Public Health

A year of negotiations led to Gallatin County, Bozeman and Belgrade signing onto an interlocal agreement that will oversee public health services.

A year after a new Montana law stripped local health boards of their rulemaking authority, confusion and power struggles are creating a patchwork oversight system that may change how public health is administered long after the pandemic is over.

Earlier this month Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte announced the state had ordered 650,000 rapid COVID-19 tests. Those test kits are now rolling in, and counties like Missoula are starting to announce distribution locations and times.

The COVID-19 mmicron variant is forcing changes to contract tracing in the state. It's also amplifying staff shortages at hospitals.

For the first time, Little Shell members will have guaranteed access to health services — and see their culture reflected in the offerings.

“A cloth mask can absolutely add protection. It adds a small level of protection compared to surgical masks," said Missoula County Health Officer D’Shane Barnett. "And surgical masks add a small level of protection compared to the N95.”

RiverStone Health says a child under the age of 18 died Dec. 24 in Yellowstone County.

This fall, Montana delivered as many as 113,000 antigen tests to hospitals, health clinics, government offices, local health departments and others. But communication on how to access tests has been inconsistent, such as with certain detention centers and child care providers.

Although covid vaccines have been available to children as young as 5 for more than a month, they’re not being offered in some rural Montana counties, and parents don’t know where to find them in others.