January 5, 2023
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) Lead Poisoning Prevention Program has posted online its 2022 revision of the Childhood Blood Lead Screening Guidelines for Minnesota.
The guidelines, which are endorsed by the MMA, were first released in March 2000. The new version was updated based on research and feedback from a multi-disciplinary workgroup consisting of healthcare and public health professionals, professional healthcare associations, and other relevant partners. Maria Starchook-Moore, MD, sat on the Childhood Blood Lead Screening Guidelines for Minnesota Revision Workgroup, as an MMA representative.
These screening guidelines now recommend universal blood lead testing of all children in Minnesota at 12 and 24 months of age, and targeted blood lead testing for children ages 25 months through 17 years. The screening guidelines include both a three-page summary and a longer reference manual.
Along with the MMA’s support, the guidelines are endorsed by the Minnesota Nurse Practitioners (MNNP), Minnesota Chapter of National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (MN NAPNAP), Minnesota Poison Control System, Region 5 Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit (PEHSU), HealthPartners, UCare, Local Public Health Association of Minnesota (LPHA), Minnesota Environmental Health Association (MEHA), Sustainable Resources Center, Inc. (SRC), and East Side Neighborhood Development Company (ESNDC).
April 30, 2026
On April 27, the House unanimously passed a bill authorizing trained pharmacists to initiate, prescribe, dispense, and administer buprenorphine for the treatment of opioid use disorder.
April 30, 2026
On April 27, the House passed a bill, with a 119-12 vote, that removes the current requirement that newly licensed Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) complete 2,080 hours of collaborative practice with a physician as part of their postgraduate training before practicing independently.
April 30, 2026
Last November, UCare announced it would be shutting its doors in 2026, leaving many providers with outstanding claims that had not been paid out.