Aaron Bolton

States are rolling out plans for their share of a $50 billion fund meant to improve rural health care. In some states, the money may provoke rural hospitals to cut services.

Montana has one of the highest youth suicide rates in the U.S. The kind of psychiatric care kids need after a suicide attempt isn’t always available in-state. Many families are forced to send their child to a facility across the country. A new program near Bozeman hopes to make that less common.

Kids living in abusive homes or who are going through the court system sometimes don’t have anywhere to stay. When that happens, specialized youth shelters care for them, but beds can be full.

Some state Medicaid services are on the chopping block due to a budget shortfall. The state health department estimates it will need at least another $7 million, but isn’t saying what services might be cut.

A court case out of Louisiana temporarily halted Montanans’ ability to get abortion medications by mail. The U.S. Supreme Court temporarily halted that decision. A ruling by the high court against mailing medication would impact rural women the most.

Researchers are learning more about pesticides that are leaching into Montana’s waterways. They’re finding that streams and rivers in urban areas might be more impacted than waters near farm fields.

Briefs: The CSKT water compact has been finalized after years of negotiation. Governor announces $1.2 million investment into child psychiatric care; SNAP restrictions on sugary foods take effect in Montana; Senate confirms Brian Gootkin as Montana's new U.S. Marshal; Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez event in Missoula moved to May 28.

A lawsuit argues the state’s process for redetermining Medicaid eligibility after the pandemic was intentionally devised to kick as many Montanans off the program as possible.

It’s primary election day in Montana and voters are casting their ballots. MTPR reporters spoke with voters at several polling locations about the issues that matter most to them. Voters everywhere named the economy as a top issue.

Two federal scientists based in Montana have been charged for allegedly smuggling samples of a virus into the country earlier this year. They work for Rocky Mountain Laboratories, a high-level research facility in the Bitterroot Valley. The lab studies infectious diseases and is overseen by the National Institute of Health.