efficient payment and treasury experience for businesses operating globally.”

As businesses expand internationally, the financial infrastructure behind their operations remains highly fragmented. Different markets operate across distinct account structures, payment networks, currencies and regulatory frameworks, often requiring businesses to manage multiple financial institutions, payment providers and systems at the same time.

PhotonPay is building its next-generation payment operating system around this complexity. Through a unified technology platform, the company connects local financial capabilities across markets, enabling businesses to manage global accounts, collections, payouts, foreign exchange, cards and embedded finance more centrally while reducing the operational complexity created by multiple markets, currencies and systems.

Real commerce is the foundation of this operating system. By continuously expanding its regulatory coverage, banking relationships, payment networks and underlying technology infrastructure, PhotonPay aims to ensure that financial infrastructure can scale alongside a business as it enters new markets and grows internationally.

Since its founding, PhotonPay has continued to expand its global regulatory and local market capabilities through entities across major financial markets. Today, PhotonPay has secured nearly 30 payment licences and related regulatory authorisations worldwide, supporting capabilities across global accounts, collections, payouts, foreign exchange, cards and embedded finance.

The UK EMI licence represents another step in the continued development of PhotonPay’s global regulatory network. Looking ahead, PhotonPay will continue to deepen its local regulatory and financial capabilities in key markets, connect more markets, currencies and payment networks, and advance the development of its next-generation global payment operating system.

About PhotonPay

PhotonPay is a next-generation payment operating system designed for businesses operating globally. Across global accounts, collections, payouts, foreign exchange, cards and embedded finance, PhotonPay connects banks, payment networks and local financial infrastructure to help businesses manage global money movement more efficiently and expand into new markets with greater operational simplicity.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/photonpay-secures-uk-emi-licence-advancing-its-global-payment-operating-system-302911540.html

SOURCE PhotonPay

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