spina bifida

Minnesota Live has launched KidCast, a weekly segment with Children’s Minnesota where young guests join meteorologist Ken Barlow to deliver the forecast. Clara Carlin, a 10-year-old who received fetal surgery for spina bifida at Children’s Minnesota, is the first KidCaster and remains active in adaptive sports and the arts under ongoing care from the hospital’s experts.

A Tennessee judge has deemed a state policy illegal, which forces 400 families with children having severe medical needs to choose between losing healthcare or facing immigration enforcement. The policy, linked to HB1710, has drawn criticism for its inhumane impact, particularly on families enrolled in Children’s Special Services.

Three Nashville physicians are suing Tennessee to block a policy requiring immigrant children with severe disabilities in the Children's Special Services (CSS) program to be reported to immigration enforcement. The policy, set to take effect July 1, affects around 400 children, including 10-year-old Walter with spina bifida, whose family faces deportation risks if they remain enrolled in the program.

Tennessee requires parents of critically ill children to disenroll from a health program or risk immigration reporting, affecting 400 immigrant children in the state. The Children's Special Services program, which provides life-saving care for low-income children with severe disabilities, is targeted under a new law requiring immigration verification for public benefits.

Metro Mobility riders are concerned about upcoming July 1 service changes aligned with Metro Transit bus route updates. The Metropolitan Council stated the adjustments are routine and required by federal law to maintain paratransit service within three-fourths of a mile of bus routes, but riders fear reliability issues in suburban areas.

The Tennessee Department of Health will report immigration status of children in the Children’s Special Services program to immigration officials starting July 2026, sparking concerns about health risks for vulnerable children. The program, which provides healthcare for low-income kids with disabilities or critical illnesses, has served children regardless of immigration status for decades.

Guadalupe Ceja Hernandez, an employee at the Waukegan School Board, was fired amid a delay in her DACA renewal. She has spina bifida and now faces losing health insurance, requiring her to pay medical treatments out of pocket.

Tennessee requires families of children with disabilities and life-threatening illnesses to verify immigration status to access healthcare, risking disenrollment or ICE reporting. The policy targets the Children’s Special Services program, which previously provided care regardless of immigration status.