Public News Service

It's estimated that 37.2% of women and 34.6% of men in Montana have experienced physical, sexual or stalking abuse from an intimate partner. Evidence indicates the numbers are vastly underestimated, according to 'domesticviolence.org.' (Adobe Stock)

MT launches $1 million family mediation program

CORRECTION: The funding source for this program is federal. An earlier version indicated that Montana state tax dollars were funding it, which is not …

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 …

Blackfeet Community College is in Browning, Mont. in Glacier County near the Canadian border. (David Adamec/Wikimedia Commons)

Grant Boosts Student Parents at MT Tribal College

A grant is helping student parents at a college in northwestern Montana. The Aspen Institute has announced Blackfeet Community College and seven …

About 18,000 Montana kids will experience the loss of a family member by the time they're 18. (Africa Studio/Adobe Stock)

MT Hosts Conference on Supporting Grieving Children

A touring conference from the National Alliance for Children's Grief comes to Montana this week. The event will be in Whitefish on Tuesday. The …

Young people who are transitioning out of foster care could be spending the holidays without a support system. (Brian/Adobe Stock)

Aging Out of Foster Care System Presents Challenges for MT Youth

MISSOULA, Mont. - Young people who age out of the foster care program face unique challenges. Those challenges can feel especially acute and …

Rachel Winn, right, says her new van should be handicap accessible for her son by November. (Rural Dynamics)

Program Helps Montanans with Disabilities Afford Assistive Tech

HELENA, Mont. - It can be hard for people with disabilities to afford the assistive technology they need to perform daily activities. A program in …

The Indian Child Welfare Act was enacted in 1978. (USDA NRCS Montana/Flickr)

Law Protecting Native Children Against Family Separation is Challenged

HELENA, Mont. - A federal court is considering challenges to a four-decades-old law put in place to protect Native American children against state-…

Research shows foster children who are placed with families are more likely to finish school. (U.S. Forest Service/Flickr)

Report: More MT Foster Children Being Placed with Families

HELENA, Mont. — More foster youths are being placed in families across the country, according to a new report. The Annie E. Casey Foundation …

In Montana, women make 70 percent of what their male counterparts make. That's one of the largest wage gaps in the country. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Montana Women Face Third-Largest Pay Gap in U.S.

HELENA, Mont. – It takes women more than 15 months to earn what men earn in 12 – but pay inequality is not the only discrepancy Montana …

Alzheimer's Population to Double by 2060; Is MT Ready?

HELENA, Mont. – The number of people with Alzheimer's symptoms will more than double in the coming decades. Is Montana ready for this dramatic …

Montana is among six states that allows terminally ill patients the right to die with medical consultation. Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch has written against the practice. (Roco Julie/Flickr)

Advocates: Supreme Court Nominee Could Damage End-of-Life Choices

HELENA, Mont. – Advocates for end-of-life choices are concerned about President Donald Trump's pick for Supreme Court justice, Neil Gorsuch…

Sending young people to prison doesn't work, according to research that suggests an entirely new system is needed. (Michael Coghlan/Flickr)

Youth Prisons Don't Work, Report Says

HELENA, Mont. – A new report from The Annie E. Casey Foundation pulls together evidence of the ineffectiveness of youth correctional facilities…

Doctor shortages are just one challenge facing small-town hospitals, and one of the topics at Sen. Jon Tester's Rural Health Summit today in Ennis, Mont. (Machineheadz/iStockphoto)

Some Rural Montana Hospitals Struggle To Survive

ENNIS, Mont. - Rural hospitals are the backbone of many small communities and experts say quite a few are in danger of closing if the government cuts …

The regular primary registration deadline in Montana is Mon., May 9. (svanblar/iStockphoto)

Regular Registration for Montana Primary Election Ends Monday

HELENA, Mont. - The primary election is coming up in about a month, on June 7 but the deadline for regular voter registration is this Monday, May 9…

The topic at Montana's Equal Pay Summit in Bozeman today is the pay gap, in a state where a woman makes 74 cents on the dollar compared to a man. (Imagesource/iStockphoto)

She Works Hard for the Money: Equal Pay Summit Today in Bozeman

BOZEMAN, Mont. - Montana's working women make on average only 74 cents on the dollar compared to men; the ninth-worst pay gap in the country…

Beware of scams during National Consumer Protection Week. (cohdra/morguefile)

Montana Officials Warn of Scams During National Consumer Protection Week

HELENA, Mont. - You've heard the old adage, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. This is National Consumer Protection Week and …

Shawn Dailey, a client at the Montana Developmental Center in Boulder, which is scheduled to close by the end of the year. (Carol Dailey)

Plans to Close Montana Developmental Center Generate Concern

BOULDER, Mont. - Today a committee appointed by the governor is meeting to discuss the transfer of 52 severely developmentally disabled people from …

About 58,000 Montanans have signed up for health insurance through the federal marketplace since November. (AARP)

Health Insurance Marketplace Enrolls 58,000 Montanans in Three Months

HELENA, Mont. - Montana is making a serious dent in its number of uninsured residents with 58,000 people enrolling or re-enrolling in health …

The fourth annual Montana Farmers Union Women's Conference is this weekend. (Montana Farmers Union)

Montana Women to Tackle Issues at Weekend Conference

BOZEMAN, Mont. - Rural Montana women will have the chance to network and tackle common issues at the Montana Farmers Union Women's Conference this …

Montana's fish and wildlife got a boost as the Land and Water Conservation Fund is set to be approved as part of the omnibus spending bill in the U.S. Congress. (TPS Dave/Pixabay)

Land and Water Conservation Fund Revived in Omnibus Spending Bill

HELENA, Mont. - The Land and Water Conservation Fund is back from the dead, at least temporarily, because Congress included it in the omnibus …

Montana education advocates celebrate passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act. (jdurham/morguefile)

Montana Educators Cheer Passage of Bill to Replace No Child Left Behind

HELENA, Mont. - Montana education advocates are praising the passage on Wednesday of a bill to replace No Child Left Behind. The Every Student …

Environmental Advocates Criticize Montana Lawsuit Against EPA

BILLINGS, Mont. - Environmental groups are speaking out about Montana Attorney General Tim Fox's decision to join a lawsuit that would block the …

Lethal injection faces a major roadblock in Montana. Credit: davidhills/iStock

Death Penalty Stalemate in Montana

HELENA, Mont. - The death penalty is at a stalemate in Montana, after a judge blocked the use of a particular lethal injection drug on Tuesday…

Experts from around the country are in Arizona to talk about juvenile justice reform, including ending solitary confinement. Credit: Alptraum/iStock

Juvy Justice Conference: End Solitary Confinement

HELENA, Mont. - No more solitary confinement for kids. The harm it causes, including deaths, is too great, according to experts attending a …

Exercise is recommended to boost strength and balance in order to reduce seniors' risk of falling. Credit: USDA

Check-ups Help Ensure it's Just Autumn Leaves that Fall

HELENA, Mont. - September is Falls Prevention Awareness Month, calling attention to the frequency and seriousness of falls among older people…

Montana is one of the states that does a good job making sure that kids in the child welfare system are placed with relatives or foster families, instead of group homes. Credit: Pixabay.com.

Report: Montana Strategies for Family Connections Paying Off

HELENA, Mont. - Montana ranks among the best in the nation when it comes to ensuring that kids in the child welfare system are placed with foster or …

GRAPHIC: Nearly half of Montana's children are growing up in low-income families. A new Annie E. Casey Foundation report recommends providing tools for better jobs and child care in a coordinated way to break the cycle of poverty. Graphic courtesy of Montana Kids Count/photo credit: Deborah C. Smith.

Report: Make Generational Connections to Reduce MT Child Poverty

MISSOULA, Mont. - Lifting Montana children out of poverty requires an approach that focuses on parents and children at the same time. A report …

PHOTO: Personal finance expert Jean Chatzky says financial security isn't rocket science, but we're not naturally wired to do the

Financial Expert: We Aren’t Wired to do the Right Things

HELENA, Mont. - A sneak peek at the upcoming "Lifetime Financial Security" Conference in Montana: It's not rocket science. That doesn't mean it's not …

Practicing Gratitude Improves the Attitude

HELENA, Mont. – Gratitude can change your attitude, and maybe even your health. With the season of giving and thankfulness underway, Wickes …

PHOTO: More than 300 children in Montana are waiting for adoptive families. November is National Adoption month. Photo credit: Deborah C. Smith

300-plus Montana Children Waiting for Families

BILLINGS and GREAT FALLS, Mont. - A party on Thursday in Great Falls will be held to celebrate the adoptions of about a dozen children. November is …

PHOTO: An Annie E. Casey Foundation report released today explains that Montana should invest more in children's early years � and high-quality preschool is key. Photo credit: Deborah C. Smith.

Report: Eight Years to Get Montana Kids on Track

MISSOULA, Mont. - The window is open for eight years when it comes to making sure Montana's children are on the path to success in school and in life…

“Let’s Talk Month” – Not a One-shot Discussion

HELENA, Mont. – Let's have The Talk. For some parents and children, it can be scarier than the scariest Halloween costume. Today is the …

GRAPHIC: Montana ranks 28th this year in the Kids Count Data Book. Image courtesy of Annie E. Casey Foundation

Kids Count Annual Checkup on MT Children

MISSOULA, Mont. - Montana is number 28 when it comes to the annual ranking of states in a report that checks on health, education, community and …

Distracted Driving Awareness Month: Put the Phone Down

HELENA, Mont. – Texts, calls and kids – they can all be causes of distracted driving. And the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention …

Valentine’s Day Dancing “Flash Mob” Style in Missoula

MISSOULA, Mont. - Up to 100 men and women will be putting on the moves today in Missoula as a Valentine's Day flash mob. They'll be dancing at the …

PHOTO: Kids on a water slide. Photo Credit: Deborah Smith

"Summer Slide" Ups and Downs: Academic Losses and Weight Gains

HELENA, Mont. - The school doors close and Montana kids joyfully embrace a summer of fun and frolic. That's an idyllic notion, but it is outdated for …

Report: More Relatives Step In to Care for MT Kids

MISSOULA, Mont. - For more than 8,000 children in Montana, grandma, grandpa or an aunt is playing the role of "parent." And a report released today …

Montanans Polled About Birth Control

HELENA, Mont. - New polling in Montana and other battleground states shows near consensus, even across party lines, when it comes to support for …

New “Teen Success” Program Helps Adolescent Moms

BILLINGS, Mont. - Being a parent is a tough job. Being a teen parent can be even tougher, which is why Planned Parenthood of Montana (PPMT) started a …

MFU: Proposed Child Labor Laws Tangle with Family Farming

GREAT FALLS, Mont. - Farming and ranching in Montana is often a family affair - whether due to tradition or financial necessity. That fact is missing …

Family Planning ‘Misunderstanding’ Cleared Up

HAMILTON, Mont. - It isn't just about birth control. That point has been made to Ravalli County Commissioners, who were considering shutting down the …

Men’s Health Week: Make the Appointment

MISSOULA, Mont. - A gentle reminder through Father's Day: It's time to make an appointment for a checkup. That's the message for National Men's …

Foster Care Report Highlights Importance of Family

HELENA, Mont. - A new Kids Count data snapshot of foster care in the U.S. shows a slight decline in the overall number of children in care, but it …

Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month: MT Sees Lower Rates

GREAT FALLS, Mont. - Today is the last day of Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month, and Montana must be doing something right. The teen birth rate has …

Congress Takes Aim at the Next Generation of MT Hunters

HELENA, Mont. - Seven hours in front of electronic entertainment and seven minutes outside. That's what constitutes "play" for most kids today…

Report: Outdoor Time Boosts Academic Performance for MT Kids

HELENA, Mont. - Back-to-school has traditionally meant less outdoor time for children, and a new report from the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) …

Report: Roadblocks for MT Families Seeking Help

HELENA, Mont. - Paperwork, waiting lists, waiting periods and inconsistent information are examples of the challenges Montana families sometimes face …

ROFL? MT Teens Prefer to Text with Friends, Not Parents

HELENA, Mont. - To get a Montana teen's attention, send a text message. A new study from the Pew Internet and American Life Project finds kids ages 12…

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MT: Family/Father Issues