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Tuesday, March 19, 2024

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SD public defense duties shift from counties to state; SCOTUS appears skeptical of restricting government communications with social media companies; Trump lawyers say he can't make bond; new scholarships aim to connect class of 2024 to high-demand jobs.

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The SCOTUS weighs government influence on social media, and who groups like the NRA can do business with. Biden signs an executive order to advance women's health research and the White House tells Israel it's responsible for the Gaza humanitarian crisis.

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Midwest regenerative farmers are rethinking chicken production, Medicare Advantage is squeezing the finances of rural hospitals and California's extreme swing from floods to drought has some thinking it's time to turn rural farm parcels into floodplains.

MT: Health

Montana doctors and nurses say state law is not clear about whether health care workers can access mental health and addiction treatment without notifying the boards overseeing them. (Adobe Stock)
Montana clinicians want confidential mental health treatment

By Katheryn Houghton for KFF Health News.Broadcast version by Mark Moran for Big Sky Connection reporting for the KFF Health News-Public News Service …

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Consumer Direct Montana is the latest agency in Montana to unionize, and just last month, completed bargaining for its first union contract with in-home caregivers, who are currently voting to ratify the tentative agreement. (Adobe Stock)
MT health care workers vote on large pay increase

A group of health-care workers in Montana will learn tomorrow whether their new union contract has been ratified. The tentative deal, between SEIU 7…

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Montana faces above-average rates of obesity and diabetes, both of which are dangerous to heart health. (Adobe Stock)
MT faces unique challenges during Heart Month

Doctors in Montana are asking people to pay close attention to their cardiac health during February, which is National Heart Month - especially since …

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Heart Butte, Mont., population 600, is on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. The suicide rate for Montana's Native American youth is more than five times the statewide rate for the same age group, according to the Montana Budget and Policy Center. (Amanda MorningStar)
MT Tribes grapple with crippling suicide rate

By Cheryl Platzman Weinstock for KFF Health News.Broadcast version by Mark Moran for Big Sky Connection reporting for the KFF Health News/Public News …

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The number of mental health-care providers in Montana increased 36%, from 282.7 to 385.1 per 100,000 people, according to the United Health Foundation report. (Adobe stock)
Health report: Bright spots and warning signs in Montana

New data from the United Health Foundation show a handful of significant and chronic health conditions on the rise across the U.S. But there is …

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Researchers at the University of Montana are working on a vaccine for tuberculosis. While considered a serious problem in underdeveloped parts of the world, cases in the United States are up, having jumped to 8,300 in 2022 from 7,874 in 2021. (Adobe Stock)
Montana researchers awarded $12.3 million grant for tuberculosis vaccine

Researchers at the University of Montana have been awarded more than more than $12 million from the National Institutes of Health to continue their wo…

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While they are common, emotional support animals may be animals other than dogs. (Adobe Stock)
Increased renter restrictions target emotional-support animals

Fair-housing advocates are concerned about changes the Legislature made to tighten restrictions on emotional-support animals for Montana renters…

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The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports there are about 220,200 openings for nursing assistants and orderlies each year over the course of a decade. (Adobe Stock)
MT Partnership Trains Nursing Assistants to Address Critical Shortage

Facing a critical shortage of front line health care workers, the Montana Department of Labor and Industry has partnered with the Blackfeet Indian …

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One key issue in the case is whether Montana is responsible for emissions within the state and downstream emissions from fossil fuels extracted in the state and transported elsewhere, or whether it is responsible only for emissions within its territory. (Lesley Clark/POLITICO's E&E News)
Montana's Youth-Led Climate Case Could Set Precedent

Now in its fifth day, 16 kids are participating in a court trial with a lawsuit accusing Montana state agencies and the governor of compromising the …

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The rate of children under age 19 without health insurance dropped to 5% in 2021, an estimated 4,165,000 million kids nationwide, down from 6% in 2019, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. (Adobe Stock)
Healthy Kids Study Shows Dramatic Lack of Montana Child Care

The Annie E. Casey Foundation's Kids Count Data Book ranks Montana 18th nationally in overall child well-being. The just-released numbers showed …

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Early diagnosis of Alzheimer's saves costs of medical and long-term care, both for families and the U.S. government, according to the Alzheimer's Association. (Adobe Stock)<br /><br />
MT Mental Health Advocates Push for Access to Alzheimer's Treatment

During Alzheimer's and Brain Awareness Month, doctors are encouraged by the results of two new drugs being used in clinical trials. In Montana…

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About 20% of Americans living in rural areas, or about 6.5 million people, have been diagnosed with some form of mental illness, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. (Adobe Stock)
Report: Address Rural-Urban Mental-Health Care Gap

A new report underscores the challenges of getting mental health treatment when living in rural areas, like much of Montana. The Bipartisan Policy …

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