Health care

Families of former Montana State Hospital patients are suing the state. They say the state failed to prevent neglect, injuries and other issues at the psychiatric facility.

Montanans seeking to enroll in health insurance in the public marketplace can head to covermt.org to find in-person assistance near them. They can also call (844) 682-6837 to speak with an enrollment assistant.

State health officials said a drug treatment center near Missoula failed to report serious incidents and did not follow other state regulations.

Registered nurses at St. Peter’s health clinics in Helena voted to join a union Tuesday.

The Montana State Hospital’s forensic unit has been struggling for years to keep up with the number of inmates criminally committed to the facility. That’s led to long wait times in jail cells for inmates awaiting treatment. State health officials said they have a way to fix the problem.

Young children with severe behavioral health issues are likely to lose one of the few options they have for long-term residential treatment nationwide.

A new report from the Montana health department shows nearly half of people who’ve lost Medicaid coverage in the state since April are children.

St. Peter’s Health in Helena has terminated its contract with a third-party union consultant after a document containing sensitive personal information about nurses involved in an organizing effort was leaked.

Public health officials in Montana are reporting a significant uptick in COVID-19 cases and are seeing the highest rate of related hospitalizations in the country.

Montana Free Press reporter Mara Silvers joined MTPR's Austin Amestoy with details about the Montana Health Department hiring a New York based consulting firm to guide the state as it undergoes a multiyear overhaul of its behavioral health services.