Benefis Health System Foundation 2023

Meadowlark Initiative – Benefis Hospitals

Benefis Hospital will continue participating in The Meadowlark Initiative, expanding the mental health services and care coordination it provides to pregnant women in Great Falls and the surrounding areas. Benefis will use this grant mainly to hire an additional licensed behavioral health provider. The new provider will allow the site to treat more patients and shorten wait times for counseling services. Benefis will sustain the position through billing insurance. Partners include Great Falls OB/GYN Associates, Cascade City-County Health Department, and DPHHS Child and Family Services.

Grant Amount

$100,000

Term

24 month

2023

Big Fork School District 2023

Bigfork School-Strengthing Partnerships to Improve Student Health Outcomes

The Big Fork School District operates three schools serving 956 students in grades K-12. This project will support the school district in hiring a family health liaison who will work closely with students, families, and staff to connect with needed resources, including the school-based health center. It will also provide staff training and education on the multi-tiered support structure systems. Grant funds will be used for the school district staff time to support the project, and for staff training. The primary partner is Logan Health, which operates the school-based health center.

Grant Amount

$50,000

Term

24 month

2023

Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority 2023

Engaging Tribal and Rural Communities in the Development of Passenger Rail Services in Southern Montana

The Big Sky Rail Passenger Rail Authority will conduct community engagement in relation to a proposal to renew passenger rail service in southern Montana. This project will support regional meetings in three rural and three Native American communities along the proposed North Coast Hiawatha/Limited Line. The grantee will facilitate these regional discussions to understand transportation needs and assess how the rail line might impact access to health care, employment, and services for residents along the corridor. Partners include 19 counties and three tribes (Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Reservation, Crow Tribe of Montana, and Northern Cheyenne Tribe of the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation). Montana State University-Extension, Amtrak, Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway, and the Montana Department of Transportation are core partners.

Grant Amount

$25,000

Term

12 month

2023

Blackfeet Tribal Health 2023

Blackfeet Meadowlark Initiative

The Blackfeet Tribal Health Department will continue participating in The Meadowlark Initiative and expand integrated, team-based care to pregnant women on the Blackfeet Reservation. Through a partnership with the Women's Clinic at the Indian Health Service (IHS) Blackfeet Community Hospital, Blackfeet Tribal Health will provide behavioral health services to women with mental health issues or substance use disorders. Grant funds will support a care coordinator who will help women access community-based resources to address their social needs. Care will be coordinated with Logan Health in Kalispell and Benefis Health System in Great Falls when appropriate. Partners include IHS, Blackfeet Child Protective Services, and many programs under Blackfeet Tribal Health.

Grant Amount

$100,000

Term

24 month

2023

Broadwater County Public Health Department 2023

Broadwater County Public Health Crisis Resource Coordination

This grant will support Broadwater County to build on the work of the Local Mental Health Advisory Council and develop a strategic plan for an effective behavioral health crisis system. The Broadwater County Health Department will serve as the lead agency. The County is coordinating this effort with Crisis planning work in Jefferson and Lewis and Clark Counties, focusing on aligning resources across the region to implement the Crisis Now model. Other key partners include the Sheriff, County commissioners, Billings Clinic Townsend, Fire and Rescue, and Many Rivers Mental Health Center. Grand funds will support a coordinator and consultants for mapping, strategic planning, and data collection.

Grant Amount

$37,000

Term

18 months

2023

Butte SPIRIT Center 2023

Scaling up Staffing for Womens’ SUD Recovery Home

The Butte SPIRIT Center provides recovery housing and services to those recovering from substance use disorders. This grant will allow the organization to expand on the success of the Butte SPIRIT Home for Men by opening its second recovery home, the Butte SPIRIT Women’s Home. This will be the first licensed recovery home for women with substance use disorders in the Butte area. Grant funds will offset the new home's initial staffing costs (for a residence manager and Licensed Addictions Counselor) until it obtains state certification and can start billing for services. This project builds on a successful planning grant for the women's home, through which Cascadia Management Group facilitated strategic planning and developed an operating plan and budget for the new home. Local partners include the Montana Chemical Dependency Center, Southwest Montana Community Health Center, Action Inc., Montana’s Peer Network, and representatives from existing women’s facilities.

Grant Amount

$100,000

Term

24 month

2023

Clark Fork Valley Hospital 2023

CFVH Medicine Network Behavioral Health Expansion for Long-Term Sustainability

Clark Fork Valley Hospital (CFVH) will improve and expand its integrated behavioral health program (now in its ninth year) by hiring and training new staff to replace a retiring therapist and by increasing addiction counseling and case management services. Over the next two years, CFVH will hire, train, and establish supervision and networking for new team members. Contracting with licensed professionals to supervise pre-licensure clinicians will create a workforce pipeline for its three family medicine clinics. Grant funding will support two full-time staff, including a licensed behavioral health provider or candidate with addiction counseling credentials and a social work care coordinator. Project partners include the Sanders County Commissioners, a local therapist to provide clinical supervision if needed, Western Montana Mental Health Center, AWARE, the Sanders County Council on Aging, and the Sanders County Local Advisory Council.

Grant Amount

$125,000

Term

36 month

2023

Columbia Falls School District #6 2023

HOME – Health Outcomes Made Easy

The Columbia Falls School District is a K-12 district that serves 2,400 students. The district includes two elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school. The goal of the project is to strengthen the partnership with the school-based health center, integrate the school-based health center into the tiered system of support for the students, and develop a student advisory council. They will use the funds towards the salary of the school district staff member supporting the project, staff training, and outreach. The primary partner is Logan Health, which operates the school-based health center.

Grant Amount

$50,000

Term

24 month

2023

Community Food & Agriculture Coalition 2023

The Montana Produce Prescription Collaborative (MTPRx): Mainstreaming Grassroots Projects to Understand Program Impacts on Diabetes and Cholesterol

The Community Food and Agriculture Coalition (CFAC) connects local farmers and families to nurture a strong regional food system. Its food access programming increases access to nutritious, culturally appropriate foods and ensures that local food markets are accessible and equitable. This grant supports CFAC’s expansion and evaluation of their Montana Produce Prescription Collaborative. The collaborative is a Produce Prescription (PPR) program that helps health care providers prescribe locally sourced fruits and vegetables to patients and covers the cost of those items. The PPR program is primarily funded through the USDA's Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP), which incentivizes people to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables. Funds from MHCF will allow CFAC to expand the PPR cohort to three to five new sites. Funds will help with technical assistance and food prescriptions for culturally relevant protein sources not covered by GusNIP (such as bison, lake trout, and beans). Partners committing to participate in expansion sites are All Nations Health Center, Partnership Health Center, and FAST Blackfeet. The project will also allow CFAC to evaluate the program's impact on nutrition and related health outcomes among food-insecure people with diet-related chronic medical issues such as diabetes and high cholesterol.

Grant Amount

$47,000

Term

12 month

2023

Crow Tribe Health & Human Services 2023

Crow Nation Strategy for a Sacred Way of Life

This project will support the Crow Tribe in developing a strategic plan (the Crow Nation Strategy for A Sacred Way of Life) to address health disparities through an Indigenous health care model that incorporates Crow healing philosophy and cultural practices. The strategic plan will create a business model and an implementation plan that outlines the operational, financial, and program development steps needed to advance the tribe's vision for its health system. Grant funds will support the strategic planning process and a site visit to Southcentral Foundation. Project partners include the Crow Tribal Health Improvement Program, One Health, the Indian Health Service Crow Service Unit, and other local partners working to serve the Crow community.

Grant Amount

$116,000

Term

12 month

2023

Dodson School District 2023

Dodson School Mental and Physical Health Plan

The Dodson School District will partner with Fort Belknap Tribal Health to improve the health and education outcomes of the students it serves. The Dodson School District is a K-12 public school district in Northcentral Montana serving 85 students, 94% of which are Native American. Fort Belknap Tribal Health received a grant from MHCF in 2022 to implement school-based health centers in Dodson, Harlem, and Hayes-Lodge Pole. This grant will facilitate Dodson School District’s participation in planning, implementation, and sustainability activities in collaboration with Fort Belknap Tribal Health for the school-based health center. As part of this project, the district will identify a staff member to work directly with tribal health. It will also install vape detectors to deter vaping in bathrooms and locker rooms and implement a prevention curriculum. Grant funds will be used to support the project director, supplies, development of a prevention curriculum, and motivational speakers. The vape detectors support the drug-free environment that the district is striving for and will also help the school identify students that would benefit from services. The goal of the partnership between the district and tribal health is to improve the school climate and positively impact disciplinary procedures.

Grant Amount

$50,000

Term

24 month

2023

Fort Peck Tribal Health Department 2023

Fort Peck Tribes and Roosevelt County Crisis Coalition Planning Grant Project

This grant will support the Fort Peck Tribes in developing a crisis coalition that will serve the reservation and Roosevelt County. The coalition will bring together diverse partners on the Fort Peck Reservation and in Roosevelt County to collaborate on improving their community's behavioral health crisis response system. The coalition will engage health and justice system partners, develop a charter, analyze data related to the behavioral health crisis in the community, create a sequential intercept map of the current crisis system, and develop a strategic plan for improving the local crisis response system according to evidence-based guidelines. Grant funds will be used to hire a crisis coalition coordinator. Primary project partners are the Fort Peck Tribe and Roosevelt County. Coalition partners will include the local justice system, health system, first responders, schools, public health, and other community organizations.

Grant Amount

$35,000

Term

24 month

2023

Gallatin County 2023

Gallatin Regional Day Treatment School

Gallatin County will develop a business plan for a regional day treatment school for youth that require access to behavioral health services throughout the school day. The county will work closely with the Gallatin Behavioral Health Coalition youth committee to develop a detailed plan for the implementation and sustainability of a day treatment school. The school will provide educational and health services to students with intensive behavioral health needs. Grant funds will be used to contract with a planning consultant, who will provide research, analysis, facilitation, and planning services. Partners include the Bozeman School District, Madison/Gallatin Special Education Co-op, Belgrade School District, Youth Dynamics, Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch, AWARE, Community Health Partners, Gallatin County Behavioral Health Coalition, and Intermountain.

Grant Amount

$50,000

Term

12 month

2023

Helena Indian Alliance 2023

Lewis and Clark County School Based Mental Health 

Helena Indian Alliance is an Urban Indian Health Center and a federally qualified health center look-alike. Through this grant Helena Indian Alliance will implementing school-based health care services in two schools in the Helena School District, Helena High School and CR Anderson Middle School. Initially, they will provide behavioral health services, and they will explore implementing medical services in the future. Grant funds will be used towards the salaries of the behavioral health providers. The primary partner for the project is Helena School District. 

Grant Amount

$125,000

Term

24 month

2023

Helena School District 2023

Helena Public Schools SBHC Implementation Grant

The Helena School District is a public school with 16 schools serving over 7,000 prekindergarten through 12th-grade students in the Helena area. This project will help the district implement school-based health services in its schools in partnership with the Helena Indian Alliance and PureView Health Center. Grant funds will be used to support the salary of the director of student health services. This position oversees district programming and services which support student mental and physical health, including school-based health and school-based health centers.

Grant Amount

$75,000

Term

12 month

2023

Homeword, Inc. 2023

Creekside Apartments

Homeword, Inc. is working to secure financing to preserve the affordability of Creekside Apartments in the long-term, and carry out a rehabilitation that will improve the safety and quality of these 161 rental units in Missoula. Homeword is a nonprofit housing developer that has created or preserved 1,319 affordable units across the state. The property's rehabilitation will provide new siding, roofing, windows, mechanical systems, and plumbing systems, among other improvements. The resulting modifications will improve housing quality and reduce safety risks to tenants. Creekside Apartments was purchased by Homeward in 2017 and is a mix of studios, one, two, and three bedrooms, targeted to households earning between 50 and 60% of the area median income. The homes were developed in 1996 using the low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) program. Language included in the state's qualified allocation plan when the project was developed would allow the project to exit the LIHTC program and its corresponding affordability restrictions without penalty in 2026 or possibly even earlier. In areas with strong rental markets, characterized by escalating rents and low vacancies, projects like Creekside (located near the University of Montana) are at high risk of conversion to market rate rentals, resulting in displacement of low- and moderate-income renters. In recognition of this risk, Homeword partnered with the City of Missoula, First Security Bank, and NeighborWorks Montana to purchase the property and prevent the displacement of low- and moderate-income households. The financing structure – which includes a mix of LIHTC, a city-issued bond, financing from CDFI NeighborWorks Montana, and state and local grant sources – allowed Homeword to make an offer competitive with speculative market offers while making interest-only payments supported by affordable rents. With this financing package, Homeword will preserve and extend the affordability of the property while carrying out an extensive renovation that will substantially improve quality and safety. MHCF’s relatively small contribution of long-term, low-cost debt will help Homeword to complete the project without accumulating an operating deficit that could threaten its viability in the long term.

Grant Amount

$300,000

Term

Other

2023

Hopa Mountain 2023

Local Food for Local Families

Hopa Mountain will lead the Local Food for Local Families initiative, a collaborative effort with Mission West Community Development Partners, Local Food Marketplace, Livingston Food Resource Center, Community Food and Agriculture Coalition (CFAC), Western Montana Growers Cooperative, Great Northern Development Corporation (GNDC), and the Montana Food Bank Network. This network supports the development, coordination, and expansion of rural and tribal food pantries and food hubs to increase access to healthy, locally produced food in food deserts across the state. Project partners provide peer-to-peer capacity building and technical assistance to help new and prospective food pantries develop plans to source local foods and create revenue-generating strategies. Annual Local Food Summits present an opportunity for project partners to share information and build relationships. MHCF funds will be used for the Local Food Outreach Coordinator staff position and contracts with partner organizations providing technical assistance. The grant leverages an award from USDA’s Local Food Promotion Program and proposes an evaluation of key data, including information about purchases of local and regional agricultural products, as compared to baseline information gathered in 2017.

Grant Amount

$50,000

Term

12 month

2023

Human Resource Development Council of District IX, Inc. 2023

Quality Improvements in Supportive Housing

HRDC IX is a nonprofit Community Action Agency serving Gallatin, Park, and Meagher counties. It provides an array of programming to support people and families in need, including housing, energy, food, community transportation, early childhood education, and services for older adults. This project will support partnership development to improve the identification of people who will benefit most from permanent supportive housing. Identification requires matching data from hospital emergency departments, corrections, and homelessness information systems. Data matching will improve resident selection processes for existing supportive housing units and provide better data regarding cost savings and resident outcomes to support funding and policy decisions. Funds will support staff time to collect data, evaluate systems for improvement, build partnerships, and explore the implementation of Medicaid billable services. Partners include the Gallatin Detention Center, Bozeman Health, and Community Health Partners.

Grant Amount

$50,000

Term

12 month

2023

Indian Family Health Clinic 2023

Strengthening Urban Indian Health Care

The Indian Family Health Clinic (IFHC) is an urban Indian health center based in Great Falls that provides culturally-informed medical, behavioral health, and wellness programs to nearly 7,000 American Indian people in Cascade County. This project will help IFHC develop a five-year strategic plan to support the organization’s effectiveness, sustainability, and partnership with the Little Shell Tribe. Grant funds will support consultation services, staff training, and a site visit to Alaska Southcentral Foundation to learn about the integrated behavioral health model and how to implement these best practices within the system.

Grant Amount

$109,400

Term

12 month

2023

Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Montana 2023

Strategic Planning Site Visit

Members of the Little Shell Tribe’s leadership team and tribal council will travel to Southcentral Foundation (SCF) in Anchorage, Alaska, for a week-long site visit. This visit will support their ongoing strategic planning work with SCF. SCF's Nuka System of Care is a nationally-recognized, award-winning health care system that provides comprehensive, integrated services to support physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual wellness. Grant funds will support travel and site visit costs.

Grant Amount

$42,000

Term

12 month

2023

Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Montana 2023

Little Shell Tribe Food Security & Food Sovereignty

The Little Shell Tribe will begin building a sustainable food system by implementing a program to provide healthy foods to members who experience food insecurity and have limited access to healthy foods. Funding will be used to hire a project coordinator to develop processes, procedures, and policies for the program while defining a sustainable strategy. The tribe currently has a storage facility and distribution center, and the coordinator will arrange food acquisition, delivery, and distribution. Partners include the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, the Great Falls Community Food Bank, USDA, Clause Law PLLC, the Little Shell Elder's Committee, Silver Wolf Enterprises, and other Little Shell Tribal Health programs. 

Grant Amount

$100,000

Term

24 month

2023

Logan Health Cut Bank 2023

Logan Health- Cut Bank School Based Clinic

Logan Health-Cut Bank is a critical access hospital and rural health clinic serving Glacier County and surrounding communities. With this project, Logan Health-Cut Bank will create a new school-based health center that will improve access to high-quality, affordable health care for students and staff in the Cut Bank School District. The school-based health center will serve over 700 students and 150 school district staff. The school-based health center will be located at the middle school and will serve all eight schools in the district. The services will include primary care and behavioral health services. Grant funds will be used towards the salaries of the medical providers and project supplies. The primary partner is Cut Bank School District.

Grant Amount

$200,000

Term

24 month

2023

Marias Healthcare Services, Inc. 2023

School-Based Healthcare Services in Schools – Montana’s Golden Triangle Region

Marias Healthcare Services is a Community Health Center serving four counties in Montana’s Golden Triangle Region, along with patients from Great Falls and Havre. Through this grant, Marias Healthcare will develop school-based health centers in Valier, Sunburst, and Shelby School Districts, improving access to high-quality, affordable health services and, in turn, supporting better academic outcomes for approximately 680 students. The services will include primary care, mental health screening and referral, diabetes screening, preventive care, and vision screening. Grant funds will be used towards the startup costs, including salaries of the medical providers, recruitment fees, and project supplies. The project partners are the three school districts served: Valier Public Schools, Sunburst Public Schools, and Shelby Public Schools.

Grant Amount

$286,280

Term

24 month

2023

Missoula County Public Schools 2023

Integrated School-Based Supports: A Vision for Coordinated Care

The Missoula County Public Schools District (MCPS) is a K-12 district that serves 9,763 students. The district includes nine elementary schools, three middle schools, and three high schools. The goal of the project is to implement the Community Schools model and the multi-tiered systems of support structure within the district. They will do this by developing an organizational and operational infrastructure to weave together school, home, and community resources, including health, children, and family resources. They will use the funds to hire a school coordinator at one of the identified high-priority schools with the goal of developing the framework to expand to the rest of the district. They will partner closely with Partnership Health, which operates the school-based health center in the district.

Grant Amount

$75,000

Term

12 month

2023

Mitchell Court LLLP 2023

Mitchell Court Apartments

Mitchell Court is a proposed 32-unit Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) new construction project in Billings. The housing will include a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments targeted to be affordable to households earning less than 60% of the Area Median Income (AMI). MHCF funds will leverage approximately $5.4 million in Low-Income Housing Tax Credits and over $3.2 million in funds from Montana's coal trust and HOME Investment Partnership programs. In a demonstration of local commitment, the City of Billings has also preliminarily committed HOME funds totaling $1.2 million and $350,000 in Tax Increment Financing. This project will carry a 51-year Land Use Restriction Agreement (LURA), ensuring long-term affordability. The proposed development shares common amenities with a neighboring project, Jackson Court, creating efficiencies for property management and tenants. The project is well-served by public transportation and is near schools and parks, ideal for a family-focused development. MHCF funds will allow health-enhancing design elements, including ADA features that minimize fall and injury risk and improve accessibility for disabled residents, and low VOC materials, electric ranges and ovens, hard surface floors, and quality HVAC systems that reduce building elements known to exacerbate asthma and increase the risk of respiratory illness and falls. Additionally, funds will be used to implement the physical and site improvements the Billings Crime Prevention recommended through the Environmental Design initiative and for a walking and exercise path. Partners include HomeFront (the Billings-area housing authority), Big Sky Senior Services, Living Independently for Today and Tomorrow, Montana Department of Commerce, and the City of Billings.

Grant Amount

$750,000

Term

Other

2023

Montana Consortium for Urban Indian Health 2023

MCUIH Workforce Pipeline Program

This one year planning grant to the Native American Development Corporation will support the Montana Consortium of Urban Indian Health (MCUIH) to assess and begin to design a workforce pipeline to meet the staffing needs of the urban Indian health centers of Montana. The overall goal of MCUIH's Urban Indian Organization (UIO) Workforce Pipeline Program is to build a comprehensive approach to recruiting, training, and retaining talent, with a focus on developing skills and competencies that align with the UIOs business objectives. The program will assess the current and future workforce needs of each UIO, effective ways to recruit and attract talent, provide training and development opportunities, and focus on retaining and engaging talent. The ultimate goal is to build a robust health care workforce for each UIO that meets their individual and group needs and helps ensure that each UIO remains competitive and successful in the years ahead. Funds will be used to support MCUIH staff time and small portion for contractor to support workforce assessment for each urban program.

Grant Amount

$50,000

Term

12 month

2023

Montana Consortium for Urban Indian Health 2023

Workforce Pipeline Program

This project will support the Montana Consortium of Urban Indian Health (MCUIH) in assessing and beginning to design a workforce pipeline to meet the staffing needs of the urban Indian health centers of Montana. The overall goal of MCUIH's Urban Indian Organization (UIO) Workforce Pipeline Program is to build a comprehensive approach to recruiting, training, and retaining talent, focusing on developing skills and competencies that align with the UIO's business objectives. The program will assess the current and future workforce needs of each UIO, effective ways to recruit and attract talent, provide training and development opportunities, and focus on retaining and engaging talent. The ultimate goal is to build a robust healthcare workforce for each UIO that meets their individual and group needs and helps ensure that each UIO remains competitive and successful in the years ahead. Funds will support MCUIH staff time and a small portion for contractors to support workforce assessment for each urban program.

Grant Amount

$50,000

Term

12 month

2023

Montana Cooperative Development Center 2023

Advancing Cooperative Initiatives in Montana Communities

Montana Cooperative Development Center (MCDC) works with communities to develop new and support existing cooperatives and evaluate cooperative business models to meet their objectives. Cooperatives are member-owned businesses that operate for the benefit of members rather than earning profits for investors. This project will develop four new housing and local food cooperatives in rural and tribal communities. Funds will support community engagement, in-person informational sessions, training, and technical assistance to build capacity in rural and tribal communities and develop housing and local cooperatives. These in-person events will be supplemented by the development of an online knowledge hub, including toolkits for housing and food cooperatives adapted to Montana's regulatory environment. MCDC supports communities through all phases of cooperative development, from concept exploration and planning to legal organization establishing operations. MDCD anticipates supporting up to four new cooperatives during the course of the grant.

Grant Amount

$50,000

Term

12 month

2023

Montana Homeownership Network 2023

Montana Native Homeownership Coalition and Montana Housing Conference

The Montana Native Homeownership Coalition will host its third in-person gathering in conjunction with the annual Montana Housing Conference. The coalition has 178 members and includes representation from seven tribes. Attending the conference will allow coalition members to connect with and learn from other housing stakeholders. The coalition gathering will be an opportunity for all members to build relationships with their peers, receive updates on projects in progress, learn about future work, and become more engaged. Grant funds will support travel and registration fees for 25 coalition members representing tribes and Native organizations.

Grant Amount

$29,250

Term

12 month

2023

Montana Innocence Project 2023

Exploratory Behavioral Health Collaboration for Reentering Community Members

The Montana Innocence Project (MTIP) works with clients who are released from prison to support a successful return to society. This planning grant will help MTIP develop a sustainable behavioral health support model for people reentering the community following incarceration. The grantee will use an innovative partnership with the University of Montana, through which social work students will engage with 12 clients held in Montana State Prison, Montana Women’s Prison, and CoreCivic correctional facilities and develop personal case plans for reentry. MTIP aims to develop a model that could be replicated by small-budget nonprofit organizations that serve this population, enabling them to provide social and behavioral health resources through shared clinical staff and partnerships with behavioral health training programs. MHCF funds will be used for student stipends, travel costs for client visits, volunteer training, and a portion of MTIP staff time for student supervision and project management. Partners include the University of Montana School of Social Work and College of Business, Welcome Back, and All Nations Health Center.

Grant Amount

$50,000

Term

12 month

2023

Montana Prevention Certification Board 2023

Montana Prevention Certification Administration and Promotion

The Montana Prevention Certification Board is a new non-profit that works statewide to advance the certification of prevention specialists. This grant builds upon an earlier MHCF grant to the University of Montana to establish the certification process and board. The Board’s goal is to broadly implement certification through the prevention workforce and further advance the field of prevention as a viable and effective professional discipline. Once certified, professionals must observe a code of ethical conduct and participate in annual continuing education. Funding will support outreach, marketing, convenings, and a Board Administrator to oversee the work. Partners include key prevention stakeholders in DPHHS, Montana Public Training Institute, Montana Prevention Association, current prevention specialists, and local and tribal public health departments.

Grant Amount

$35,000

Term

12 month

2023

Montana State University - Office of Sponsored Programs 2023

Lessons Learned from Tribes and Urban Indian Organization Response to COVID-19 Pandemic in Montana

The Montana State University Center for Health Equity and Inclusion will work with two tribes and one urban Indian health organization to understand lessons from their COVID-19 response and recovery efforts. This work will identify successes and challenges, changes that could improve response to a future pandemic or emergency, and any specific emergency preparedness needs that would improve pandemic response in the future. The project will result in a strategic planning guide for use by tribes and urban Indian organizations to strengthen emergency preparedness. Funds will support travel and meeting expenses and support the staff and students who will staff the planning process. Partners include Rocky Boy Health Board, CSKT Tribal Health, and Helena Indian Alliance.

Grant Amount

$20,000

Term

12 month

2023

NeighborWorks Great Falls 2023

Baatz Block Apartments

NeighborWorks Great Falls (NWGF) is a nonprofit housing and services provider serving Cascade County. This grant will support planning efforts for the redevelopment of the Baatz Block Apartments in downtown Great Falls into 25 units of permanent supportive housing for people with complex medical conditions who are homeless and require frequent emergency medical services and corrections interventions. Funds will support Beaux-Simone Consulting in working with NWGF and service providers to coordinate roles, responsibilities, budgets, services, gaps, and tenant identification before lease-up. The consultant will train all front-line service staff and develop operations documents, including an operation manual, tenant handbook, and community standards. Community partners include Opportunities, Inc., Great Falls Housing Authority, YWCA, Alluvion, and Many Rivers.

Grant Amount

$50,000

Term

12 month

2023

Northeast Montana Health Services 2023

Northeast Montana Health Services IBH Initiative

Northeast Montana Health Services (NEMHS) is a seven-facility health system, including two critical access hospitals, two primary care clinics, two retail pharmacies, and a long-term care facility, serving Roosevelt County and the Fort Peck Reservation in Northeast Montana. Through this project, NEMHS will implement integrated behavioral health in their two primary care clinics in Wolf Point and Poplar. NEMHS will utilize updated universal screening protocols and increase access to behavioral health care by hiring a care manager, a licensed behavioral health consultant, and a psychiatric nurse practitioner. Funding will support staffing and project oversight. NEHMS will receive technical assistance from the Montana Healthcare Foundation's technical assistance team and data collection and analysis assistance from JG Research and Evaluation. Partnerships for this project include Roosevelt County Health Department, Fort Peck Tribal Health Department, Eastern Montana Community Mental Health Center, Indian Health Services, Spotted Bull Treatment Center, the Fort Peck Tribes Health Promotion Disease Prevention Program, and Red Bird Women's Shelter.

Grant Amount

$300,000

Term

36 month

2023

Northeast Montana Health Services 2023

Northeast Montana Health Services Meadowlark Initiative

Northeast Montana Health Services (NEMHS) is a seven-facility health system, including two critical access hospitals, two primary care clinics, two retail pharmacies, and a long-term care facility, serving Roosevelt County and the Fort Peck reservation in Northeast Montana. Through this project, NEMHS will implement The Meadowlark Initiative® in their two primary care clinics in Wolf Point and Poplar. NEMHS will implement a team-based approach to care for pregnant women, including universal health screening, embedded behavioral health and care coordination supports, robust community partnerships, and defined referral pathways to higher-level treatment when necessary. MHCF contractors and staff will provide technical assistance on the clinical model, and JG Research and Evaluation will provide data collection and analysis support. Grant funds will hire a care coordination and behavioral health provider. Partnerships for this project include Roosevelt County Health Department, Fort Peck Tribal Health Department, Eastern Montana Community Mental Health Center, Indian Health Services, Spotted Bull Treatment Center, the Fort Peck Tribes Health Promotion Disease Prevention Program, and Red Bird Women's Shelter.

Grant Amount

$150,000

Term

36 month

2023

One Health 2023

Hardin Acreage Planning

One Health is a federally qualified health center serving Big Horn County. This project will support planning activities for the development of community housing on a 26-acre parcel in Hardin, including community engagement, the development of a preliminary architectural report, and the creation of a request for proposals for development services. Funds will be used to hire a consultant to lead community engagement efforts to inform this development and ensure robust engagement with the Northern Cheyenne and Crow Tribes. Given their extensive experience working with Native communities across Montana and the nation, One Health will contract with Beaux-Simone Consulting (BSC). Key outcomes include community engagement to inform a preliminary architectural report and the creation of a request for proposals for development services. Additional partners include the City of Hardin, Big Horn County, and Beartooth RC&D.

Grant Amount

$50,000

Term

18 month

2023

Opportunities, Inc. 2023

FUSE Partnership Program

Opportunities, Inc. is the Community Action Program serving Cascade County and provides a wide array of anti-poverty programs, including housing, energy, Head Start, and behavioral health services. This project will support the enhancement of the Great Falls’ work in the Housing is Health Care Initiative, including refining the procedure for identifying people who should be included on the frequent user system engagement (FUSE) list, partnership expansion, and development of a sustainable supportive services package to provide services to people in permanent supportive housing. These issues are more pressing with the anticipated 2024 completion of the Baatz Block Apartments, the community's first single-site permanent supportive housing project. Opportunities, Inc. is the service lead for the new facility. Grant funds will support the staff responsible for convening partners to update the FUSE list parameters, generate the new FUSE list, and create sustainable services for Baatz and FUSE customers within the community. Current partners include NeighborWorks, local justice systems, Many Rivers Whole Health, Indian Family Health Clinic, and Alluvion.

Grant Amount

$25,000

Term

12 month

2023

Partnership Health Center 2023

Sustaining and Expanding the FUSE Initiative in Missoula

Partnership Health Center (PHC) is a federally qualified health center serving Missoula County. With this project, PHC will continue with the development of a sustainable services package for people with complex medical conditions who are homeless and require frequent emergency medical services and corrections interventions. Funds will support a portion of the program manager's salary. The program manager oversees community health workers and community care teams who care for these individuals and will be responsible for the coordination of partners in the development of the service package. PHC will coordinate necessary medical, dental, and behavioral health services, enroll and engage clients in appropriate programs, and help coordinate placement in permanent supportive housing for individuals who will benefit. Partners include the Missoula County Detention Center, the City of Missoula, the Poverello Center, All Nations Health Center, two local hospitals, the Missoula Housing Authority, and Homeword.

Grant Amount

$50,000

Term

12 month

2023

People’s Partners for Community Development 2023

The People’s Garden – Empowering the Northern Cheyenne Community Through Sustainable Agriculture

People’s Partners for Community Development (PPCD) is a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) serving the Northern Cheyenne reservation. PPCD provides a suite of financial services to serve reservation residents and run a mobile meat processing facility and grocery store. The People’s Garden aims to promote sustainable and healthy living among the members of the community by educating them on the resources for healthful eating that are available on their land and how to utilize these resources to improve their overall well-being. The project will establish a community garden in each of the five districts on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation. Through this effort, members of the community will learn and practice sustainable agriculture techniques. The goal is to provide access to fresh, locally grown produce for the community while promoting healthy eating habits and reducing the reliance on imported food items. PPCD will use this opportunity to expand fresh produce availability at Warrior Grocery and establish a farmer's market where the community can sell their produce, including any excess from the garden. The project is expected to be self-sustaining in the long run, with the revenue generated from the farmer's market and grocery store going towards maintaining the gardens and educating the community for generations to come. MHCF funds will be used to create a comprehensive program that develops garden space, provides access to healthy foods, and educates people about the importance of growing and consuming nutritional foods. PPCD will hire a Project Director and a Community Food Resource Coordinator to conduct the proposed activities. Project partners include the Northern Cheyenne Tribe and a local food pantry.

Grant Amount

$50,000

Term

12 month

2023

PureView Health Center 2023

PureView School Based Health Center

Pureview Health Center is a Community Health Center serving Lewis and Clark County and Lincoln. With this project, Pureview Health Center will improve access to high-quality, affordable health care by implementing school-based health care in Helena School District. Initially, they will provide behavioral health services, with the goal of implementing primary care services in years two and three. Grant funds will be used towards the salaries of the clinicians and project supplies. The primary partner for the project is the Helena School District.

Grant Amount

$125,000

Term

36 month

2023

Red Lodge Area Community Foundation 2023

Expanding Rural Affordable Housing

The Red Lodge Area Community Foundation (RLACF) will lead a community-driven effort to create 20 affordable housing units in the Red Lodge area. RLACF plays an essential role in housing and social services in Carbon County. Enrollment for nearly all assistance programs, like SNAP, Section 8, WIC, Energy assistance, and Medicaid, is offered at offices in Billings, which isn't feasible for many residents. Consequently, RLACF stepped in to lead workforce housing efforts, public transportation, service navigation, and enrollment assistance. RLACF's efforts to address workforce housing resulted in a community housing needs assessment and plan, which identified potential development sites across the county. The group has secured a commitment from a landowner in Bridger to purchase two acres for a 20-home development. This project will result in a site development feasibility study informed by a public input process led by RLACF and their contractor. Funds will support staff and contractor time. Partners include members of the Workforce Housing Steering Committee, a broad-based community coalition, the Town of Bridger, Helena Area Habitat for Humanity, Trust Montana, and Beartooth RC&D.

Grant Amount

$37,737

Term

12 month

2023

Rocky Boy Health Board 2023

Nurturing Healthy Moms for Bright Futures

Rocky Boy Health Center (RBHC) is a tribally-led system that provides health care services to the community on the Rocky Boy Reservation in Montana. RBHC offers a full suite of health care and services for over 4,000 people with over 180 employees. The project will establish a model of care that efficiently and effectively tracks and supports high-risk prenatal patients, guiding them through the health care system and other essential support programs. Funding will deploy a specialized RN care coordinator to provide personalized care, collaborating seamlessly with RBHC and external partners, including Northern Montana Hospital, Benefis Hospital, and OB/GYN specialists who provide prenatal services, behavioral health providers, and various tribal programs. By joining The Meadowlark Initiative®, RBHC aspires to measurably improve outcomes for prenatal patients, forging a healthier and more empowered community.

Grant Amount

$150,000

Term

24 month

2023

Roosevelt County Health Department 2023

Roosevelt County and Fort Peck Tribes Crisis Coalition Planning Grant Project

This project will support Roosevelt County in developing a crisis coalition. The coalition will bring together diverse partners from Roosevelt County and the Fort Peck Reservation to collaborate on improving their community's behavioral health crisis response system. Through this project, the coalition will engage health and justice system partners, begin regular coalition meetings, and develop a coalition charter, analyze data related to the behavioral health crisis in the community, create a sequential intercept map of the current crisis system, and begin to develop a strategic plan for improving the local crisis response system according to evidence-based guidelines. This grant is being made in tandem with a grant to the Fort Peck Tribes for the same work, and the county and Tribes have agreed to partner throughout the project. Grant funds will be used to hire a crisis coalition coordinator. Coalition partners will include the local justice system, health system, first responders, schools, public health, and other community organizations.

Grant Amount

$35,000

Term

24 month

2023

School Administrators of Montana 2023

Strengthening Initiatives in School-Based Behavioral Health Services in Montana

The School Administrators of Montana (SAM) is a nonprofit organization supporting the professional needs of more than 1000 public school leaders across Montana. There are six affiliate organizations that make up the SAM Governing Board. Those groups include superintendents, high school principals, elementary principals, special education directors, technology directors, and county superintendents. The project aims to strengthen partnerships to support school-based health services. They will do this by completing a formal inventory of school-based health services, developing a resource guide, and providing technical assistance to schools and health partners. Grant funds will be used for staff, contracts, and travel for meetings. The confirmed partners for the project are the Office of Public Instruction, the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, the University of Montana's Montana Safe Schools Center, and the SAM-associated affiliates.

Grant Amount

$75,000

Term

24 month

2023

St. Peter's Health Foundation 2023

Helena FUSE: CSH Contract

St. Peter’s Health Foundation will continue to serve as Helena’s lead organization in implementing the frequent user's systems engagement (FUSE) model, which seeks to reduce adverse health impacts among community members experiencing homelessness who are also high utilizers of emergency departments and correction services. St. Peter's has built strong community partnerships with the Helena Housing Authority, PureView Health, housing and shelter providers, and the City of Helena in implementing their FUSE work. St. Peter's has committed two community health workers to coordinate care for customers identified through FUSE data matches to fill gaps identified in the community. Grant funds will secure technical assistance from the Corporation for Supportive Housing to develop a more sustainable services package and conduct a Housing is Health Care summit for landlords, city and county officials, and other community stakeholders.

Grant Amount

$15,000

Term

12 month

2023

The City of Missoula, Community Planning, Development & Innovation 2023

Built for Zero Project Management

The City of Missoula will participate in a second action cycle in the Built for Zero Program. Built for Zero is a national model that uses community collaboration and data analysis to address homelessness in the community. During the first action cycle, in conjunction with the Housing is Health Care Initiative, the city made significant progress in data collection and coordinated entry systems, established stronger partnerships, and identified gaps in services and data. The second action cycle aims to enhance the tracking of homelessness exit destinations and outcomes, strengthen community partnerships to address service gaps, and secure sustainable funding for staffing and implementing the community plan. Partners include Missoula County, All Nations Health Center, Partnership Health Center, St. Patrick's Hospital, Missoula Housing Authority, and housing service providers. The insights gained from this work may prove valuable for other Montana communities addressing significant homelessness challenges among their populations.

Grant Amount

$17,000

Term

12 month

2023

The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation 2023

Kaiser Health News Montana News Partnership (2023-2025)

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

2023

The Montana Partnership to End Childhood Hunger Inc. 2023

A Network for Rural Schools as Nutrition Hubs

The Montana Partnership to End Childhood Hunger (MT-PECH) creates collaborations and partnerships across all sectors of Montana's food system to build awareness, address root causes of hunger, and maximize community-based resources to increase access to culturally appropriate, nutrient-rich food. The Network for Rural Schools and Nutrition Hubs project will work with small, rural schools in neighboring communities to help school meal programs serve more local, scratch-made foods. Power and Choteau schools will participate in the program, with plans to bring two additional schools (Conrad and Valier) on board. Food system partners include school and summer meal programs, Indigenous food sovereignty programs, and healthcare partners, along with state and local food programs. The project will leverage local food production to increase the nutritional value of school breakfasts/lunches and food security in a manner that may be scalable to other rural communities and have potential policy implications. MT-PECH is working with the MSU system to learn about improving food distribution and buying power among rural schools and institutions as well. Funds from MHCF will be used to hire part-time staff to support the schools and create a guide and framework for other small, rural schools to implement their own programs.

Grant Amount

$50,000

Term

12 month

2023

The Rural Behavioral Health Institute 2023

Increasing Access to Care for Adolescents with Unmet Mental Health Needs

The Rural Behavioral Health Institute (RBHI) is a nonprofit working to reduce suicide among Montana youth by administering universal screenings in school districts around the state, providing brief "bridge" care to at-risk students, and providing follow-up and referral to mental health providers as needed. With this grant, RBHI will develop a registry to strengthen its case management processes. It will implement new custom software to track the impact of behavioral health services on students’ mental health over time and will develop formal relationships with mental health partners statewide. Grant funds will be used to support the development of custom case management and analytics software and integrations with current software platforms. Partners for the project include the Helena School District, PureView Health Center, Helena Indian Alliance, Elysian Mental Health Foundation, and Sunflower Counseling. 

Grant Amount

$75,000

Term

24 month

2023

United Housing Partners 2023

Twin Creek Apartments

This program-related investment (PRI) will support the Twin Creek Apartments, a 72-home, new construction low-income housing tax credit development in Helena. The project will consist of a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments targeted to be affordable to households earning less than 70% of the Area Median Income (AMI), including 12 units that will be affordable to households earning less than 30% AMI. Twin Creek will provide safe, affordable rental housing to approximately 179 individuals at a time, including roughly 35 with extremely low, often fixed incomes. Twin Creek recently received a Low Income Housing Tax Credit allocation from the Montana Board of Housing of over $10 million, further leveraged by $3 million in national and local housing trust fund commitments and $7.5 million in private investment. Confirmed partners include the City of Helena, Helena Housing Authority, YWCA, and Rocky Mountain Development Council.

Grant Amount

$500,000

Term

Other

2023