Adult Resource Alliance of Yellowstone County 2025

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

Benefis Health System Foundation 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

Blackfeet Community College Department of Nursing 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

Great Plains Veterans Services Center 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

Helena College 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

Montana School Counselor Association 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