Missouri News & Current Events | Public News Service

More than 5,000 Missouri children and teens leave foster care every year. For older teens who are transitioning to adulthood, housing can be a challenge. (zimmytws/Adobe Stock)

Monday, December 6, 2021

Life After Foster Care: MO Youth Need Housing, Support Systems

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - The holidays can be a tough time for young people who have aged out of the foster-care system. For young Missourians, housing …

Families of three making less than $45,000 a year are eligible for Missouri's Medicaid and CHIP programs. (H_Ko)

Groups: Build Back Better Could Improve Health Outcomes for MO Children

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Health advocates are pressing the U.S. Senate to pass the Build Back Better Act after it passed the House last month. The bill …

Nationally, more than 4.5 million households reported being at risk of eviction in the next two months, according to recent Census surveys. (Vitalii Vodolazskyi/Adobe Stock)

Groups Identify Barriers to Rental Assistance in MO

ST. LOUIS, Mo. -- Groups working to keep Missouri residents in their homes since the pandemic began are trying to identify the barriers to receiving …

The federal minimum wage has been $7.25 an hour since 2009, despite inflation. (Missouri Workers Center)

MO Workers Group Launches to Bridge Racial, Geographic Divides

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A new group aims to bridge racial and geographic divides between Missouri workers, to help bring economic prosperity to everyone…

Retired U.S. Navy hospital corpsman Donald "Doc" Ballard hails from Missouri and is among the 66 still-living Medal of Honor recipients. (Wikimedia Commons)

MO Medal of Honor Recipient Spotlights New Museum

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Americans from former presidents to friends and family of military service members are marking today's Veterans Day holiday by …

There are 28 million American kids between the ages of 5 and 11 now eligible for the pediatric version of the coronavirus vaccination, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.(didesign/Adobe Stock)

MO Health Centers Get Word Out on COVID Vaccines for Younger Kids

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Health officials are optimistic broad immunity against COVID-19 can be achieved for children, because the Centers for Disease …

Some 35 million families nationally have received Child Tax Credit payments since summer. (Yurii Kibalnik/Adobe Stock)

Calls to Shore Up Child Tax Credit Long-Term in Build Back Better Act

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Families in Missouri have been receiving Child Tax Credit payments of $300 to $350 a month per child since the summer, and one …

Only about 20% of children with mental-health disorders receive care from a specialized mental-health care provider, according to the American Academy for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. (Adobe Stock)

Report Confirms Disparities in Getting Behavioral Health Support

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Women and young people have faced increased behavioral health challenges since before the pandemic, according to a new report…

Many states have laws that require guardians of adults with disabilities to file reports on how they are caring for their wards. (hakinmhan/Adobe Stock)

Calls for Greater Accountability for Missourians Under Guardianship

LIBERTY, Mo. - Advocates for people with disabilities are looking for more accountability in Missouri for enforcing people's rights under …

Experts urge people to be diligent about their online security, with ransomware attacks on the rise nationally. (Song_about_summer/Adobe Stock)

Calls to Beef Up Cybersecurity Follow Missouri Information Breach

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Gov. Mike Parson is facing calls to get the Missouri Cybersecurity Commission off the ground after it was created by the …

Public comments on Missouri's voting district maps for the next 10 years can be submitted online, at the Missouri Redistricting Commission Hub. (SeanPavonePhoto/Adobe Stock)

Coalition Urges Missourians to Join Redistricting Process

ST. LOUIS - Public hearings for Missouri's redistricting process begin Saturday in St. Louis and continue next week in Springfield and Kansas City…

One of roughly 600 rallies for abortion access took place last weekend in St. Louis. (Advocates of Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region)

Report: Millions to Lose Abortion Access If Roe v. Wade Overturned

ST. LOUIS -- As the new U.S. Supreme Court session gears up, a new report found more than 36 million women in 26 states, including Missouri, could …

In August the Missouri Supreme Court upheld Medicaid expansion, after lawmakers attempted to block the voter-approved measure. (Adobe Stock)

Health Experts: Find Best Option Before Open Enrollment

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. - Missourians have a little more than a month until open enrollment for health-care coverage at healthcare.gov, and medical experts …

A group of U.S. Senators has introduced a new voting-rights bill, known as the Freedom to Vote Act. (ungvar/Adobe Stock)

Groups See MO Proposals as Voter-Suppression Attempts

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- As lawmakers in Congress work to expand access to voting, members of the Missouri Legislature are proposing laws their critics …

New Jersey and California were the only states to receive "C" grades in a new report on state prison systems' handling of COVID-19; most received lower marks. (Adobe Stock)

Report: MO Receives Failing Grade for Handling of COVID in Prisons

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - One out of every three people incarcerated in the United States has contracted COVID-19, and a new report shows how state …

A new study about how parents talk with their kids about racial violence will focus in part on Missouri, where Black families still deal with the impacts of the police killing of Michael Brown in 2014. (Elvert Barnes/Flickr)

Study to Probe How Black Parents, Kids in MO Discuss Racial Violence

ST. LOUIS -- More than a year after the police killing of George Floyd that sparked nationwide protests, a professor in St. Louis is taking on a …

Missouri, Nevada, Illinois and Oregon are among the most recent states to update their HIV laws.(nito/Adobe Stock)

MO Makes First Update to HIV Criminalization Laws in 30 Years

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - A bill that went into effect over the weekend makes the first reforms to Missouri's HIV criminalization laws since they were …

More than 50% of Missouri residents have now received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine. (Atlas/Adobe Stock)

Vaccine Lottery Winnings Can Be Put Toward MO ABLE Accounts

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Missourians who have received COVID-19 vaccinations can enter to win the Missouri Vaccine Incentive Program Lottery - 900 …

Between 2015 and 2019, food insecurity declined 5% statewide, and groups are working to keep that going. (Kimberley Sprenger)

Summer Nutrition Program Includes Meals for Kids to Try On Their Own

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- More than 200,000 Missouri kids are facing food insecurity, according to the Missouri Kids Count 2021 Data Book. Today is the …

Missouri is one of just three states without an online ballot-tracking system. (alexandra/Adobe Stock)

Report: MO Voting Laws Hamper Access to Ballot Box

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - A new report finds Missouri lags behind many other states in voting access. The Campaign Legal Center graded states on …

Many Missourians don't have broadband because they don't need or want it, can't afford it, or don't have a reliable computer. (Adobe Stock)

Missouri Lags Behind Other States in Broadband Access, Adoption

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Missouri lags behind many other states in broadband access and adoption, which can limit people's ability to participate in the …

St. Louis public-school students are encouraged to come to Gateway Middle School Saturday for information, health screenings, vaccines and school supplies ahead of the first day of school on Aug. 23. (Jenifoto/Adobe Stock)

Teachers Unions Inform MO Families About Safe Return to School

ST. LOUIS, Mo. -- St. Louis educators' unions are working to let families know what to expect at school this fall, and urging them to get ready…

In a CDC survey, 57% of pediatricians said loss of health insurance has been at least "a minor barrier" to providing routine childhood checkups and vaccinations during the pandemic. (BGStock72/Adobe Stock)

Report: Families Urged to Catch Up on Kids' Doctor Visits

ST. LOUIS - The pandemic paused many facets of life, and a new report says wellness checkups for children were among them. With school resuming this …

Studies show Medicaid expansion could reduce costs for Missouri's health-care system as a whole, by getting more patients preventive care, which is less expensive than emergency care. (torwaiphoto/Adobe Stock)

Groups Urge Swift Funding After Court Upholds Medicaid Expansion

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Health-care advocates called on Missouri lawmakers to allocate funds for Medicaid expansion right away, after the state …

The Recovering America's Wildlife Act would dedicate $1.3 billion dollars to state conservation efforts and $97.5 million to tribal nations. (Tyler/Adobe Stock)

Blunt Sponsors Bipartisan Senate Effort to Protect Wildlife

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Senators reintroduced the Recovering America's Wildlife Act Tuesday, led by Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., along with Sen. Martin …

Commissioners charged with redistricting in Missouri are set to meet for the first time in August to draw new legislative district maps. (luzitanija/Adobe Stock)

Groups: Put MO Voters Over Partisan Interests in Redistricting

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Redistricting reformers urged the people charged with drawing new voting-district maps in Missouri to commit to putting the …

Missouri lawmakers passed "raise the age" legislation in 2018, and it went into effect this year. (K Stocker/Adobe Stock)

17-Year-Olds in MO Now Will Be Treated as Juveniles, Not Adults

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- In Missouri's courts, 17-year-olds will now be automatically treated as juveniles rather than adults if they're taken into …

A survey taken during the height of the pandemic found more than 90% of Americans had a favorable view of the U.S. Postal Service. (mokee81/Adobe Stock)

Groups Say Postal Reform Bill Would Benefit Rural Missouri

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Supporters of the U.S. Postal Service are pressing for passage of a bill to shore up the troubled agency. Twin versions of …

Help to fill out a FAFSA form for federal student aid is one example of now Missouri community partnerships support young people pursuing education and careers as they age out of the foster care system. (Bill Doss/Adobe Stock)

Groups Connect MO Youth in Foster Care with Life, Work Skills

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Community partnerships in Missouri are working to help young people, either in or aging out of foster care, connect with …

Missouri's congressional districts are drawn by the Legislature, and state legislative districts by two redistricting commissions made up of politicians, one for the state House and one for the state Senate. (Evgeny/Adobe Stock)

Coalition Seeks Public Input on Missouri's New Voting-District Maps

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- As Missouri lawmakers prepare to draw lines for the next decade of voting-district maps, groups advocating for a fair process are …

Nearly 90% of Americans acknowledged there is a stigma surrounding HIV in a 2020 survey by GLAAD. Proponents of National HIV Testing Day hope to help change that. (Syda Productions/Adobe Stock)

MO Groups Call Testing Key, Strive to End HIV Stigma

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- This Sunday is National HIV Testing Day, when people are urged to find out their HIV status to protect themselves and their …

One in ten Missouri teens didn't graduate high school on time in 2019, down from 19% in 2010 - though last fall, more than 40% of Missourians planning to pursue higher education either cancelled or reduced course loads. (Tom Wang/Adobe Stock)

Report: MO Children, Families to Benefit from Child Tax Credit Expansion

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri is ranked 30th among states for overall child wellbeing in a new report, and advocates for kids and families say the …

The $1.6 billion from the Medicaid provider tax draws nearly $3 billion in federal Medicaid match funds. (Steven Martin/Flickr)

Groups Urge MO Legislators to Renew Medicaid Provider Tax

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that state fiscal relief has "maintenance of effort" requirements. (8:15 a.m. MDT…

A new Gallup survey shows more than 60% of Americans say they know "a little bit" or "nothing at all" about Juneteenth, the date that celebrates the end of slavery in the United States. (DoDEA.edu)

Juneteenth Declared National Holiday, Amidst Progress, Upheaval

JEFFERSON CITY, MO. -- Juneteenth National Independence Day is now an official holiday, after President Joe Biden signed a bill Thursday, approved by …

Missourians working full time at the minimum wage often pay more than half their income on rent each month, and many people lost their jobs during the pandemic. (asiraj/Adobe Stock)

Report Urges Strong Eviction Moratoriums, Robust Rental Aid

ST. LOUIS -- A new study of eviction filings in St. Louis during the pandemic found people within protected classes under the Fair Housing Act…

More than 90% of Democrats, more than 70% of Independents and nearly 45% of Republicans believe the constitutional right to an abortion should be protected, according to recent polling. (Mark Schierbecker/Wikimedia Commons)

Bill Would Curb Medically Unnecessary Restrictions on Abortion

ST. LOUIS - Lawmakers in Congress are reintroducing the Women's Health Protection Act, which would ensure a pregnant person's right to access - and a …

Black bears in Missouri typically are seen south of Interstate 44, although the population is growing. (Jillian/Adobe Stock)

Conservation Department Urges Missourians to Be 'Bear Aware' This Summer

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - Late spring and early summer are when Missourians are most likely to come across one of the state's estimated 800 black bears - …

In the 2020 presidential election, women cast nearly 10 million more votes than men. However, more men hold public office than women, according to Rutgers University's Center for American Women and Politics. (Adobe Stock)

Despite High Voter Turnout, Women Hold Only 30% of Political Offices

ST. LOUIS - Women account for a majority of the U.S. population, but a new report shows they make up less than one third of high level government …

Tens of millions of households in the United States spend more than a third of their income on rent, and the pandemic has impacted many Missourians' abilities to keep up. (steheap/Adobe Stock)

Legal-Aid Groups: Know Your Rights When Facing Eviction

ST. LOUIS -- With the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) eviction moratorium on shaky legal ground and set to expire at the end of June…

More than 400 nurses have died while working on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic. (Adobe Stock)

Nurses Share Lessons from Pandemic on International Nurses Day

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- This International Nurses Day, nurses in Missouri are raising concerns about the long-term mental health impacts of the COVID-1…

Voting-rights advocates say the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act would help prevent restrictive voting laws from being passed in Missouri. (SEIU/Flickr)

Missourians Join Call to Pass John Lewis Voting Rights Act

ST. LOUIS, Mo. -- Missouri voting-rights advocates joined a national call to action Saturday to promote the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act …

Public-school advocates oppose bills before the Legislature that would allow for the expansion of charter schools and give tax credits for paying private school tuition. (Wikimedia Commons)

Groups Say Slate of School Bills Would Undermine Public Education

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Advocates for public schools are urging the Missouri Legislature to bolster funding for public education, rather than shift …

Missouri needs more teachers in the sciences, math and special education, and the need is critical both in rural and deeply urban communities. (JackF/Adobe Stock)

MO Education Dept. Looks to Reduce Teacher Shortage

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri is facing a teacher shortage, and for Teacher Appreciation Week, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education …

Experts say expanding Medicaid will help prevent uninsured Missourians from letting health conditions go untreated, making it less likely they'll end up in an emergency room. (niyazz/Adobe Stock)

Lessons for MO Lawmakers from States that Expanded Medicaid

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - As the state Senate debates Missouri's budget for next year, groups are urging lawmakers to learn from the 38 states that have …

Nationwide, more than 250 anti-LGBTQ bills have been introduced in state legislatures. (Adobe Stock)

LGBTQ Advocates Oppose Bills Seen as Harmful to Trans Youth

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The Missouri House of Representatives advanced a bill aimed to ban transgender kids from participating in girls sports…

Voters in Missouri approved a ballot initiative expanding Medicaid. If the state funds it, Missouri will be on track to receive more than $1 billion in federal incentives. (Drazen/Adobe Stock)

Pediatricians: Failure to Fund Medicaid Expansion Could Have Long-Lasting Impacts

COLUMBIA, Mo. - As lawmakers continue their debate on whether to fund voter-approved Medicaid expansion in Missouri, pediatricians say lack of access …

Nationwide, roughly 60% of pregnancy-related deaths are preventable. In Missouri, it's closer to 80%. (Adobe Stock)

Increased Access to Quality Health Care Could Reduce Black Maternal Mortality

ST. LOUIS, Mo. -- Black women in Missouri are four times as likely to die during childbirth than white women, and during Black Maternal Health Week…

To prevent tick-borne disease, Missouri officials recommend walking in the center of a trail, wearing light colors, long pants and sleeves, and using insect repellent, among other measures. (gabort/Adobe Stock)

New MO Study to Map Tick Populations, Tick-Borne Illnesses

KIRKSVILLE, Mo. - When it comes to ticks, Missouri's not too hot, not too cold, very humid and has lots of wildlife - which means lots of potential …

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