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 released from prison to support a successful return to society. MTIP used this grant to fund an innovative pilot project that placed two University of Montana School of Social Work students in practicum service to two MTIP clients and one client of Welcome Back, a partner organization. The goal was to improve the behavioral and physical health outcomes and overall quality of life for reentering community members and to develop a model that could be replicated by other organizations that serve this population. Under the supervision of MTIP and the University of Montana, students held conversations with clients, conducted a needs assessment, developed case plans, and connected clients with the community resources they needed. Resources included health care services, financial assistance, Medicare payment relief, and SNAP, or food stamp, benefits. Students also participated in other activities, including undertaking a holiday card drive for clients, conducting presentations on wrongful convictions, participating in conferences, and completing the Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training. MTIP obtained funding from a private donor to support a half-time social services advocate on staff and a six-month stipend for one student. It’s still seeking a partner organization to provide ongoing support for this project.

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 is the leading organization in Helena that is creating permanent supportive housing (PSH) using the frequent user's systems engagement (FUSE) model, which seeks to improve health outcomes among people who are experiencing homelessness and frequently require emergency medical and correction services. The FUSE leadership team used this grant to hold Helena's second annual Housing is Health Care Summit in October 2023 to engage community members and stakeholders, raise awareness and understanding of the challenges facing people experiencing homelessness, and advance effective solutions. With technical assistance from the Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH), the team gathered 250 attendees representing social services providers, health care partners, local government representatives, landlords, affordable housing developers, and other community stakeholders. Sessions addressed trauma-informed care, supportive housing best practices, and bridging housing and criminal justice. One panel discussion featured Helena community members sharing their lived experiences of homelessness. Following this summit, the Helena FUSE team will continue working with CSH to advance the creation and long-term sustainability of PSH.

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's Office of Community Planning, Development, and Innovation used this grant to facilitate participation in the Built for Zero (BfZ) program, a national framework for communities to use to evaluate their homelessness and housing systems, strengthen data collection and analysis, develop partnerships, and enhance collaboration. The goal is to achieve "functional zero" homelessness for priority populations until the entire community reaches zero homelessness. This grant allowed the city to keep its BfZ project manager with Big Sky Public Relations to maintain its progress and continue towards its goal of hiring a permanent staff position to lead the BfZ and data coordination efforts. During the grant period, Missoula was able to invest in systems and partnerships that resulted in reaching BfZ's "quality data" milestone. Specifically, it created a comprehensive, real-time data source for every person experiencing homelessness, becoming one of the first BfZ communities to do so. This progress resulted in a $190,075 grant from BfZ to hire a data specialist to help achieve functional zero homelessness for veterans by November 2026, focusing on using the new data to improve case conferencing for homeless veterans. Missoula continues making significant progress in data collection and coordinated entry systems, establishing stronger partnerships, identifying gaps in services and data, and securing sustainable funding.

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

United Way of Yellowstone County 2023

Yellowstone County CoC Site Visit to Boise

United Way of Yellowstone County, the lead convener for the Billings area Continuum of Care, used this grant to support a site visit to a high-performing permanent supportive housing (PSH) program in Boise, Idaho. The goal was to bring together a group of key stakeholders from Billings to learn about Boise's successes and increase their engagement in and commitment to developing PSH in Billings. The group included 15 community members representing city and county government, hospital systems, housing and homelessness service providers, the federally qualified health center, and behavioral health providers. They spent two days with City of Boise staff and other providers, touring facilities and learning from their experiences. Representatives from the Corporation for Supportive Housing were on hand to facilitate daily debriefing and discussions. This trip was the first time community decision-makers had been on a site visit and could see firsthand the different options for service packages and delivery methods. Upon returning, participants continued to meet to plan for PSH in Billings. City Council and County Commissioners members have publicly supported PSH, and relationships between individuals and organizations have been strengthened, culminating in identifying a project site and development team. 

Grant Amount

$20,000

Term

12 month

2023

University of Montana 2023

MPAS Clinical Training Network Development

The University of Montana College of Health will develop a new physician assistant training program to address Montana's health care provider workforce shortages. This project will support the university in building a diverse network of clinical training sites, a core element in creating a new graduate program in physician assistant studies. The university will hire a project director and support staff to lead the development of the clinical training infrastructure and curricular development, focusing on reaching rural areas. Grant funds will be used towards the project director and support staff’s salaries. The university is actively building preceptor partnerships with health care providers, including hospitals, clinics, and private practices in Western Montana.

Grant Amount

$75,000

Term

24 month

2023

University of Montana Foundation 2023

Establishment of the University of Montana Eating Disorder Training Clinic

The Department of Psychology at the University of Montana in Missoula is establishing a multidisciplinary eating disorder training center to increase the number of behavioral health providers in Montana trained to treat eating disorders. This project will improve access to eating disorder care in Montana, including rural regions of the state. The training center will emphasize early intervention with services targeted at pediatric and young adult patients. It will train licensed behavioral health clinicians and student trainees by offering an online training curriculum, weekly session-by-session guidance, multidisciplinary treatment team meetings, group supervision, and ongoing consultation. MHCF funding will support salaries and fringe benefits for faculty who will teach the coursework and Graduate Research Assistants who will assist in recruiting trainee participants, preparing training materials, and delivering training. Primary partners include the UM Clinical Psychology Center, Curry Health Center and Curry Counseling Services, and Providence Women’s Care and Family Wellness.

Grant Amount

$50,000

Term

12 month

2023

University of Providence 2023

University of Providence Care Coordinator and Campus Advocate Project

University of Providence (UP) is a private four-year institution of higher education serving the Great Falls community and the greater North Central region. UP aims to develop on-campus services supporting students' mental and physical health care needs through this grant. The project will catalyze building a team-based well-being initiative for the UP community. The initiative will rely on clinical interns from the Clinical Mental Health Counseling graduate program to provide counseling services in person and via telehealth. UP will establish on-campus medical services with a community provider in year two. UP will hire a care coordinator/campus advocate through this grant to focus on student advocacy, mental health resources, and student health care. The licensed behavioral health provider will be part of the student engagement team embedded in the wellness suite located in the Student Center. Grant funds will be used to hire and onboard this position, with matching funds to support the retention of this individual over two years. Project partners include Benefis, Providence, the County Health Department, NAMI, and other health care providers in the area to ensure students can access and connect with critical services.

Grant Amount

$100,000

Term

24 month

2023

Valley Felon-Aid 2023

Peer Support Program

Valley Felon-Aid (VFA), a nonprofit in Ravalli County providing services to ensure a successful reentry to the community following incarceration, used this grant to implement a peer support program. The goal was to provide returning citizens a new resource to overcome the barriers and stigma of reentry and avoid reincarceration. VFA used funds to hire four peer support specialists who help connect clients to community partners for housing, health care, jobs, education, and basic needs. The specialists receive training in peer support education, CPR, trauma-induced care, and more. VFA also hired a family peer support coordinator. Peer support teams meet with clients four days a week and meet one day a week with a clinical supervisor who reviews daily reports for each client. So far, none of its clients have returned to incarceration. Finding housing for clients has been one of the biggest challenges, so the VFA has referred a few clients to the reentry programs in neighboring counties. VFA is working on this issue with its partners. It’s also working on securing sustainable funding, including pursuing community block grants and Medicaid reimbursement opportunities. VFA continues to hold fundraisers to provide clients with food, clothing, and personal hygiene products, and it’s collaborating with Recovery Residences of Montana and WRAP for additional support.

Grant Amount

$50,000

Term

12 month

2023

Vaughn Public Schools 2023

School Based Health Center Awareness and Enhancement

The Vaughn School District is a K-8 school district that educates approximately 150 students. Vaughn School District is located 14 miles from Great Falls and does not have health services available in the community aside from the school-based health center. This project will enhance the partnership between the district and the school-based health center that is operated by Alluvion Health. Grant funds will be used for partial salaries of staff positions that will support increased communication about the available services, district participation on the advisory committee, and the development of tiered systems of support for students that includes the school-based health center.

Grant Amount

$50,000

Term

24 month

2023

Veterans Navigation Network 2023

Building a Sustainable Future for Montana Veterans

The Veterans Navigation Network (VNN) serves Montana’s veterans by facilitating the smooth transition from military service to civilian life through one-on-one resource counseling, case management, peer mentorship, and advocacy. VNN used this grant to develop a business and sustainability plan for expanding its services to more veterans and their families statewide. VNN surveyed the more than 80 service partners it works with, veterans, and family members to gather ideas about expansion and sustainability. It also contracted with Cascadia Management Group to work with the VNN board of directors and executive director to develop the strategic plan and hold two focus groups. Throughout this project, VNN worked to strengthen its partnerships and reach out to more organizations serving underserved and Native communities, including Native American Tribes and Urban Indian Health Centers across Montana. VNN’s peer mentor program successfully guided 61 veterans through their transition process last year, leveraging the volunteers’ shared military experience to foster trust and support. VNN is exploring ways to diversify its revenue streams through increased fundraising efforts, building partnerships, and other funding opportunities.

Grant Amount

$20,000

Term

12 month

2023

West Yellowstone Foundation 2023

West Yellowstone Housing Coalition

The West Yellowstone Housing Coalition will address the pressing housing challenges community members face, particularly emergency responders, health care workers, educators, and public works personnel. The project will commence with a comprehensive housing needs assessment, followed by developing and implementing a housing strategy plan tailored to this rural, tourism-based community. To achieve the project goals, the West Yellowstone Community Foundation will collaborate closely with the Town of West Yellowstone and HRDC IX, engaging a wide range of community members through facilitated community meetings. Grant funds will be primarily utilized to complete the housing needs assessment and hire a part-time housing manager responsible for implementing the identified housing solutions.

Grant Amount

$25,000

Term

12 month

2023

YWCA Missoula 2023

Behavioral Health, Substance Abuse & Targeted Case Management Capacity Building and Revenue Expansion Initiative

YWCA Missoula used this grant to explore the feasibility of and develop a plan for expanding the services it provides to families and survivors of domestic violence at its family housing facility. The goal is to add mental health, substance use, and case management to the housing and supportive services it currently provides through the receipt of Medicaid reimbursement. Grant funds were used to hire a consultant, who helped define service delivery models, assess the mental health services needed, prepare a policy and procedures manual, and develop two viable paths forward. YWCA is evaluating whether to collaborate with a Partnership Health Center or become a standalone Community Mental Health Center. It plans to continue working with the consultant as it decides which option to pursue and begins the implementation process.

Grant Amount

$47,663

Term

12 month

2023

Alternatives, Inc. 2022

High-Risk Targeted Case Management Pilot Project

Alternatives, Inc. will improve behavioral health outcomes and recidivism in Billings by hiring two case managers to coordinate care for high-risk offenders, focusing on individuals discharged from Montana State Prison, Women’s Prison, and other secure correctional facilities throughout the state. The case managers will be embedded with probation and parole offices in Billings, ensuring a team-based approach to care. Over the course of the project, the case managers will coordinate care for up to 140 offenders and connect them to treatment and community support. Grant funds will be used to offset the onboarding of the case managers. Project partners include the Department of Corrections, Rimrock, RiverStone, and Billings Urban Indian Health and Wellness Center. The Department of Corrections is dedicating probation officers and space to ensure a team-based approach to working with offenders.

Grant Amount

$100,000

Term

24 month

2022

Barrett Hospital and Healthcare 2022

Behavioral Health Consolidation Grant

Barrett Hospital & HealthCare is an 18-bed Critical Access Hospital located in Dillon, serving several rural communities in southwest Montana. This consolidation grant will build on Barrett’s previous successful integrated behavioral health implementation grant. It will allow Barrett to develop consistent screening protocols, pathways, and processes for anxiety and suicide risk; build psychiatric collaborative care management services; drive practice change through ongoing data analysis; optimize technology and electronic medical record tools to facilitate and deliver behavioral health care. Barrett will also implement social determinants of health (SDOH) screening to allow them to identify unmet needs like housing or transportation that impact health and well-being, and they will develop a referral system to connect patients to available community resources to address those needs. Barrett will also increase access to behavioral health services by adding another licensed clinical social worker or coordinated care staff member to its primary care team and pursuing a contract with existing partners for psychiatric consultation. Funding will support an additional full-time team member, consultation services for collaborative care, and direct expenses, including education, electronic medical record tools, and marketing. Barrett will complete the project in close collaboration with current partners, including social services and mental health agencies serving low-income community members and families struggling with food and housing insecurity, drug and alcohol use, suicidal ideation, and other needs.

Grant Amount

$125,000

Term

36 month

2022

Benefis Health System Foundation 2022

Advancing Integrated Behavioral Health in North Central Montana

Benefis Health System in Great Falls will integrate behavioral health and primary care. This project will improve behavioral health access, care delivery, patient outcomes, and patient and provider experience in Benefis' women's health, pediatrics, and family medicine clinics. The project will move forward in four phases: laying the foundation, planning for clinical practice change, building clinical skills, and fully implementing the integrated model. Funding will support project staff – including a coordinator, data manager, counselor, and case manager – and education for leadership, providers, and patients. Benefis will also partner with Benefis Teton Medical Center, a critical access hospital and rural health clinic in Choteau, to implement integrated care there.

Grant Amount

$300,000

Term

36 month

2022

Bitterroot CASA, Inc. 2022

Peer Advocate Model – Train, Pilot, and Transition

The Bitterroot Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) recruits and trains volunteers to advocate for children's best interests in court and help reduce the trauma they might experience. This grant created a Peer Advocate Model (PAM), which utilizes seasoned volunteer advocates to train, coach, and supervise new CASA volunteers. The goal is to offer improved support to new volunteers, increase the retention of volunteers, and serve more children in need. Two seasoned peer advocates supported 17 new CASA volunteers, providing their knowledge and expertise about court processes, how to appropriately communicate with children and families, and how to interact with Child and Family Services. The peer advocates were able to provide more intensive support to new volunteers than was previously offered, including attending meetings with them, helping them create action plans, and providing supervision until the volunteers were confident enough to work on their own. This support has led to a significant increase in the number of volunteer hours served and the amount of engagement with children and families. Previously, CASA's executive director had to spend 80% of her time providing training and supervision. Now, she has the time to focus on community awareness, legislative advocacy, fundraising, and program development. This has led to CASA being awarded $1 million in TANF funds to support the expansion of its programs.

Grant Amount

$17,266

Term

12 month

2022

Blackfeet Tribal Health 2022

RAVE Emergency Notification System Coordinator

Blackfeet Tribal Health used this grant to implement an emergency notification system to provide a critical communication and collaboration tool to facilitate and improve the response to incidents in the community. Funds were used to hire a full-time coordinator to manage the RAVE alert system, which sends mass notifications to inform residents, organizations, agencies, businesses, and schools during emergencies and other events. The coordinator was responsible for running the system, data entry, outreach, and educating other administrators about the system. Project partners included the Blackfeet Tribe, Blackfeet Homeland Security, Blackfeet 911, Blackfeet Tribal Health, Blackfeet IT Department, Blackfeet Community College, and Blackfeet Emergency Preparedness. After demonstrating the system's usefulness during emergencies, including a cold storm, the Blackfeet Tribe recognized its importance and agreed to continue funding the program.

Grant Amount

$60,000

Term

12 month

2022

Blackfeet Tribal Health 2022

Southern Piegan School Health – TeleHealth

Blackfeet Tribal Health's school-based health center, Southern Piegan School Health, will implement a telehealth program to increase access to medical and behavioral health services for students and staff. Southern Piegan School Health provides school-based health services to rural communities throughout the Blackfeet Reservation. This project will increase access to services in Browning, Babb, Heart Butte, and East Glacier. This project will implement telehealth services to enhance the services provided by the physical school-based health center. Funding will support a nurse and software to run the telehealth program. Project partners include the Blackfeet Tribe and the Browning and Heart Butte School Districts.

Grant Amount

$300,000

Term

36 month

2022

Blackfeet Tribe 2022

Blackfeet Responsible Parenting Project

Blackfeet Manpower’s Child Support Program will partner with the Aspen Institute Center for Native American Youth to create a standardized curriculum to educate teens and young adults on parenthood, and to support informed family planning, with an emphasis on prioritizing education, stable employment, and healthy relationships. This project will support the creation of a culturally appropriate standardized curriculum to share with young people on the Blackfeet Reservation and the facilitation of youth groups that will teach cultural traditions and crafts. The project will provide educational opportunities for youth ages 13-25 with an emphasis on building self-esteem, communication skills, problem-solving skills, and setting personal and community goals. Funds will be used to support the development of the curriculum, youth group gatherings, and incentives for attendance. Partners include schools located on the Blackfeet Reservation, Blackfeet tribal and family courts, Blackfeet Crystal Creek Treatment Center, and Blackfeet Community Hospital.

Grant Amount

$25,000

Term

24 months

2022

Bozeman Health Foundation 2022

Perinatal Substance Abuse in Southwest Montana: An Integrated Model

Bozeman Health will support pregnant women with behavioral health issues by expanding and strengthening The Meadowlark Initiative model of care in its Women’s Specialty Clinic. The Meadowlark Initiative provides routine screening in prenatal care for mental health issues and substance use disorders and prompt access to treatment and additional community support if needed. Building on a previous grant, this project will focus on implementing collaborative care and building partnerships with community organizations that serve pregnant women and families. Grant funds will support staff salaries and a consultant who will help Bozeman Health implement the Meadowlark Initiative model of care. Community and organization partnerships will be developed throughout the course of the project.

Grant Amount

$100,000

Term

24 month

2022

Browning Public Schools 2022

Browning Public School staff & students Wellness Project

The Browning School District will host monthly holistic wellness activities for students and staff to improve the school wellness climate. These activities will be done in collaboration with community partners, including Blackfeet Tribal Health and the on-site school-based health center. These monthly activities aim to increase awareness and access to services, including the school-based health center. Browning School District is located on the Blackfeet Reservation; the school district serves approximately 98% American Indian population and is the largest geographical school district in the state of Montana. Grant funds will be used for consultants' participation in the events, supplies, and outreach. The primary partners for the project are Browning School District, Blackfeet Tribal Health, Blackfeet Crystal Creek, Honor Your Life programs, Fast Blackfeet, Blackfeet Manpower, Blackfeet Native Connections Culture and Hope and Rise above Stigma, and Blackfeet Tobacco Prevention Program.

Grant Amount

$50,000

Term

24 month

2022

Butte SPIRIT Center 2022

Women’s Substance Use Disorder Recovery Home Planning

The Butte SPIRIT Center (BSC) used this grant to develop a business and operations plan for a residential treatment home providing housing and supportive services to women recovering from substance use in Silver Bow County. BSC operates by providing an accessible drug and alcohol-free environment, supporting and encouraging fellowship, and building partnerships among the recovery community. This project builds on the successful planning and implementation of a men's home, which is now fully operational and sustainable. BSC and its coalition of partners worked with Cascadia Management Group to design and administer a survey of existing women's homes across Montana to gather information, produce financial models, and develop an operating plan. Through this process, it was decided to serve individual women first and then open another home for women and children in the future. The project also produced a pro forma budget for the women's home operations. This grant helped BSC secure $386,276 in funding for the women's home from various donors; other grant applications are pending.

Grant Amount

$25,000

Term

12 month

2022

Carroll College Master of Social Work Program 2022

A Community Collaboration to Advance Integrated Behavioral Healthcare to Montana’s Indigenous Communities

Carroll College will develop an educational track to train graduate-level social workers in integrated behavioral health settings, directly serving Native American populations. Carroll College is a liberal arts Catholic college in Helena, MT. The goal of this project is to address the shortage of behavioral health providers using integrated care principles and practices and serving Native American individuals, families, and communities. In collaboration with consultants, nonprofits, and health care centers, college faculty will develop training specific to the needs of Native American populations, services, and care systems. The training will focus on integrated care, cultural humility, and understanding pathways towards healing. The project will conduct outreach with federally qualified health centers, urban Indian health centers, and tribes implementing integrated behavioral health to establish affiliation agreements and recruit potential students to the Carroll College Master of Social Work Program. Grant funds will support curriculum development, technology needs, travel stipends, and collaborative meetings. Partners for this project include Lacey Alexander, Director of Integrated Behavioral Health and Substance Use Disorders at the Montana Primary Care Association, and Stephanie Iron Shooter, American Indian Health Director for the State of Montana.

Grant Amount

$49,692

Term

24 month

2022

Children's Clinic of Billings 2022

Expanding Behavioral Health Services for Children’s Clinic’s 12,000+ Pediatric Patients

The Children's Clinic of Billings will expand its primary care to include integrated behavioral health services. The Children’s Clinic is a physician-owned, independent outpatient pediatrics practice that serves more than 12,000 patients at two locations in Billings, Montana. Through this grant, the Children’s Clinic will hire a pediatric social worker and implement new care pathways and workflows to integrate that position into the clinic. The new pediatric social worker will enhance current mental health screening and provide brief interventions and a bridge to care for patients who need to be connected to counselors in the community. The project will also offer clinical supervision for the clinic’s recently hired psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner. Funding will support startup costs for the social worker and nurse practitioner positions while the clinic gains the expertise to bill for their services and sustain the project independently. Primary project partners include Shodair Children’s Hospital, the Behavioral Health Integration Collaborative, and Youth Dynamics.

Grant Amount

$125,000

Term

36 month

2022

Chippewa Cree Tribe 2022

Chippewa Cree Tribe Sustainable Food Systems Project

The Chippewa Cree Tribe of Rocky Boy Montana, located in North Central Montana, will create a sustainable food system on the Rocky Boys Indian Reservation. Through this grant, the tribe will hire a consultant to map the landscape of food projects and food resources in the community and draft food code regulations. The Chippewa Cree Tribe will administer the project through a partnership with the Tribal and Food Sovereignty Coalition and the tribe's planning department leadership.

Grant Amount

$24,500

Term

12 month

2022

Community Action Partnership of Northwest Montana 2022

Supportive Housing Units for FUSE or like populations

Community Action Partners of Northwestern Montana (CAPNM) will lead efforts to develop permanent supporting housing in Kalispell, joining several larger Montana communities in the development phase of the Montana Healthcare Foundation's our Housing is Healthcare initiative. CAPNM has purchased 18 rental units and is working to obtain 17 additional units, which will be used to provide housing and supportive services for homeless people who frequently require emergency department care and hospitalization. This project will allow CAPNM to support the building and delivery of supportive services in these units. CAPNM will provide pre-tenancy support, tenancy support, and case management for participants. CAPMN will work with local partners to develop a service delivery plan for residents of the new units and work with CSH to develop a quality delivery model and sustainability framework. Funds will be used for consultation with Corporation for Supportive Housing and project management expenses. Current core partners include the community health center and city commissioners.

Grant Amount

$100,000

Term

24 month

2022

Confluence Public Health Alliance 2022

Confluence Startup Support

This grant supported the initial startup and operations of the Confluence Public Health Alliance, a newly created nonprofit that houses Montana's three public health associations: the Association of Montana Public Health Officials (AMPHO), the Montana Public Health Association (MPHA), and the Montana Environmental Health Association (MEHA). During the grant, Confluence carried out unified strategic planning, resulting in a plan adopted in 2023; developed a logo and branding; carried out the first unified state conference of the three associations; and drafted a memorandum of agreement between the Confluence organizations. Confluence also hired new staff and developed initial organizational operations during the grant.

Grant Amount

$50,000

Term

12 month

2022

Crow Tribe Health & Human Services 2022

Crow Tribal Finance Specialist – Medical Billing and Coding

Crow Tribe Health & Human Services is a tribal health department that supports the physical, behavioral, and cultural health of the Crow Tribe. This project will enable the health department to establish an effective tribal health finance department capable of billing and coding, records management, and procedure analysis. Revenue from health department services will provide a foundation for the Crow Nation to build effective, sustainable health care and public health programs. The grant will also support the development of the Crow Tribe’s Medicaid Tribal Health Improvement Program (THIP), a critical opportunity to create effective, tribally-led disease prevention programs. Grant funding will support a new finance specialist position salary and necessary training. Primary partners include the Crow Nation leadership and members of the finance team.

Grant Amount

$300,000

Term

36 month

2022

District XI Human Resource Council 2022

Community Engagement Specialist, Ravalli County

The District XI Human Resource Council (HRC) will develop a detailed housing and service coordination plan for implementing supportive housing in Ravalli County. HRC will contract with a community engagement specialist to convene local government and health, housing, and social service providers. This group will develop a community action plan that identifies the need for housing and supportive services and the resources available in the community. Funding will support the project coordinator, provide administrative and technical assistance resources, and cover convening expenses. The Steering Committee of the Bitterroot Affordable Housing Coalition (BAHC) is a partner for this project; its membership includes leaders from human service programs, housing providers, and local government agencies. The project will result in commitments from local organizations and agencies to provide coordinated services.

Grant Amount

$25,000

Term

12 month

2022

Evergreen School District 50 2022

School and Health Community Liaison

Evergreen School District will improve student health and academic outcomes by connecting students and families with health services on school grounds. The Evergreen School District covers the Kalispell area and serves kids from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. This District will hire a school and health community liaison to strengthen the partnership between the school and the school-based health center run by the Greater Valley Health Center. Working closely with staff from the school district and the health center, the liaison will establish relationships with students and their families to help them better understand and access the health services provided by the district. Grant funds will support the liaison’s position and travel costs for meeting with students and families. Primary partners for this project include the Evergreen School District, Greater Valley Health Center, and Intermountain.

Grant Amount

$75,000

Term

24 month

2022