Search Grants Awarded - Montana Healthcare Foundation

The Merger for a Mission Project

The Adult Resource Alliance is a nonprofit organization that has served seniors in Yellowstone County since 1975. Their mission is to provide effective services and lead collaborative efforts to ensure seniors remain independent with the highest possible quality of life. This grant will support planning for a merger between Adult Resource Alliance and Big Sky Senior Services (which also serves seniors in Yellowstone County), with the goal of providing more comprehensive and efficient services to address the needs of seniors in the community. The boards of both organizations have agreed to partner to complete this merger. The merger project requires a thorough due diligence process, legal compliance work, human resources integration, and operational strategy development to build a foundation for successful implementation. Grant funds will be used for consulting services and staff time to plan for a successful merger.

Grant Amount

$50,000

Term

12 month

2025

Strategic Communications Development and Support

AWARE (a statewide mental health, substance use, and developmental disabilities provider) is in the process of acquiring and merging with Western Montana Mental Health Center (a mental health and substance use provider). This grant will support public-facing and internal communications throughout the planning and implementation of this transition. Clear, accurate, and effective communications about the reasons for this merger and any changes in services and providers that may occur will be essential to retaining staff and maintaining and building trust with the communities served by these large mental health providers. Grant funds will be used to secure the services of an experienced, respected, Montana-based communications firm.

Grant Amount

$50,000

Term

24 month

2025

Psych on Peds: Program Development

The Benefis Health System Foundation provides resources to support and enhance care for patients and families throughout north central Montana and beyond. Through this grant, Benefis will develop and pilot Psych on Peds, a new service at Benefis Health System that will provide case management and psychotherapy services to children with acute psychiatric needs who are admitted to the inpatient medical unit (including children in psychiatric boarding). The goal of this program is to increase continuity of care across medical and psychiatric service systems, thereby shortening hospitalization stays. Grant funds will be used for staff time on the project, clinical training and consultation, and incentives to support stakeholder engagement in needs assessment and quality improvement tasks. The primary partner is Shodair Children's Hospital in Helena.

Grant Amount

$50,000

Term

12 month

2025

Improving Perinatal Mental Health in Southeastern Montana

Billings OB/GYN Associates (BOBGYN) will implement The Meadowlark Initiative in Billings and surrounding communities in Southeastern Montana. BOBGYN delivers an average of 150 babies per month at St. Vincent Regional Hospital, which constitutes roughly 75% of the Billings market. The project will improve perinatal outcomes by adopting the Meadowlark model of care, including routine screening and prompt treatment for mental health and substance use issues. BOBGYN has hired a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner who is already seeing patients. BOBGYN will use grant funds to hire a care coordinator to work with Meadowlark patients and intends to build a larger behavioral health team during the grant term. St. Vincent Regional Hospital is the main partner in this project.

Grant Amount

$150,000

Term

24 month

2025

National Accreditation for a Tribal College Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program

The Blackfeet Community College provides higher education opportunities for the Blackfeet Nation. Blackfeet Community College has created a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree program and is now preparing to seek national accreditation with the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. Accreditation will involve a site visit by peers and an in-depth evaluation of the curriculum and training to ensure the program meets national standards for content and quality. The Montana Board of Nursing conducted a site visit in March 2025 and provisionally approved the program through 2025. The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education's process will specify any additional requirements and recommendations that must be met and implemented for national accreditation. Grant funds will be used to hire a nursing education accreditation consultant and implement any specific requirements identified through the national accreditation process.

Grant Amount

$50,000

Term

12 month

2025

Behavioral Health Services in Culbertson Schools

Culbertson School District is a Class C K-12 school with an enrollment of 275 students and 50 staff. The goal of the project is for the district and Roosevelt Medical Center to formalize their partnership to bring school-based behavioral health services on-site at the school and provide behavioral health training to staff. They will do this by creating a safe and private space in the school for a therapist and providing behavioral health professional development activities for school staff. Grant funds will be used for the therapist's office and behavioral health training for staff. Roosevelt Medical Center is a confirmed partner for the project.

Grant Amount

$50,000

Term

24 month

2025

Homeless to Housed Hub

Family Promise of Great Falls (FPGF) is a non-profit housing and services provider in Cascade County that provides emergency housing, permanent housing, and services to stabilize housing and prevent homelessness. They lead the Homeless to Housing Hub (HHH), a collaborative effort among Great Falls-based housing and service providers including YWCA, Alliance for Youth, St. Vincent de Paul, Housed Great Falls, Great Falls Public Schools, The Little Shell Tribe, Neighborworks Great Falls, Opportunities, Inc., Alluvion, and Many Rivers Whole Health. This consortium has submitted a proposal to the Diocese of Great Falls to lease the vacant Poor Clare Monastery. The property is home to several buildings and property for potential future development and represents an excellent opportunity for the community to meet housing needs both immediately and long-term. Grant funds will be used to hire a land-use consultant to assess the buildings and overall property and work with City officials, partners, and stakeholders to create a plan for immediate building uses, mid-term renovation needs, and long-term planning for new permanent housing. FPGF will also contract with a consultant to formulate a capital stack and fund development plan for the project.

Grant Amount

$30,000

Term

24 month

2025

Providing Access to Total Health

Granite County Medical Center (GCMC) is a 25-bed critical access hospital that serves the rural communities of Philipsburg and Drummond with a total population of 3300 residents. This project aims to implement integrated behavioral health in GCMC’s two rural health clinics. GCMC will contract with Roots & Resilience, a nonprofit community mental health agency, for an on-site clinician one day/week and access to on-call providers as needed. The work plan includes training providers and staff on integrated care and universal screening, updating the electronic health record (EHR) with data collection templates, and updating billing processes with appropriate behavioral health codes. Grant funds will support a portion of project staff salaries, a contract for Roots & Resilience, a contract for data collection and EHR optimization, and equipment/supplies. Project partners are Roots & Resilience for clinical services, Health Equity Solutions for EHR optimization and billing technical assistance, and the Healthy Granite County Network for referrals to community resources.

Grant Amount

$124,976

Term

36 months

2025

Building Sustainable Veterans Support Services

Great Plains Veterans Services Center (GPVSC) is a nonprofit founded by veterans in 2015 to address the pressing needs of American Indian Veterans in Montana’s most isolated communities. GPVSC serves Rocky Boy, Blackfeet, and Fort Belknap reservations and both Native and non-Native veterans in Hill, Chouteau, Glacier, and Blaine counties. The goal of this project is to create a comprehensive sustainability plan that strengthens GPVSC’s Veteran Support Services, enhancing mental health care and partnerships for lasting community impact. GPVSC will hire a consultant to complete strategic planning, feasibility analysis, and sustainability planning. Funds will be used for consultant salary, travel, and meetings. The primary partner is the Great Falls Vet Center.

Grant Amount

$50,000

Term

12 month

2025

Occupational Therapy Assistant Program

Helena College is a two-year institution within the Montana University System offering 28 degrees and certificates with nearly 1,500 students enrolled. This grant will enable Helena College to establish an Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) training program. The OTA program will help meet a growing demand for qualified occupational therapy professionals, equipping graduates with the skills to work in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes, school districts, pediatric clinics, and other health care settings. To develop this program, Helena College will upgrade classrooms with the necessary technologies to teach occupational therapy skills and add an academic fieldwork coordinator and full-time faculty member. Grant funds will support staff salaries, equipment, and supplies. Confirmed partners, including Intermountain, the Helena School District, Rocky Mountain College and University of Montana, Helena OT Specialists, and Rosebud Healthcare Center, will offer students valuable learning environments and mentorship.

Grant Amount

$100,000

Term

24 month

2025

Enhancing Student and Staff Wellness

Kalispell Public Schools (KPS) is a Title I district that serves over 6,000 K-12 students in the Kalispell area. This project aims to strengthen the partnership with Greater Valley Health Center (GVHC) to enhance students' and staff's access to medical and behavioral health services and create a culture of wellness across the district. KPS will do this by employing a Wellness & Mental Health Support Specialist (WMHSS), who will serve as the project manager for a district-wide initiative aimed at increasing awareness and uptake of the GVHC school-based health centers, and by establishing a KPS School Wellness Advisory Council. The WMHSS will manage the overall program, including coordination, communication, and program evaluation, to better integrate GVHC's services into the district's existing support systems for students and staff. Grant funds will be used towards the salary of the WMHSS, supplies, and communications.

Grant Amount

$75,000

Term

24 month

2025

LST ISDEAA Planning Project

The Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians is centered in the Great Falls area, with tribal members throughout Montana and across the United States. This grant will support the Tribe to complete the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (ISDEAA) planning phase and prepare negotiation documents to assume responsibility and funding for providing healthcare services from the Indian Health Service (IHS). This will be done by recruiting and hiring a dedicated project manager, traveling to an existing self-governance site or program, developing recommendations for Tribal Council consideration, developing a draft compact and funding agreement, and carrying out negotiations with the Indian Health Service (IHS). Funds will be used for staff and consultant time and travel associated with the project. Confirmed partners for this project include the Little Shell Tribe negotiation team, Negotiations and ISDEAA Planning Team Lead Terra Branson-Thomas, Finance Director Kevin McCaughey, and Little Shell Attorney General Josh Clause.

Grant Amount

$200,000

Term

12 month

2025

Enhancing Access and Collaboration: Expanding the Ranger Clinic for Comprehensive Youth Health Services in Park County

Livingston HealthCare (LHC) is a fully accredited, integrated, not-for-profit healthcare organization that primarily serves the residents and visitors of Park and Sweet Grass Counties. The goal of this project is to expand access to the current school-based health center at Livingston High School, explore strategic partnerships, and elevate youth voice. They will do this by expanding hours of the current school-based health center at Park High and adding an additional site at Sleeping Giant Middle School. Both are school-wide Title I schools. They will also dedicate staff time to a school-based program manager position and a care coordinator role. The school-based program manager position will focus on coordinating efforts with the school district and other partners. The care coordinator will provide support to both the medical and behavioral health teams in the schools. Grant funds will be used towards staff salaries including the program manager, care coordinator, psychologist and nurse practitioner. Livingston School District is a confirmed partner in this project.

Grant Amount

$199,230

Term

36 months

2025

Expanding School-Based Healthcare

Livingston School District is a PK-12 school district serving 1,200 students in Park County. The goal of the project is to increase utilization of the school-based health center that they have on campus, in which Livingston Health offers primary care and behavioral health services. They will do this by hiring a staff member to serve as a liaison with Livingston Health. This staff member will analyze utilization data and use this information to develop appropriate branding, outreach, and systems to facilitate utilication of the services. Grant funds will be used for project staff salaries, travel and supplies. Confirmed partners for this project are Livingston Health and Livewell 49.

Grant Amount

$75,000

Term

24 month

2025

Chippewa Cree Language Revitalization for Community Health & Well-Being

Mahchiwminahnahtik Chippewa and Cree Language Revitalization (MCCLR) is a community nonprofit dedicated to revitalizing and preserving the Chippewa and Cree languages for future generations. The goal of this project is to integrate the Cree language into community health initiatives, using language as a tool for healing, cultural preservation, and resilience-building. This project will assess the feasibility of language-based interventions in mental health, substance use recovery, and community wellness by partnering with Medicaid-eligible health care providers like the Rocky Boy Health Center and other tribal health organizations. Partners include Rocky Boy Health Center, Chippewa Cree Tribal Elders Advocacy Group, Stone Child College, and the Montana Office of Public Instruction. Grant funds will be used to support strategic planning, research, and partnership development, as well as hiring a part-time coordinator to assist in organizing efforts, community outreach, and program development.

Grant Amount

$50,000

Term

12 month

2025

Integrated Behavioral Health in Primary Care

The Montana Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (MTAAP) is the state professional association for Montana pediatricians. The MTAAP IBH Initiative in Primary Care project will support three-to-five independent pediatric primary care clinics to implement the integrated behavioral health (IBH) model. MTAAP will contract an IBH program manager to assist clinics with planning implementation and identifying and overcoming implementation challenges; provide tailored assistance to design a tailored IBH model of care for each clinic; and train and support clinic managers on IBH business models and quality improvement. MTAAP will also create a peer-led working group to support ongoing IBH education and training for pediatricians, practice managers, and staff. Finally, MTAAP will provide continuing medical education (CME) sessions at the annual Pediatric Roundup conference each fall and scholarships for mental health trainings for clinical staff at the REACH Institute. Grant funds will support a contracted part-time IBH program manager, a portion of MTAAP staff salaries, physician leadership stipends, CMEs for the IBH sessions at Pediatric Roundup, and scholarships for REACH Institute training.

Grant Amount

$150,000

Term

24 month

2025

Strengthening Urban Indian Health

The Montana Consortium for Urban Indian Health (MCUIH) supports Urban Indian Organizations (UIOs) by providing advocacy, education, and technical assistance to strengthen health care services for American Indians and Alaska Natives in Montana urban areas. The goals for this project include expanding the workforce pipeline for UIOs, enhancing data systems, providing policy education, and fostering collaboration within the UIO network. This will be accomplished through site visits and training for members, creating a data governance board to facilitate UIO control and use of health data, and participating in the National Consortium for Urban Indian Health’s (NCUIH) Annual Conference, which allows UIO executive directors to meet with national UIO partners and congressional delegates in Washington, D.C. Grant funds will be used to support participation in NCUIH’s Annual Conference, support a strategic planning visit to the California Consortium for Urban Indian Health (CCUIH), and to support MCUIH staff to coordinate efforts. Confirmed partners include Montana’s UIOs – All Nations Health Center in Missoula, Billings Urban Indian Health & Wellness Center, Butte Native Wellness Center, Helena Indian Alliance, and Indian Family Health Center in Great Falls; NCUIH, CCUIH, Montana HOSA, and JG Research and Evaluation.

Grant Amount

$150,000

Term

24 month

2025

Health care reporting for Montanans

Montana Free Press will provide in-depth, ongoing coverage of health and health policy issues. These stories will be published for free on the Montana Free Press website and in collaboration with over 100 partnering news outlets across the state. Reporting will ensure that public health experts, policymakers, leaders, and Montana residents alike are aware of the policy debates and decisions made by their elected representatives and have access to the information they need to make informed decisions for their health and the health of their communities. Funding will support reporting and editorial staff positions. Partners include print and online news sites and radio stations across the state that re-publish Montana Free Press reporting.

Grant Amount

$149,996

Term

24 month

2025

Assessing Critical Needs for Crisis Preparedness and Mental Health Resources

The Montana School Counselor Association (MSCA) promotes professionalism and ethical practices while empowering and advocating for all school counselors. The goal of the project is to study the current roles school counselors play in addressing student behavioral health and crisis response and to use this information to guide the development of training and resources for school counselors and schools across the state. MSCA will work with the American Institutes for Research (AIR) to review current state-wide data and develop a survey, administer the survey, conduct a needs assessment, analyze the data from the survey, share the results, and develop action plans. Grant funds will be used towards MSCA staff salaries, consultants with AIR, and travel. Confirmed partners include the Montana Small School Alliance, AIR, and School Administrators of Montana. They have a strong network that includes several other partners.

Grant Amount

$50,000

Term

12 month

2025

Enhancing Urban Access to Healthcare for American Indians

Native American Development Corporation (NADC) is a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing economic, social, and health stability for Native American communities. NADC houses the Billings Urban Indian Health and Wellness Center (BUIHWC), an urban Indian organization that serves the region's urban Indian community. The project will focus on enrolling patients in health insurance coverage. By doing so, BUIHWC will help ensure continuous coverage for Native Americans, expand access to health care services for its service population, and contribute to its health services' financial sustainability. This will be done by identifying patients without adequate coverage, both through individual data in BUIWC’s electronic health record and through broader outreach to the community. Health care benefit coordinators will assist patients to identify and apply for appropriate coverage. BUIHWC will also design a culturally-tailored outreach campaign to raise awareness about health insurance options among their service population.

Grant Amount

$150,000

Term

24 month

2025

Journey of Hope Continuation

Providence St. Joseph Medical Center serves the Polson area and delivers on average 220 babies annually. This project will continue developing the center's participation in The Meadowlark Initiative. The center will refine clinical processes, workflows, policy, and funding options to sustain the Meadowlark care model beyond the grant term. Partners include the Lake County Health Department, Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribal Health and Social Services, the Families First Learning Lab, YWCA, Flathead Maternal Mental Health Coalition, and St. Luke's Community Hospital. Grant funds will provide partial salary support for key Meadowlark positions and support for training and travelling to meetings.

Grant Amount

$100,000

Term

24 month

2025

Collaborative Care Management & Chronic Care Management Implementation

PureView Health Center is a federally qualified health center that serves Helena and neighboring communities. With this grant, PureView will expand its integrated behavioral health program to include chronic care management (CCM), transitional care management, and collaborative care management (CoCM) services. PureView has provided integrated services for over 10 years, but patients’ needs exceed the available resources. CCM/CoCM offers the team a population-level approach to managing behavioral health and chronic medical conditions. Grant funds will support the upfront investment in staffing, infrastructure, and workflow integration. Primary project partners include Big Sky Psychiatry, Helena Indian Alliance, and St. Peter's Health.

Grant Amount

$100,000

Term

12 month

2025

RS8N Start-Up Operations

Red Shield 8 Nations (RS8N) is a newly formed nonprofit created by seven tribes and the Montana Consortium of Urban Indian Health Centers (MCUIH) for the purpose of building a tribally-led regional healing center. This grant will support RS8N’s initial steps of organizational development, which include hiring an interim executive director; developing and implementing policies and procedures; building basic operations infrastructure including branding, website, and accounting and office systems; planning and initiating a capital campaign; securing funding committed by the Little Shell Tribe; and establishing and maintaining effective communications with member tribes.

Grant Amount

$190,000

Term

24 month

2025

RS8N Facility Project Management and Pre-development

Red Shield 8 Nations (RS8N) is a newly formed nonprofit created by seven Montana tribes and the Montana Consortium of Urban Indian Health Centers (MCUIH) to build a new, tribally led regional healing center. This two-year grant will support RS8N to conduct pre-development, capital financing, and site improvement activities at the Great Falls site. Tasks to be completed include the property survey, completion of the property transfer from the Little Shell Tribe to RS8N, hiring a construction project manager to oversee the planning, pre-development, and eventual construction of the site improvements and facility, and hiring a consultant to manage the capital financing. Grant funds will be used for the property survey, owner’s representative contract costs, architecture and engineering, regulatory fees, and a capital financing consultant. These professionals will work on behalf of RS8N to ensure that the facility development and fundraising efforts are seamlessly coordinated, resulting in the timely completion of the facility.

Grant Amount

$110,000

Term

24 month

2025

Professional Leadership Project

Rocky Boy Health Center (RBHC) is a non-profit, tribally led facility serving the Chippewa Cree community on the Rocky Boy Reservation in northcentral Montana. Through its Professional Leadership Project, RBHC will integrate an award-winning integrated behavioral health model -- the Alaska Southcentral Foundation's Nuka System of Care -- while building a system of care that integrates the Chippewa Cree Tribe’s principles and traditions. RBHC aims to improve patient care and staff efficiency, enhance workplace culture, increase professionalism, define roles, and advance operational procedures that support quality of care and quality improvement efforts. Grant funds will support consultation with experts for structured training, coaching, and mentorship to the medical director and healthcare staff. Leadership and administrative staff will visit the Southcentral Foundation in year one and the Seattle Indian Health Board in year two to gain knowledge and insight into the Nuka and other integrated care models. Primary project partners on this project include SouthCentral Foundation and Mountain-Pacific Quality Health.

Grant Amount

$200,000

Term

24 month

2025

Culbertson School Based Behavioral Health

Roosevelt Medical Center (RMC) is a 25-bed critical access hospital located in Culbertson and serving neighboring communities including Bainville and Froid. RMC offers hospital, outpatient, emergency, ambulance, and ancillary services. The project aims to address the emotional, social, and psychological needs of students in the Culbertson School District and, in turn, improve academic success and overall well-being. Through this project, RMC will work with the district to implement school-based services, including individual and group counseling, crisis intervention, and strategies to promote positive behaviors. RMC will provide a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) on-sight once or twice a week to implement this project. Providing these services in the school setting will make them more accessible and minimize school absenteeism. Grant funds will be used to offset the school's behavioral health provider's start-up cost and the supplies needed to start the services. The confirmed partner for this project is Culbertson School District.

Grant Amount

$150,000

Term

24 month

2025

KFF Health News Montana News Partnership

This project will support the continuation of the Kaiser Health News (KHN) bureau in Montana. The bureau increases Montana-centered health journalism and provides high-quality, relevant coverage of critical health care, public health, and health policy issues free of charge to news outlets throughout the state. The continuation of this partnership will fund a Montana-based health journalist who will continue producing impactful stories on the important issues affecting Montanans, which will be widely distributed through media partners across the state, region, and nation, as well as through social media. The project aims to increase the quantity and quality of health journalism for and about Montana residents, helping them understand the political, economic, and social factors that impact their health and well-being.

Grant Amount

$200,000

Term

24 month

2025

Garden to Table Program

This grant supports Wibaux County Health Department to partner with Wibaux County Extension Office and community members to create a community garden. This project strengthens local food systems by engaging residents in the production of nutrient-dense food and builds community connection in Wibaux through hands-on collaboration. Local residents who have completed the Master Gardener Education Series will guide the project in conjunction with the extension office's soil scientists. The project also engages Wibaux County High School, where students will start and nurture the seeds in the greenhouse, and will provide produce grown in the public garden to Wibaux County Schools, the food bank, and Wibaux County Nursing Home. Grant funds will be used to purchase a shed, garden supplies and equipment.

Grant Amount

$10,000

Term

12 month

2025

Addressing Human Trafficking Response in the Healthcare Setting

Yarrow is a Montana-based consulting organization whose mission is to empower public health systems with evidence-based, culturally appropriate, and contemporary practices to meet the needs of their vibrant communities. The goal of this project is to conduct an assessment of how larger Montana hospitals address human trafficking and, based on the assessment, develop a training curriculum to improve hospital awareness of and effective responses to human trafficking. Grant funds will be used for staffing, travel, and assessment design. This work will be accomplished through a strategic partnership between Yarrow and independent consultant Shannon Brown, RN. Partners to be engaged will be healthcare staff from larger Montana healthcare facilities (located in Billings, Great Falls, Bozeman, Helena, Missoula, and Kalispell) that voluntarily commit to joining this project.

Grant Amount

$25,994

Term

12 month

2025

Butte Permanent Supportive Housing Planning and Development

Action, Inc. is the Community Action Program serving Butte-Silver Bow County, providing a wide range of anti-poverty programs, including housing, energy, and case management. This $40,000, one-year proposal will support Action, Inc. in implementing the community's first purpose-built permanent supportive housing (PSH). PSH serves people with complex medical conditions who are chronically homeless. The model links housing with on-site services such as tenancy support, employment assistance, and medical and behavioral health care to improve health outcomes and reduce the need for high-cost emergency services. Action, Inc. has developed a robust Coordinated Entry System (CES) with 15 community partners actively participating. The group will identify frequent users prioritized for the new units using CES and case conferencing. In response to community input and available property from the County, Butte's PSH will be built in a series of five fourplexes (four units in progress with an estimated 2025 completion and 20 total units planned). The units will be owned and subsidized by the Butte Housing Authority, with property management and tenancy support provided by Action, Inc., and healthcare services provided by the Federally Qualified Health Center Southwest Montana Community Health Center. Funds from MTHF will be used to support project staff responsible for onboarding the first four units and architectural services for the remaining fourplexes.

Grant Amount

$40,000

Term

12 month

2024

Needs Assessment/Capacity Building

The Apsaalooké Nation Housing Authority (ANHA) is the tribally-designated housing agency for the Apsaalooké (Crow) Tribe. This grant will support a comprehensive housing needs assessment for the Apsaalooké Nation, build staff capacity for conducting needs assessments, and help AHNA develop programming for the planned permanent supportive housing hotel in Hardin, Montana. ANHA will hire a consultant to plan and design the survey tool. The consultant will train staff to conduct the survey on the Crow Reservation, collect and analyze survey results, and share the results with stakeholders and the community. The assessment results will be used to apply for funding to meet the housing needs on the Crow Reservation. MTHF funding will be used for consulting costs and staff time and training. To complete these tasks, ANHA will partner with the Crow Tribe and Plenty Doors Community Development Corporation. The Crow Tribal Health Department will also be a pivotal partner in developing a plan to provide health and related services for the permanent supporting housing project in Hardin.

Grant Amount

$104,181

Term

12 month

2024

Building Organizational Resilience

The Arlee Community Development Corporation (ACDC) seeks to address social needs and increase resiliency and self-suficiency for residents of the Jocko Valley and the Flathead Indian Reservation. This grant will support staff and board capacity building and development of a strategic plan, with a focus on ensuring the organization's long-term sustainability in preparation for the current Executive Director’s planned retirement. ACDC will recruit and train a Leadership Advisory Board, which, in turn, will lead the recruitment, selection, and training of a new Executive Director. MTHF funds will be used to support staff salaries to lead this effort. Partners include the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSKT), CSKT Tribal Health, CSKT Food Sovereignty Program, Salish Kootenai College Extension, and Mission Mountain Food Enterprises.

Grant Amount

$30,000

Term

12 month

2024

Rural Health Center Integrated Behavioral Health Project

Big Sandy Medical Center (BSMC) is a 25-bed critical access hospital with a rural health clinic that has served northcentral Montana since 1965. The clinic cares for 2700 patients annually from the Big Sandy community and surrounding rural areas, including the Rocky Boy’s reservation and Hutterite colonies. This project aims to integrate behavioral health services into the standard care provided at BSMC, enhancing its ability to address the community's mental health needs. BSMC will recruit and onboard a part-time mental health professional (LCPC/LCSW) to improve outcomes for patients with identified mental health conditions or those at risk for such conditions. It will also employ an RN as a care coordinator to optimize care for patients identified as ‘at risk’ of mental health concern development or crisis. Grant funds will support a portion of the salary for a part-time behavioral health provider and RN care coordinator, staff training, the development of mental health screening protocols, and the establishment of a sustainable framework for ongoing mental health care within the facility. Primary partners are the Chouteau County Health Department and Big Sandy Public Schools. BSMC also partners with AWARE's medical director for supervision of its psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner.

Grant Amount

$125,000

Term

36 months

2024

Expanding Empaths: Implementing Collaborative Care in the Perinatal Care Setting

Billings Clinic is a not-for-profit, community-owned and governed, multi-specialty group practice serving multiple regions throughout southeast and south-central Montana, including Crow and Northern Cheyenne Tribal Members. This project will expand and transition Billings Clinic's current reproductive behavioral health care program to an integrated behavioral health model. Billings Clinic will implement Collaborative Care services in its OB/GYN clinic to provide routine screening, care management, peer support, and therapeutic and psychiatric services for perinatal women. Grant funds will support a full-time behavioral health care manager and a portion of the project director's salary. Billings Clinic actively partners with One Health, which provides a recovery doula to OB/GYN patients.

Grant Amount

$149,987

Term

24 month

2024

Expanding Empaths: Implementing Integrated Behavioral Health and the Collaborative Care Model in the Pediatric Setting.

Billings Clinic is a not-for-profit, community-owned and governed, multi-specialty group practice serving multiple regions throughout southeast and south-central Montana, including Crow and Northern Cheyenne Tribal Members. Billings Clinic will implement Integrated Behavioral Health (IBH) within the pediatric primary care department using the Collaborative Care (CoCM) model to serve vulnerable patients' needs better. The goal of this project is to routinely screen all patients ages 11-18 for mental health conditions, social determinants needs, and substance use concerns. Billings Clinic will implement a team-based approach as a best practice model of care. The funding provided by MTHF will support personnel dedicated to the project, including an additional 1.0 FTE behavioral health care manager and a portion of the project director's salary. Many of the partners for this project include internal Billings Clinic departments that will be cross-trained to work with the perinatal and pediatric departments and the psychiatry residency program to provide psychiatric consultation for the CoCM implementation. Billings Clinic will also partner with graduate social work and/or counseling programs to host practicum students, generating further revenue to support program sustainability.

Grant Amount

$174,592

Term

36 month

2024

Improving Systems and Sustainability for Mental and Behavioral Health

Billings Public Schools (BPS) serves 16,675 students in grades pre-k through 12th grade across thirty-three school buildings, educating 10% of all K-12 public school students in the state. This project will implement a sustainable multi-tiered system of support for behavioral health to proactively address students' needs by aligning academic standards and behavioral expectations. BPS will do this by engaging with a consultant to develop a vision and comprehensive implementation plan based on assessing the needs for improving student wellness and behavioral health. Grant funds will support the consultant, staff time to support the project, supplies, and meetings. BPS will partner with Riverstone Health, which operates two school-based health centers and provides behavioral health support through another grant-funded project; they also hope to strengthen their partnership with the Billings Urban Indian Health Center through this project.

Grant Amount

$75,000

Term

24 month

2024

Maintenance and Expansion of Integrated Behavioral Health

Bitterroot Health is a critical access hospital in Hamilton with 24 acute care beds, more than 90 medical providers, and 14 associated primary and specialty clinics. Since 1931, its mission has been to provide quality, accessible, and personalized healthcare to Bitterroot Valley residents. This grant will enable Bitterroot Health to expand its integrated behavioral health project from two to five rural health clinics in Ravalli County. It will hire a behavioral health care manager in the first year of the grant and two more in the second year. It will also establish new partnerships for psychiatric consultation and clinical supervision to support its program objectives, community needs, and patient volumes. Grant funds will primarily support the behavioral health staff positions, with a portion used for developing and sustaining integrated care in Bitterroot Health's clinics.

Grant Amount

$125,000

Term

24 month

2024

Strategic Planning

The Butte Native Wellness Center (BNWC) is an urban Indian health center based in Butte. This project will help the organization develop a strategic plan and will support training for its staff. Strategic planning is a top priority for BNWC, which has a new executive director, nine new staff members, and three new board members. A comprehensive strategic plan will allow the organization to plan, implement, and evaluate its programs in a more effectively to achieve better outcomes for the community it serves. The grant will support a site visit to Southcentral Foundation, emphasizing learning about integrated care teams, workforce development, data and information management, and integrated behavioral health. A consultant will work with organizational leadership to develop the strategic plan.

Grant Amount

$50,000

Term

12 month

2024

Reservation School Based Behavioral Health Services

The Confederated Salish & Kootenai (CSKT) is located on the Flathead Reservation in Western Montana and is home to three tribes: Bitterroot Salish; Upper Pend d’Oreille; and Kootenai. CSKT Tribal Health offers both in-person and telehealth services, and provides wrap-around services including audiology and speech therapy, behavioral health, dental, medical and community health, optical services, pharmacies, physical therapy, radiology, and health and wellness. The goal for this project is to establish a comprehensive school-based behavioral health care program to improve the mental well-being of students and school staff by providing accessible, on-site services throughout the Flathead reservation. They will start their school-based program by serving Polson School District, Ronan School District, Charlo School District, and St Ignatius School District. In the initially proposed service area, there are 15 schools identified as high priority schools. Polson includes five Title I schools and one Targeted school, Ronan includes two Title I schools and one Targeted School, Charlo includes 2 Title I schools and one Targeted School, and St. Ignatius includes three Title I schools. They will accomplish their goal by developing a school-based health program and hiring a full-time behavioral health provider to serve the schools. As part of their project, CSKT will also partner with Logan Health. Logan Health will provide medical services to two of the school districts, Charlo and St Ignatius with their mobile medical unit. CSKT and Logan Health will participate in joint planning to serve those two districts together to provide both medical and behavioral health services. Grant funds to CSKT will be used for towards the salary and fringe for the new full-time behavioral health provider that will serve the schools.

Grant Amount

$300,000

Term

24 month

2024

Feeding Our People White Clay

The Day Eagle Hope Project is a Native nonprofit organization addressing food security in the Fort Belknap Indian Community. This planning grant will be used to complete a business plan to sustain the Fort Belknap Indian Community’s bison herd as an ongoing food source for the community. Our funds will be used for a consultant and the Day Eagle Hope Project Director's salary. This organization worked with the tribe to develop the proposal and included a letter of support from the Fort Belknap Indian Community.

Grant Amount

$50,000

Term

12 month

2024

Crisis Response in Frontier Regions

This is an invited proposal from Eastern Montana Community Mental Health Center (EMCMHC) to expand their crisis work in the Eastern region. EMCMHC is the primary mental health and substance use organization in 17 Eastern Montana Counties. The proposal seeks to add two additional counties (Rosebud and Treasure) to the existing five counties that are currently being served with a mobile crisis platform. Other counties in the region are either already using or will be using the platform through other private and public grants. The proposal will also utilize funds to expand FTE for the existing coordinator and care manager. These two positions will work in tandem to ensure clients are connected and the communities and their stakeholders/coalitions are supported. Eastern will contract with a company called Avel, which will train 1st responders on utilizing mobile tablets to connect to on-call psychiatric nurses.

Grant Amount

$70,700

Term

18 month

2024

Elmore Roberts

Elmore Roberts is a historic commercial and residential building with 60 units located in downtown Great Falls. The tenants living in Elmore Roberts all earn less than 50% of the Area Median Income. Through this program-related investment (PRI), we will support the acquisition, preservation, and rehabilitation of these affordable housing units. The renovations will include low VOC vinyl plank flooring, formaldehyde-free cabinets and counters, low VOC paint, and low flow plumbing fixtures, along with exterior improvements such as updated energy-rated windows, paint, roof replacement, and siding repair. The renovation will also enhance ADA accessibility. The project will carry a 51-year Land Use Restriction Agreement, which ensures long-term affordability. This PRI will leverage nearly $12 million, including $5 million in private loan funds, $5.6 million in Low-Income Housing Credits, more than $900,000 in historic tax credits, and an investment of $130,000 from the Great Falls Tax Increment Financing District which demonstrates strong local commitment to the project. Partners include NeighborWorks Great Falls and the City of Great Falls.

Grant Amount

$600,000

Term

Other

2024

Acute Intervention Medical Clinic

Emma’s House is a nationally accredited Children’s Advocacy Center in Ravalli County, serving as a resource for children and adolescents who have experienced abuse. Through this grant, Emma’s House will plan and begin to implement acute medical exams for child and adolescent victims of sexual and physical assault and drug endangerment. The grant will allow Emma’s House to obtain additional equipment, training, and certification to conduct acute exams within 72 hours of incidents of abuse. Grant funds will support a portion of project staff time, contracts for on-call providers, training, and a limited pharmacy license. The project relies on and benefits from partnerships with Bitterroot Health, FirstSTEP Resource Center, Sapphire Community Health, Ravalli County Attorney and Sheriff’s Office, DPHHS Child and Family Services Division, and Bitterroot Drug.

Grant Amount

$35,840

Term

12 month

2024

Establishing Youth Maternity Home as a Licensed Medicaid Residential Setting

Florence Crittenton provides trauma-responsive care, family-centered support, and services to parents and children throughout Montana. Through this grant, it will work to improve Medicaid reimbursement for their youth maternity home, which serves young mothers aged 12-21 and their children. Establishing a reliable funding source will allow Florence Crittenton to fund these services and expand the number of clients the program can serve. The grant will support staff time to carry out the analysis required to establish a new Medicaid rate and engage DPHHS and critical partners in serving this population. Primary partners include the DPHHS Child and Family Service Division, the Early Childhood Services Bureau, the Montana Board of Crime Control, and Youth Courts and Juvenile Probation.

Grant Amount

$50,000

Term

12 month

2024

Public Partnerships & Sustainability for Long Term Youth Mentoring

Friends of the Children (Friends-Eastern) provides intensive youth mentoring services in Eastern Montana, with a primary location in Billings. Friends-Eastern is currently primarily reliant on private donations. With this grant, Friends-Eastern will hire a contractor to explore the potential for reimbursement for mentoring services through public agencies and programs, with a goal of securing at least 30% public, sustainable revenue. The executive director and board will work with the contractor during 2025 to identify and hire the contractor, then launch funding partnerships that best fit with their mission and model. Funds will be used to pay for a contractor and the partial salary of the executive director to oversee the project. Friends-Eastern will partner with Billings and Lockwood public schools, and DPHHS Child and Family Services (Region III), to enroll and serve Eastern Montana children.

Grant Amount

$25,000

Term

12 month

2024

Preservation of Eight Affordable Housing Properties

This PRI to Good Housing Partnership (GHP) will provide $500,000 in predevelopment financing to assist in acquiring, renovating, and preserving affordability for 321 housing units in eight existing housing developments in Kalispell, Columbia Falls, Deer Lodge, and Libby. The PRI will fund the assessments required for each property to access Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC), which are reimbursed at the closing of the LIHTC partnership. Of the 321 units to be preserved, 148 serve families, and 173 are for seniors and people with disabilities. Rents are targeted to be affordable to people earning less than 70% of Area Median Income. HUD subsidies are available to ensure that households do not pay more than 30% of their income toward rent, regardless of their income. The $500,000 PRI will be repaid with 2% interest at the closing of the LIHTC deal, which will happen within 12 months of the date of this PRI. The PRI will leverage $62.4 million in bond financing and LIHTCs that make up the full financing package for this multi-site project.

Grant Amount

$500,000

Term

Other

2024

The Resilience Lab

Helena Indian Alliance will partner with Helena High School to plan and pilot the “Resiliency Lab,” an innovative solution to the growing mental health crisis among Montana youth. The project will create a trauma-informed eight-week curriculum for staff, weekly educational offerings, and evidence-based therapeutic modalities for students. The project is coordinated with a new school-based health center run by Helena Indian Alliance. The Resiliency Lab program will help the school implement supports that benefit all students, allowing the clinic to focus on students needing a higher level of care. The project aims to improve academic and health outcomes across the student body. Grant funds will be used for staff salaries, supplies, travel, contracts, and communications. The partner for this project is Helena School District, specifically Helena High School.

Grant Amount

$50,000

Term

24 month

2024

Facility improvements

The Helena Indian Alliance (HIA) is an Urban Indian Organization and a federally qualified health center look-alike that serves the Native American population in Lewis and Clark County. This project will support renovating and expanding HIA's behavioral health clinic space and implementing a new electronic health records system. Together, these improvements will help HIA expand access to behavioral health services and improve their ability to deliver integrated behavioral health in the primary care setting. Grant funds will support consultants for the facility design, and electronic health record data migration and implementation. Partners include SMA Architects for the behavioral health unit expansion and eCW for the electronic health records systems.

Grant Amount

$100,000

Term

12 month

2024

Park County Housing Coalition Capacity-Building and Sustainability

This grant will support staffing costs for the Park County Housing Coalition as they implement the 2022 Park County Housing Action Plan. HRDC IX currently staffs the Coalition, which intends to become an independent organization. MTHF funds will support two primary activities outlined in the Community Health Improvement Plan. The first is facilitating collaboration among local healthcare and social service providers to improve the community's use of Coordinated Entry Systems (CES) to assist people experiencing homelessness. Like many rural communities, the use of CES is inconsistent and does not include the local hospital emergency department, where many people experiencing homelessness or unstable, unsafe housing often require care. Adding Livingston Health Care to CES addresses a gap in the data used to guide emergency housing decisions. MTHF funds will also support staff responsible for developing the organizational capacity for the coalition to successfully and sustainably operate as an independent organization and continue to build effective programming to serve the needs of people experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity.

Grant Amount

$24,999

Term

12 month

2024

Housing First Village Supportive Housing Project

HRDC IX is a nonprofit Community Action Agency serving Gallatin, Park, and Meagher counties with programming that includes housing, energy, food, community transportation, early childhood education, and services for the elderly. HRDC IX has particpated in MTHF's Housing is Healthcare initiative since 2018. In that time, they planned, financed, and built, and began to house clients in the "Housing First Village." This innovative program permanent supportive services to people who are chronically homeless and require frequent emergency medical care and corrections interventions. This grant will help HRDC enhance the services provided on site through new and expanded partnerships with clinical providers as well as through exploring the feasibility of providing certain Medicaid services directly. Specifically, HRDC will explore providing the tennancy support services (newly approved for Medicaid reimbursement) and other Medicaid services independently. In addition, HRDC will work to expand the current partnership with Community Health Partners for medical and behavioral health services, and work L'Esprit to secure services from its newly-formed PACT team for residents in need of intensive services. MHCF funds will support staff time to develop onsite services with CHP and L’Esprit and explore the implementation of Medicaid billable services, including the upcoming tenancy support services waiver.

Grant Amount

$45,000

Term

12 month

2024

Priorities

Years

Regions

Tribes

259 results

The Merger for a Mission Project

Grant Amount

$50,000

Term

12 month

2025

Strategic Communications Development and Support

Grant Amount

$50,000

Term

24 month

2025

Psych on Peds: Program Development

Grant Amount

$50,000

Term

12 month

2025

Improving Perinatal Mental Health in Southeastern Montana

Grant Amount

$150,000

Term

24 month

2025

National Accreditation for a Tribal College Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program

Grant Amount

$50,000

Term

12 month

2025

Behavioral Health Services in Culbertson Schools

Grant Amount

$50,000

Term

24 month

2025

Homeless to Housed Hub

Grant Amount

$30,000

Term

24 month

2025

Providing Access to Total Health

Grant Amount

$124,976

Term

36 months

2025

Building Sustainable Veterans Support Services

Grant Amount

$50,000

Term

12 month

2025

Occupational Therapy Assistant Program

Grant Amount

$100,000

Term

24 month

2025

Enhancing Student and Staff Wellness

Grant Amount

$75,000

Term

24 month

2025

LST ISDEAA Planning Project

Grant Amount

$200,000

Term

12 month

2025

Enhancing Access and Collaboration: Expanding the Ranger Clinic for Comprehensive Youth Health Services in Park County

Grant Amount

$199,230