Matt Volz

Montana seeks more religious exemptions to vaccination requirements
State health officials want to create a religious exemption from routine vaccinations for kids and staff members in child care facilities and children in certain foster homes

Hospitals refused to give patients Ivermectin; political pressure followed
One Montana hospital went into lockdown and called police after a woman threatened violence because her relative was denied her request to be treated with ivermectin.

‘I just feel crappy:’ A Montana family’s tale of multiple COVID quarantines
My unvaccinated 7-year-old son began hacking and sneezing in late September as the hospitals in our home state of Montana started buckling under the latest COVID surge. I took him to get tested when his symptoms wouldn’t go away.

Five things to know about health care changes in Montana
The covid pandemic drove major changes to Montana health policies, including the permanent expansion of telehealth regulations, a pullback on local public health officials’ authority and the easing of vaccination requirements for workers and students.

Boom in out-of-state telehealth threatens Montana’s in-state providers
A federal government survey estimated that a shortage of mental health providers exist in 5,800 geographic areas across the U.S., with 6,450 practitioners needed to fill the gaps. For primary care, the need is even greater, with nearly 7,300 areas short of health professionals.

As Montanans’ demand for mental health care soars, budget ax set to strike
Montana mental health officials worry that the Legislature and new administration will make more cuts, even as they brace for a spike in demand for substance abuse and mental health services.

Gianforte poised to reverse Montana’s mask mandate, opt for voluntary compliance
Incoming Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte signaled he won’t continue a statewide mask mandate in place since July, though he said he plans to wear a mask himself and get vaccinated against COVID-19.

COVID plans put to test as Montana, West hit peak wildfire season
Thousands of firefighters are battling wildfires burning across Montana and the West. It’s an inherently dangerous job that now carries the additional risk of COVID-19 transmission.