Montana Health Research and Education Foundation 2019

Survey of Statewide Emergency Medical System Capacity and Threat in Montana

This grant allowed the Montana Health Research and Education Foundation (MHREF) to conduct a survey and analysis of emergency medical services (EMS) capacity in Montana in order to identify EMS gaps, analyze their impact on hospital services, and recommend solutions for filling those gaps. MHREF worked with the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) Division of EMS and Trauma to survey and interview 42 hospitals and 61 EMS organizations. A collaborative report between DPHHS, MHREF, and the consulting firm Eleva Group was completed, providing new information on the status of and threats to Montana's EMS system and recommendations for developing a successful and sustainable approach for improvement. Participating organizations are now convening a stakeholder group to implement the recommendations from the analysis.

Grant Amount

$24,000

Term

12 month

2019

Montana Nonprofit Association 2019

Montana 2020 Census Outreach

This project was designed by the Montana Nonprofit Association (MNA) to build awareness of and engagement in Census 2020 in Montana’s 30 hardest to count communities, including the state’s seven American Indian reservations. This was accomplished by creating a strong coalition of partner organizations across the state, which together conducted a wide variety of outreach, coordination, and mobilization activities. MNA also hired a full-time census coordinator to assist with strengthening and facilitating these partnerships. Activities included outreach to both public-sector and private-sector leaders and organizations, advertisements in newspapers, earned media, mailings of postcards and fliers, posts and contests on social media platforms, and phone calls to households. MNA awarded mini-grants to 22 nonprofit organizations to help reach hard-to-count communities, such as Spanish-speaking, LGBTQ+, refugee, and youth populations. The association was also able to secure $120,000 in CARES Act funding to support its efforts that were disrupted by COVID-19, including outreach to rural communities. Tier I hard-to-count counties saw an average self-response increase of 18.33%, and Tier II counties saw an average self-response increase of 12.97%, compared to an increase of 5.38% in all other counties.

Grant Amount

$50,000

Term

12 month

2019

Montana State University 2019

Dissemination of Rural Perioperative Surgical Home Model and Local Community Capacity Building

Montana State University's Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering partnered with Bozeman Health to pilot a “perioperative surgical home” approach for surgical patients, with the goal of improving perioperative outcomes. This approach provides patient and family education, perioperative testing and assessment, care coordination across referral and specialty providers, provider co-management, and recovery coordination. The project engaged more than 300 total joint replacement patients from rural areas using a digital platform and a coordinated set of services, including a pre-anesthesia clinic, nurse navigation, and social services. The approach resulted in a 10% shorter hospital stay and a lower likelihood of being discharged to another facility.

Grant Amount

$54,261

Term

24 month

2019

Montana State University Billings 2019

Planning Healthcare Expansion to Address Healthcare Needs in Eastern Montana

This planning grant was awarded to Montana State University Billings and City College to fund the development of a report that will serve as a roadmap for addressing the health care and nursing shortages in Eastern Montana. The report was developed by a consultant and many regional stakeholders, including Billings Clinic, SCL Health St. Vincent, and Eastern Montana Area Health Education Center (AHEC). It identified the issues that must be addressed, such as expanding and restructuring educational programs, providing internship opportunities, hiring more faculty, and gaining accreditation approval. The report will be utilized to prioritize budgeting, build partnerships, and fundraise to meet the evolving needs of the industry. Plans are currently underway to develop AAS degrees in sonography and medical coding. The partnership model implemented for respiratory therapy with Great Falls College will serve as guidance for future program development. City College's new chancellor will work with stakeholders to review recommendations from the report and incorporate them into the college's course planning.

Grant Amount

$25,000

Term

12 month

2019

Montana State University Foundation 2019

Working Together to Respond to Farmers & Ranchers Under Stress in Rural Montana

This project will create the first statewide network focused on stresses that affect farmers and ranchers in Montana. The project will form a Montana Farm/Ranch Stress Prevention Advisory Council comprising of members from the agricultural, health, tribal, veteran, local government, and Montana State University communities. This council will oversee the creation of an online clearinghouse of stress prevention and mitigation resources as well as a variety of radio/television/podcast/webinar educational resources. Funding will be used to convene the Advisory Council as well as to develop and market the online clearinghouse and educational resources throughout Montana. The project’s goals are to open the conversation about the causes and effects of stress, thereby destigmatizing conversation surrounding this topic, and to equip community members with evidence-based resources to assist them in managing their stress. These goals will ultimately lessen the risk of mental illness and suicide among Montana’s farming and ranching communities.

Grant Amount

$32,737

Term

12 month

2019

Montana State University Foundation 2019

Developing an Assessment of Climate Change and Human Health for Montana

The grant supported the development, publication, and dissemination of the peer-reviewed report, "Climate Change and Human Health in Montana: A Special Report of the Montana Climate Assessment." To produce the report, the grantee assembled a team of climate scientists and medical and public health experts to research and draft the report. After extensive peer review, the grantee released and disseminated the report through a press conference and dissemination to Montana Extension agents, county and tribal public health officials, tribal councils, libraries, and professional and nonprofit associations. The report offered practical recommendations for mitigating potential public health impacts that could occur in relation to heat and wildfire smoke. The report received extensive media coverage, and of attendees at dissemination webinars, 75% said they were very likely to share the information, and more than 80% felt that the recommendations provided in the report were at least somewhat feasible for implementation. READ THE REPORT at http://live-mca-site.pantheonsite.io/sites/default/files/thumbnails/image/2021_C2H2inMT_final.pdf

Grant Amount

$94,500

Term

24 month

2019

Mountain Shadow Association 2019

Kaala’s Village Development Project

Mountain Shadow Association (MSA), a Native-led nonprofit organization on the Crow Indian Reservation, originally intended to move a family healing center called Kaala’s Village from the proposal phase to the development phase. Working with consultants, it considered using a permanent supportive housing model but realized it would not fit with the identified community needs. So MSA and a group of community leaders decided to shift their focus to the creation of a youth mental health support center that would address the sexual abuse and violence that has affected youth in the community. The center was named Anii Watchiileesh Koo Waagoalic (asking good things for you) and was designed to be attuned to tribal culture, use the clan system, and be responsive to the crises youth are facing in their homes. MSA worked with the courts to develop an MOU to divert juvenile cases to restorative circles of support, where they can talk about their experiences and heal the harms done in a safe and supported place. MSA received a contract from DPHHS to create a crisis drop-in center that is staffed with peer support specialists and also has a contract with Frontier Psychiatry to provide crisis counseling. MSA believes this is a stepping stone toward the larger vision of Kaala’s Village, and the project’s advisory board continues to work towards this goal.

Grant Amount

$50,000

Term

12 month

2019

Providence Montana Health Foundation 2019

Medical Legal Partnership at Providence St. Patrick Hospital

Providence St. Patrick Hospital (SPH) partnered with the Montana Legal Services Association (MLSA) to launch the state’s first hospital-based medical-legal partnership. The Providence Medical-Legal Partnership (MLP) project involved hiring a dedicated MLSA staff attorney to help hospital patients with their civil legal needs. It targeted three key populations that regularly confront civil-legal issues that impede their health: people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, people with mental illness, and older adults who are socially vulnerable. The staff attorney provided both direct service to patients and guidance to medical providers and social workers in legal matters specific to a patient’s case. The attorney also offered training on common civil-legal problems and barriers patients face. Hospital staff referred patients to the attorney for eligibility screening and potential civil legal assistance. Through December 28, 2021, 184 patients were referred to MLSA via the MLP. Additionally, a steady increase in the average number of referrals per month occurred. An average of 5.5 patients were referred per month in the first quarter of the project, and that increased to an average of 13 patients referred per month in the most recent quarter of the project. SPH has commitments from Providence leadership to fund the project in 2022 with community benefit resources and is engaged with the Providence Foundation for continued support.

Grant Amount

$100,000

Term

24 month

2019

Salish Kootenai College 2019

Four-Year Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree to Increase Native American Nurses in Montana

This project will develop a four-year Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing (BSN) at Salish Kootenai College (SKC). SKC’s mission is to provide quality education for Native American students so they can improve the lives of their families and the communities in which they live. The Indian Health Service (which only hires only BSN graduates), has hospitals and clinics on every reservation in Montana which means that BSN graduates will have a much better chance of finding employment opportunities in their own communities. Funding will be used to fund the staff time needed for development and implementation of the BSN program. The goal of this project is to graduate BSN students, particularly Native Americans, who can return to their home communities and reservations to decrease health disparities through the provision of culturally congruent care.

Grant Amount

$100,000

Term

24 month

2019

Smiles Across Montana 2019

Expanding Smiles Across Montana Services

Smiles Across Montana, anonprofit organization dedicated to improving access to oral health services across Montana built partnerships and expanded services across the state with a focus on rural and tribal populations. By building relationships in rural and tribal communities Smiles Across Montana was able to provide preventative oral care to hundreds of adults and children and expanded their number of community dental offices who agreed to accept referrals for those who needed additional dental services. Services were provided in school settings and tribal clinics. They were able to provide services to both insured and uninsured patients and are self-sustaining through third party billing. Covid 19 presented some challenges as many of the schools and clinics did not allow visitors. Key partners included Tribal Health Departments and schools across the state. They will continue to expand and develop new relationships to expand services. Two additional Delta Dental grants were secured to help grow the program.

Grant Amount

$100,000

Term

24 month

2019

St. Vincent Healthcare Foundation 2019

Lockwood Integrated School-Based Health Center

This project will strengthen Lockwood School’s progressive discipline and restorative practices while also strengthening the local continuum of health and behavioral health care available to students, their families, and the Lockwood community. The project will implement an integrated school-based health clinic at Lockwood Schools; the clinic will be staffed with health professionals from St. Vincent Healthcare and with behavioral health specialists employed by or interning at Lockwood Schools. Services will include screening for behavioral health concerns among primary care patients, providing brief treatment or referral for longer-term care, and aligning behavioral health care with the multi-tiered levels of support for students at Lockwood Schools. Grant funds will be used to provide key staff to the clinic, to include behavioral health specialists and nurse coordinators, and to help project leaders and partners (St. Vincent Healthcare, Lockwood Schools, and Walla Walla University-Billings) refine the clinic implementation plan and train Lockwood Schools staff in how to integrate the clinic’s services into their regular school day operations. The project’s overall goal is to improve the academic outcomes for all students at Lockwood Schools.

Grant Amount

$72,250

Term

24 month

2019

The Montana Racial Equity Project 2019

The Allostatic Load Project

This project will research, identify, and connect black, brown, and indigenous people of color to the critical health resources they need to heal from the effects of acute and chronic racism. Along with identifying resources for individuals seeking care across the state, the project will develop a curriculum to train mental and physical health practitioners in multicultural assessment and treatment of black, brown, and indigenous people of color. The project will convene meetings and focus groups with key partners and potential practitioners. These meetings will be provided to stakeholders who will not only offer services at low-to-no cost for referred clients but also assist with the development of a training plan based on their existing knowledge and needs to treat minority patients adequately. Grant funds will be used for travel costs associated with this project, and part of the salary for a part-time employee to conduct the research and develop a training curriculum. The project’s overall goal is to serve the needs of people of color in Montana better and reduce the rates of prevalent racial health disparities in Montana.

Grant Amount

$25,000

Term

12 month

2019

University of Montana 2019

Improving Access, Training, and Recruitment for American Indian Healthcare

The University of Montana used this grant to improve health care for American Indians and Alaska Natives (AIs/ANs) in Montana by increasing cultural awareness among medical residents and health profession students at the Family Medicine Residency of Western Montana and the University of Montana. The project created and piloted resident clinical rotation experiences with Tribal Health of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and now consistently offers them to residents. The rotation includes working with and learning from other health care professionals in areas such as physical therapy, pharmacy, and social work. The project also developed and incorporated a cultural humility curriculum as part of its didactic training for all residents, and it is providing a Community and Culture Retreat each year for all residents, faculty, and staff, incorporating sessions on identity, diversity, values, and cultures of individuals and groups. A REACH (residency equity, anti-racism, and cultural humility) committee consisting of residents, faculty, and representation from Tribal Health was created to develop and refine the cultural humility training and curriculum to encourage interest among residents in working with tribal populations. This grant helped the project secure a Primary Care Training and Enhancement/Rural Training in Primary Care grant of $2.5 million over five years from the Health Resources and Services Administration.

Grant Amount

$97,359

Term

24 month

2019

University of Montana 2019

Montana Interprofessional Student Hotspotting

The University of Montana used this grant to collaborate with Partnership Health Center’s Complex Care Program to implement the Montana Interprofessional Student Hotspotting program, a team-based, patient-centered approach to serving patients who have high utilization of health care services in Missoula County. Through home-based, nonclinical interventions that address the social determinants of health, the program seeks to improve patients’ quality of life; integrate medical, behavioral, and social care; increase utilization of primary care services; and decrease emergency department visits and inpatient stays. During its first three years, the program trained 31 students from the university’s health profession programs using online learning modules, twice monthly team trainings, and patient engagement. Students learned about interprofessional collaborative practice and gained an understanding of how to work with patients with complex medical and social needs. The student teams provided seven patients with a combination of in-person and virtual visits, and they regularly attended primary care and physical therapy appointments with patients who previously struggled to attend these office visits. The program achieved positive outcomes during its first three years and secured approximately $10,000 from the Montana Geriatric Education Center to supplement program costs. It also received $11,654 from the University of Montana College of Health and the L.S. Skaggs Institute for Health Innovation to support a fourth year of programming. One of the program’s students created a video about the program, which can be seen here https://vimeo.com/752786523.

Grant Amount

$95,967

Term

24 month

2019

University of Montana Foundation 2019

Capacity Building for the University of Montana Public Health Training Institute

This grant facilitated the successful implementation of the Montana Public Health Training Center (Center). The new Center developed and implemented online training in multiple core public health topics, and also pivoted to create COVID-related training as the pandemic accelerated during the course of the grant. The grantee also leveraged the grant to secure additional funding from the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) to develop and implement a Public Health Wellness Program to support public health professionals throughout the state. This multi-faceted program delivers online wellness breaks, personal health coaching, training webinars, and access to wellness resources to support a public health workforce that is worn out from the pandemic. Similarly, the grantee also implemented a workforce program that will assist in filling open public health positions in the state and retain those employees for years to come. The additional funding through DPHHS and the Rocky Mountain Public Health Training Center has allowed the grantee to continue to offer training year-round to both public health and health care workforces beyond the term of the grant.

Grant Amount

$96,683

Term

24 month

2019