Melinda Buchheit, MSStephanie Morton, MSW
Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies – The Montana Coalition Executive Director
Stephanie Morton, executive director of Health Mothers, Healthy Babies – The Montana Coalition (HMHB), is this year’s Mignon Waterman Award recipient in recognition of her leadership in making behavioral health services available to pregnant and postpartum women. Stephanie’s dedication to relationship-building, collaboration, and advocacy has driven innovation in and better access to perinatal mental health care across the state.
Under Stephanie’s leadership, HMHB has become a statewide anchor organization that supports better perinatal outcomes through providing organization, education, advocacy, programming, and training to communities statewide. Stephanie has made perinatal mental health a significant focus of HMHB’s work.
The growing recognition of the vital role parents’ and caregivers’ mental health plays in the earliest years of a child’s life has created incredible opportunities to build new partnerships, remove barriers to innovation, and strengthen and expand the services Montana families and communities rely on. When we focus on the earliest years, we invest in a lifetime of better outcomes—and the best way to support babies is by supporting their families in building strong, loving relationships within safe and nurturing environments.
I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to serve in this role, and I could not do so without the incredible network of family support providers across our state. The joy I find in witnessing the dedication, creativity, and compassion of so many individuals serving moms, babies, and families inspires me to keep pushing for better outcomes for families in Montana. I am honored to follow in the footsteps of leaders like Mignon, who showed us that systemic change takes time—but is made possible through partnership and perseverance.
Stephanie Morton, HMHB Executive Director
Stephanie’s dedicated, effective advocacy played a key role in two new policies that will improve care and outcomes for pregnant and postpartum women. In 2023, she advocated that Montana extend Medicaid coverage for pregnant women through one year postpartum (a critical period for recognizing and treating depression and other behavioral health conditions). In 2025, she collaborated with a diverse group of stakeholders to successfully advocate for a bill that created a license for doula services, a crucial step toward achieving public and private health insurance reimbursement. Both policies were passed and will improve access to care for many Montana families.
HMHB developed LIFTS (Linking Infants and Families to Supports), a statewide online resource guide, print magazine, and podcast that connects families to available resources – like mental health providers, substance use treatment, and support groups – in their community. This up-to-date database offers resources for urban, rural, and Native communities and is relied on by Meadowlark care coordinators in OB offices across the state. The annual magazine shares stories from Montana caregivers and normalizes accessing help at this critical time of life. The LIFTS Podcast shares stories about individuals who are transforming the care system for Montana mothers, babies, and families. It highlights innovative practices from direct service providers and perinatal mental health champions across the state.
HMHB prioritizes outreach to Native communities. Their innovative approach to partnership development is outlined in a 2024 article published in Health Affairs titled, “A Strategy to Support Perinatal Mental Health by Collaborating with Tribal Communities in Montana.” Under Stephanie’s leadership, the Native American Initiatives Program has continued to grow in connection with those serving Native families across Montana.
Stephanie is committed to collaboration and solving problems through building strong partnerships. Through her relationships with organizations like the Montana Psychiatric Access Line (MTPAL), the Maternal Supports (MOMS) Program, and The Meadowlark Initiative®, Stephanie has played a crucial role in leading discussions and crafting toolkits to train caregivers in maternal mental health, facilitate organizational systems change, and improve health outcomes for moms and families.
Stephanie’s grace, compassion, and energetic approach make her a standout leader in navigating complex and challenging topics within the perinatal mental health space. Her contributions foster positive change and support for mothers and families in Montana.
Lisa Grainy, program manager for St. Joe’s Meadowlark project
About the Award
In 2017, we created the Mignon Waterman Award to honor the life and legacy of our founding trustee, a tireless advocate for behavioral health in Montana. Each year, we accept nominations for individuals who embody the spirit of the award and have made significant contributions to improving behavioral health in Montana. Learn more about Mignon, the award, and previous recipients here.
