Arielle Zionts

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azionts@kff.org
@Ajzionts

South Dakota Voters Approved Medicaid Expansion, but Implementation May Not Be Easy

KFF Health News Original

South Dakotans voted to expand the state’s Medicaid program to cover thousands of additional low-income residents. But as other conservative states have shown, voter approval doesn’t always mean politicians and administrators will rush to implement the change.

Campaigning Ramps Up as South Dakota Voters Decide on Medicaid Expansion

KFF Health News Original

A broad coalition of Medicaid expansion supporters faces off against a smaller group of opponents as early voting begins on a constitutional amendment that would increase coverage under South Dakota’s program.

Mental Health Crisis Teams Aren’t Just for Cities Anymore

KFF Health News Original

In many cities, social workers and counselors are responding to mental health emergencies that used to be solely handled by police. That approach is spreading to rural areas even though mental health professionals are scarcer and travel distances are longer.

Tribe Embraces Recreational Marijuana Sales on Reservation Where Alcohol Is Banned

KFF Health News Original

The Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota allows people to buy and use recreational marijuana but not alcohol. Some tribal citizens say cannabis is safer than alcohol, meth, and opioids — which have wreaked havoc on the state’s Indigenous communities.

The Push for Abortion Lawmaking After ‘Dobbs’ Is Unique, Legal and Political Experts Say

KFF Health News Original

The surge of calls for special legislative sessions to pass abortion laws is an unusual occurrence in modern U.S. history, according to experts — one caused by the Supreme Court’s decision to give states more power to regulate abortion.

Police Suspect Arson at Wyoming Site of Clinic That Would Provide Abortions

KFF Health News Original

A building slated to become the site of Wyoming’s sole provider of procedural abortions caught fire early Wednesday. Investigators suspect arson at the site that has been the focus of weekly rallies.

As ‘Trigger Law’ Looms, New Clinic Preps to Provide Abortions in Conservative Bastion

KFF Health News Original

A Wyoming clinic slated to open this summer would be the only one in the state to provide procedural abortions and the closest option for some people in surrounding states. But its fate is uncertain now that the Supreme Court looks poised to strike down Roe v. Wade.