Ashland
Ashland, MT · Municipal
Montana Free Press
NonStop Local Billings
Riverstone Health warns of potential measles exposure at Billings hospital
BILLINGS, Mont. - A person who was at Intermountain Health St. Vincent Regional Hospital on Sunday was confirmed to have tested positive for measles, according to RiverStone Health, potentially exposing others who were in the hospital lobby elevators. RiverStone Health said the individual is not a resident of Yellowstone County. "Out of an abundance caution, anyone who used the hospital's front main lobby elevators between 9:45 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. on Sunday, November 8, is asked to contact RiverStone Health Public Health at 406.247.3305," RiverStone Health said. Anyone who is immune to measles is not a risk, according to the health agency. "Those who were in this area and are not immune can receive the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine as post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) by 9:40 p.m. on November 11. PEP can help prevent measles or reduce the severity of symptoms," RiverStone Health said. Symptoms of measles can take up to 21 days to appear, according to RiverStone Health, and include runny nose, fever, rash, watery eyes and spots in the mouth. "People who are vaccinated can still become infected with the disease after exposure, although this is uncommon," RiverStone Health said. "When it occurs, symptoms are typically milder."
NonStop Local Billings
New study highlights how Billings nonprofit is strengthening veteran suicide prevention efforts
BILLINGS, Mont. — For veterans struggling with their mental health, having someone recognize when something is wrong can be an important first step toward getting support. At the Adaptive Performance Center (APC) , a Montana nonprofit with locations in Billings and Helena, a new case study is showing promising early results from training designed to help employees recognize signs of emotional distress, start difficult conversations and connect veterans with additional resources before a situation becomes a crisis. The center partnered with the national nonprofit Give an Hour earlier this year to participate in its Veteran MILE training , an initiative focused on building mental health awareness and peer-support skills. The newly released case study, APC Vets Case Study: From Individual Skills to Organizational Capacity , looks at how that training is being put into practice and what it could mean for the veterans APC serves. For Jaclyn Colebank, a veteran who first came to APC seeking support for her own mental health, the training has given her new tools to connect with others. “It gave me other skills and other tools to really learn how to listen and connect with other people,” Colebank said. Now working as both a trainer