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Minnesota lawmakers have a lot on their plates during a shorter legislative session this year, but supporters of an end-of-life option bill hope it gets another look. The current proposal would permit mentally capable adults with less than six months to live to request, obtain and take medication to die peacefully in their sleep. Carrie Framsted, an advocate for the nonprofit Compassion & Choices from Grand Marais, said she became an advocate for the bill following the death of her wife Monica two years ago. ...

As small towns struggle to recover from the pandemic, a grant program called Put Your Town on the Map aims to support ideas for revitalization. Even before COVID-19, many rural and small towns were already facing economic difficulties, for instance, young people leaving for the cities. Some towns had not regained unemployment levels from prior to the 2008 recession, and others have limited access to critical infrastructure such as broadband. ...

Many nonprofits and advocacy groups across Maine, and the nation, have seen fewer volunteers during the pandemic, but research shows donating your time to help others can improve physical and mental health. Volunteering can also provide a sense of purpose, teach new skills and help build and nurture relationships, according to the Mayo Clinic Health System. Carl Bucciantini, volunteer state president for AARP Maine, said everyone has valuable skills, expertise or opinions to offer. ...

More than 1 million adults in Tennessee have no access to dental coverage, and only about half of kids enrolled in the state's Medicaid program receive dental care, according to a new report. Report author Kinika Young, senior director of health policy and advocacy at the Tennessee Justice Center, said Tennessee is one of three states that don't provide dental care to Medicaid recipients. That's on top of a chronic shortage of dental-health professionals, especially in rural areas. ...

New Yorkers rallied this week, calling for action to help address the structural inequality Black and Brown people experience during pregnancy and birth. Black women are at least three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than their white counterparts, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams wants Congress to pass the Black Maternal Health "Momnibus" Act of 2021, which would direct agencies to address and improve maternal-health issues. ...