455 results
Mountain Home Montana 2017
Substance Use Disorder Treatment for Pregnant and Parenting Teens
This planning project worked to develop a strategy for integrating substance use disorder treatment into Mountain Home Montana’s wrap-around care for pregnant and parenting mothers. Over the course of the project, Mountain Home Montana expanded and deepened partnerships with providers and strengthened their referral network and processes to better serve young families struggling with substance abuse. They successfully provided robust staff training around substance use disorder issues and levels of treatment, clarified referral processes, and hired an in-house therapist who is also a licensed addictions counselor. Mountain Home also obtained a Medicaid youth endorsement, which allows billing for case management and therapeutic services for clients under age 18 and they adopted an evidence-based evaluation tool to measure their program’s successes and challenges. As a direct result of policy shifts for substance use disorder treatment, staff training, and capacity, Mountain Home was able to reduce evictions from their residential program due to substance abuse from 20% to 6%. Beyond these direct results, Mountain Home also leveraged this planning grant into a five-year award from the federal Family and Youth Services Bureau to support residential programs.
Grant Amount
$73,754
2017
NeighborWorks Great Falls 2017
Housing is Healthcare: A Plan for Cascade County
@Aaron Wernham based on the final report, it doesn’t look like they are providing services yet.
Grant Amount
$60,000
Term
12 month
2017
North American Indian Alliance 2017
Butte Urban Indian Health Alliance Strategic Planning Initiative
The goal of this project was to create a strategic plan to help the North American Indian Alliance Butte (NAIA) move into its next decade of service. A consultant worked with the NAIA’s board of directors and executive director to complete a community needs assessment. After surveying the community and collecting feedback, the consultant developed recommendations for how to adjust the organization’s programming and services to better serve the community. However, due to leadership turnover, the report was not finalized or implemented.
Grant Amount
$50,000
Term
12 month
2017
Northern Cheyenne Tribal Board of Health 2017
Northern Cheyenne Revenue Enhancement
This project helped the Cheyenne Board of Health increase the revenue they generate from clinical services, create a stronger patient registration process, and identify additional services that they are able to support through billing insurance. Grant funds were used to hire a new staff position to focus on insurance enrollment, and a consultant to help with revenue cycle management. They began coding and billing for clinical services in-house, which increased their third-party revenue. Their new patient registration process has helped patients and clients apply for other resources for their medical needs. At the end of this grant, the tribe had received over $750,000 in increased revenue that will be reinvested into the health system. The revenue increase has led to implementing spending policies to serve the needs of the community better.
Grant Amount
$75,000
2017
Northern Rockies Medical Center 2017
Integrating Behavioral Health in a Critical Access Hospital
Through this planning grant, Northern Rockies Medical Center (NRMC) was able to increase the effectiveness of behavioral health referrals, overcome barriers to psychiatric care, and increase the capabilities of their clinic and hospital to address the behavioral health and substance abuse needs of the community. NRMC strengthened local and regional partnerships through formalizing referral pathways, care coordination, and tele-psychiatry services for one hospital and two community health centers. NRMC also implemented universal screening for depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders, and developed data tools and workflows for screening, referrals, treatment, and emergency department utilization for behavioral health. NRMC is actively working with regional partners to explore a feasible and sustainable approach to integrated behavioral health through partnerships versus individual expansion. Leadership is committed to continued expansion of behavioral health through a regional model to better utilize existing workforce and resources.
Grant Amount
$50,000
Term
12 month
2017
One Health 2017
Integrated Healthcare Delivery Through a Hub and Spoke Model in Southeastern Montana
This project will expand substance use disorder care with medication-assisted treatment to two towns in Southeastern Montana, and build curriculum to pilot a certification-granting program to train behavioral health care managers. Grant funds will be used to hire two behavioral health care managers for new sites in Ashland and Miles City, and a social worker who will work on curriculum development with the Chief Dull Knife College in Lame Deer.
Grant Amount
$150,000
Term
24 month
2017
One Health 2017
Integrated Behavioral Health Planning and Development
Through this project, Sweet Medical Center (SMC) sought to address behavioral health needs that were identified as a top concern in the 2016 Community Health Needs Assessment through an integrated behavioral health planning grant. Over the course or the grant, however, SMC merged with OneHealth and grant funds were used to advance the provision of behavioral health services in the merger. While the merger caused some early delays, ultimately the grantee implemented a fully functional and sustainable integrated behavioral health model. At the conclusion of the grant, the grantee was working to expand this model to include substance use disorder screening and treatment. SMC has also implemented universal screening of patients for depression and anxiety, as well as SBIRT (screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment) for all patients (over age 12) presenting at the sites. In addition, due to this planning grant, SMC was able to hire two additional behavioral health care staff, including a psychologist and licensed clinical professional counselor. These new staff members, along with the existing family nurse practitioner (who is pursuing her advanced certification as a psychiatric nurse practitioner), form the backbone of a model of integrated medication-assisted treatment (MAT) to treat opioid use disorder at sites in Chinook and Harlem.
Grant Amount
$48,215
Term
12 month
2017
Park County Health Department 2017
Park County Recovery Court Program Strategic Planning
This project will bring together a group of community stakeholders to use sequential intercept mapping (SIM) to develop a strategic plan for reducing the number of adults with co-occurring behavioral health and substance use disorders in the local detention center. SIM focuses on helping communities rationally identify the criminal justice, social service, health contacts, and costs of serving people with mental illness and substance use disorders; and design a system that improves system efficiency and outcomes. The program will contract with an independent consultant to develop a court supervision program built on evidence-based strategies from other regional and state programs. Stakeholders include members of local and regional behavioral health, law enforcement, and the judiciary.
Grant Amount
$49,250
Term
12 month
2017
Providence Montana Health Foundation 2017
Bridge to Hope: Support for Mothers of Newborns on the Flathead Reservation
This project worked to support mothers and families with newborns experiencing Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) on the Flathead Reservation. This project was designed to reduce the rate of maternal-infant separation in the hospital setting as a result of NAS treatment, engage addicted mothers in the care of their infant through support group sessions, and increase addicted mothers’ voluntary participation in area drug treatment programs by the time of their infants’ discharge. The project successfully achieved its objectives and developed a model that has garnered the interest of other providers around the state. The program supported 40 infants per year resulting in 85% of infants involved in the program getting discharged home from the hospital with a biological caregiver. Maternal prenatal and postnatal substance use support resulted in 30% of mothers no longer using at the time of delivery and 20% of mothers involved in drug treatment programs. The project built new collaborative partnerships with Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribal Social Services, the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (MT DPHHS) Child and Family Services, the Montana Department of Justice Drug Endangered Children Task Force, and the Lake County Public Health Department, in addition to many non-profit organizations and community partners.
Grant Amount
$42,600
Term
12 month
2017
PureView Health Center 2017
Universal Substance Use Disorder Screenings and Warm-Handoffs
For this project, PureView Health Center sought to implement universal substance use disorder screenings for all patients over 10-years old. Every patient 10-years old and older were screened for substance use disorders, and if necessary, they were referred and given a warm-handoff to the health center’s behavioral health team. Screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) was successfully implemented and integrated into integrated behavioral health workflows and processes and substance use disorder screenings went from 0% to 75% during project period. Additionally, three providers obtained waivers for medication assisted treatment (MAT) and MAT has been initiated as part of PureView’s integrated model. Universal screenings for social determinants of health have also been incorporated into the integrated model with this pilot for screening starting in January 2019.
Grant Amount
$13,440
Term
12 month
2017
Richland County Health Department - Mental Health Local Advisory Council 2017
Connecting Resources for Emotional Wellness in Richland County
This project used innovative strategy to address the upstream risk factors contributing to poor emotional health and the consequent occurrence of mental health crises. Using an Emergency Preparedness Tabletop Exercise Model, the Richland County Mental Health Local Advisory Council successfully brought together multiple agency stakeholders to identify resources and gaps in support services. The methodology and results of this project were documented and translated into a toolkit that can be widely distributed to others who may be interested in conducting a similar project. On a local level, emotional wellness resource cards were developed and distributed and a “no wrong door” policy was developed; the goal of the “no wrong door” policy is to create an environment among health and service providers in Richland county where community members can be linked to behavioral health services from any point of service through which a person enters. All the products created through this project are designed to divert people from behavioral health crisis by strengthening emotional wellness supports in the community and increasing the opportunity for early intervention and engagement with behavioral health services.
Grant Amount
$28,328
Term
12 month
2017
Rimrock Foundation 2017
Elm House: Residential Treatment for Pregnant American Indian Women
This grant helped Rimrock Foundation establish Elm House, a residential treatment program that incorporates perinatal care with addiction treatment throughout pregnancy to support long-term sobriety for mothers and improved health outcomes for babies. By partnering with St. Vincent Healthcare's midwifery program, Rimrock was able to ensure pregnant women struggling with addiction receive adequate prenatal care along with treatment services. Case management is provided to help women transition to a safe, sober living environment after delivery. Rimrock was also able to identify specific gaps in care and develop services to fill those gaps, including Parent-Child Interaction Therapy, Circle of Security, Helping Women Recover Beyond Trauma, health coaching, and peer support. Elm House served 10 pregnant women during the reporting period, with five completing the full residential treatment program, one currently in treatment, and four leaving treatment against medical advice. Rimrock built a strong relationship with the Montana Obstetrics & Maternal Support (MOMS) program at the Billings Clinic and was awarded a SAMHSA grant through the State of Montana to serve outpatient pregnant women.
Grant Amount
$63,000
Term
24 month
2017
RiverStone Health 2017
PAX: Good Behavior Game and Trauma-Informed Schools on the Southside of Billings
This grant provided funding for a pilot project in three elementary schools on the Southside of Billings (Newman, Orchard, and Ponderosa), where students often experience multiple health inequities and other societal challenges that impact their well-being and their ability to succeed in school and adult life. The project implemented the PAX Good Behavior Game (PAX:GBG) model. PAX:GBG is a trauma-informed approach that helps students learn effective self-management skills shown to increase student success through increasing graduation rates, decreasing costs of special education, and lower rates of suicide, incarceration, and substance abuse. The model helps create a more equitable school culture which enhances student success and creates a healthy trajectory for children as they become adults. As part of the model, parents also receive coaching to ensure students’ self-management skills are translated into the home. The success of PAX:GBG in these three schools helped inform the planning and disbursement of a $2.1 million opioid block grant, leading to the model being used in all 22 elementary schools in Billings, as well as many elementary schools across the state. The pilot project also led to five GBG trainers working in Montana to train and mentor teachers throughout Montana and the development of a working group to advance GBG statewide.
Grant Amount
$75,000
Term
24 month
2017
Rocky Mountain Tribal Epidemiology Center 2017
From Plans to Action: Prevention and Support for Pregnant Blackfeet Women Using Opioids on Blackfeet
In 2016, MHCF supported the Rocky Mountain Tribal Epidemiology Center and their Boston University-based partners to work with the Blackfeet Tribe and the Indian Health Service Blackfeet Community Hospital on early-stage planning work to address opioid use by pregnant women. The funds supported a conference hosted at the Blackfeet Community College, a detailed report and feedback, an inspirational Blackfeet visit to the Lummi tribe’s opioid maintenance program, and the formation of a new, multi-partner opioid prevention task force on Blackfeet. This project continued this work through task force strengthening and capacity-building, focus groups/key informant interviews with clinicians and substance-using pregnant women, the production of a “gap analysis” to determine treatment shortfalls for substance-using pregnant women on Blackfeet, and the production of a feasibility analysis and business plan for developing services to address perinatal drug use. Ultimately, the project resulted in the coordination and development of a medication-assisted treatment (MAT) clinic for pregnant women and families on the Blackfeet Reservation. The grantee was also able to successfully secure additional funding to support further development of the project through the State of Montana STR grant and a Tribal Opioid Response grant which will supplement the services offered through the MAT clinic. A building on the Blackfeet Reservation was secured for the MAT clinic and a partnership was establish with Community Medical Services. Community Medical Services provides the induction and medication management services and Blackfeet Tribal Health provides the care coordination and behavioral health services for the women and families.
Grant Amount
$75,000
Term
12 month
2017
Salish Kootenai College 2017
Type 2 Diabetes Intervention: At Risk Children of the Pend Orielle, Salish, and Kootenai Tribes
Salish Kootenai College staff taught CSKT members about diabetes prevention during community events and increased the college’s capacity to teach students about chronic disease prevention. As part of the project, the college strengthened its relationship with the CSKT Tribal Health Department. For example, during the Women 4 Women Wellness Health Fair, college staff screened 77 women for diabetes, and they referred the 21% who screened positive to the CSKT Tribal Health Department for a follow-up. The college also used its grant funds to help promote its new Health Promotion Practices Program. This program trains students in chronic disease management and health promotion and will help build a pipeline of community health professionals in the tribe. Since the program started in 2019, eight students have enrolled and will graduate with an associate’s degree.
Grant Amount
$75,000
Term
24 month
2017
Shodair Children's Hospital 2017
Shodair Children’s Hospital Integrated Behavioral Health Planning Project
This project helped enhance Shodair’s current services by allowing them to develop a plan to integrate primary care and substance use disorder treatment to their current inpatient services and develop a plan to provide pediatric psychiatric consultation in their primary care clinics. In addition, Shodair opened an outpatient behavioral health program, which helps expand the continuum of care that was limited to inpatient. They also integrated substance use disorder treatment as part of their care by hiring and incorporating a licensed addiction counselor into their programming. Finally, they developed a psychiatric consultation service that is available to pediatricians throughout the state; this helps ensure access to remote areas and helps prevent unnecessary admissions and facilitates successful discharges back to the community.
Grant Amount
$50,000
Term
12 month
2017
Southern Peigan School Health 2017
Behavioral Health Services for At-Risk Youth Served by Southern Peigan School Health (SPSH)
Through this project, the Southern Peigan school-based health center began offering substance use disorder services as part of an integrated behavioral health model of care. Standardized screening for substance use has been implemented, and providers have been trained in SBIRT (screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment). Grant funds were used to hire a licensed addiction counselor to provide treatment services within the existing school-based health center. The National Council for Behavioral Health provided training and technical assistance. The health center’s services are sustainable through third-party billing from licensed providers, and they plan to expand their services and hire additional staff.
Grant Amount
$75,000
Term
12 month
2017
St. James Healthcare Foundation 2017
Butte Supportive Housing Collaborative
For this project, Saint James Healthcare, in partnership with Action, Inc. and with the guidance of the Corporation for Supportive Housing, developed a plan that uses data integration and hospital analysis along with community resources and program coordination to drive investments in supportive housing. Supportive housing was designed to serve the population that is most likely to be homeless or near homeless, and who face health obstacles including mental illness and substance use disorders. The project’s goal was to give community service providers guidance in identifying cost-effective ways to improve outcomes for vulnerable people by providing supportive services and secure housing. Throughout the course of the grant, the project accomplished several significant milestones including: 1) identifying and bringing together stakeholders to address chronic homelessness, 2) developing collaborative needs assessments among stakeholders to define the scope of the problem of chronic homelessness in Butte, 3) identifying 19 unique individuals in the Butte area who are frequent users of existing public safety resources and who could benefit most from the project’s supportive housing services, 4) compiling economic data on the costs of chronic homelessness and frequent systems utilizers in Butte, and 5) and partnering with the Corporation for Supportive Housing to finalize a plan to implement a new strategy to address chronic homelessness in Butte.
Grant Amount
$60,000
Term
12 month
2017
St. Luke Community Healthcare Foundation 2017
Integrated Behavioral Health
This project developed a plan to enhance St. Luke’s current integrated behavioral health model so that they could provide more evidence-based and financially sustainable services throughout their health care system. St. Luke’s successfully optimized scheduling and stratification of patient needs and reduced no shows for behavioral health appointments by 50%. They also received approval for rural health clinic status so that they can now assist with the delivery of integrated care and ensure its financial sustainability. Finally, they added a second licensed clinical social worker so that they could offer more comprehensive behavioral health coverage throughout their health system.
Grant Amount
$50,000
Term
12 month
2017
St. Peter's Health Foundation 2017
Integrating Behavioral Health into St. Peter’s Medical Group’s Primary Care Practice
This planning project sought to establish clinical work flows, data analytics, and revenue cycle needed to develop a successful integrated behavioral health model in St. Peter’s two primary clinics. The project successfully created a multidisciplinary team of primary care and behavioral health professionals who worked together to create standardized screening assessments and clinical pathways for the medical groups. Care team education, standardized tools, and clinical pathways were all developed and implemented to support best practice clinical care and integrated behavioral health workflows. As a result of this project, St. Peter’s realized a 9.4% reduction in emergency room visits and a 5.1% reduction in inpatient stays for behavioral health patients. The behavioral health professionals continue to increase the number of warm hand-offs and follow-up patient appointments to help increase the access to behavioral health services in their community. With this robust planning process and beginning implementation steps, St. Peter’s is positioned to take the next steps to fully implement integrated behavioral health into their primary care clinics.
Grant Amount
$50,000
Term
12 month
2017
St. Vincent Healthcare Foundation 2017
Building out the Continuum of Care for Integrated Behavioral Health
St. Vincent’s integrated behavioral health services into nine primary care clinics and created a virtual connection between these clinics and specialty behavioral health. With the virtual health technology infrastructure in place, warm hand-offs to virtual visits with behavioral health specialty providers are happening at each site. St. Vincent also began using SBIRT (screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment) for primary care patients in all its sites, which is a significant accomplishment. This project is sustainable through billing and reimbursement. St. Vincent will continue working with national payers to explore how it can extend its integrated behavioral health infrastructure to support access to behavioral health services in rural eastern Montana communities.
Grant Amount
$150,000
Term
24 month
2017
Townsend Health Systems 2017
Enhancing Rural Health Through the Expansion of Integrated Behavioral Health Services
This expansion grant supported a sustainable integrated behavioral health model at Broadwater Health Center (BHC) in Townsend. BHC redesigned their existing behavioral health services by educating their providers, systematizing their screening for depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders, developing new workflows and care pathways, and engaging the school and community in their efforts. Through this project, BHC is now successfully generating a net income and has developed a clinically appropriate and financially viable model.
Grant Amount
$75,000
2017
University of Montana - Curry Health Center 2017
Enhancing Behavioral Health Integration in the Curry Health Center at the University of Montana
This project’s goal was to strengthen the Curry Health Center’s level of behavioral health integration between their medical and counseling clinics. The health center succeeded in implementing a process change that promotes more consistent usage of depression screenings and coordinated follow-up care. The health center now exceeds national averages for college health centers for the care of depression with respect to use of the PHQ-9 depression screening at initial and follow up visits. In the fall of 2018, the health center will implement an integrated team including a primary care provider, a behavioral health clinician, health coach, and a university psychology student. This pilot was an innovative way to maximize existing resources at the university and support further integration of services. Technical assistance was provided by the National Council for Behavioral Health.
Grant Amount
$30,000
Term
12 month
2017
University of Montana - Department of Psychology 2017
Workforce Development Initiative
This project will plan for and implement an Integrated Behavioral Health (IBH) Workforce Development Initiative at the University of Montana. This initiative will recruit students, expand IBH training opportunities, place students in rural integrated care programs, and provide appropriate supervision. Grant funding will be used to hire an assistant psychology professor to direct the initiative. This project will build on prior MHCF grants to the University which helped develop IBH training and certification curriculum for psychology, social work, and counseling students. The project has strong partners from other university departments, as well as the Family Medicine Residency of Western Montana, Curry Health Center, Missoula Urban Indian Health Center, and CSKT Tribal Health.
Grant Amount
$141,104
Term
24 month
2017
Western Montana Mental Health Center - Recovery Center Missoula 2017
Recovery Center Missoula Pregnant and Parenting Women
The Western Montana Mental Health Center expanded its treatment services to pregnant and parenting women in Missoula and Lake Counties. The treatment center opened two new residential treatment step-down facilities and treated 33 women during the project. Unfortunately, one of their service centers in St. Ignatius (The Nest) faced significant challenges and shut down in the fall of 2019. Aspen Home in Missoula made substantial improvements in staffing, adding peer support services, updating its policies and procedures, and increasing staff training on therapeutic practices and the use of treatment concepts in direct care. Aspen Home continues to provide services to women in both Lake County and Missoula.
Grant Amount
$150,000
Term
24 month
2017
Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch 2017
Substance Use Disorder Treatment Program
The Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch expanded their substance use programming – including prevention and treatment – for young people in Yellowstone County. While they tried to expand services into counties outside of Yellowstone, their efforts were not successful. They did, however, complete the state certification process to provide substance use disorder services, secured contracts with three high schools and six middle schools, and engaged multiple counties outside of Yellowstone. They also integrated substance use treatment into residential and community-based treatment and implemented substance use prevention programming.
Grant Amount
$75,000
Term
24 month
2017
Youth Homes 2017
Enhancing Wilderness Therapy through Aftercare and Parent Programming
This project’s goal was to enhance the wilderness youth therapy program’s services by adding case management and expanding programming for caregivers. The wilderness youth therapy program offered a 45-day wilderness trip for youth ages 13-17 with co-occurring behavioral issues and a simultaneous program for parents and family members. The program sought to reduce criminal justice involvement and placement with child and family services, as well as to increase family placement and academic achievement. As a result of this project, 88 percent of the youth who participated were placed with their families and 94 percent continued to earn high school credits following the program (prior to participation, 82 percent of youth demonstrated academic failure). In addition, the percentage of youth employed in their communities increased from 6 to 24 percent within two months of program completion. Unfortunately, Youth Homes’ wilderness youth therapy program was closed due to state budget cuts and the long-term impacts on child welfare, criminal justice, family engagement, and academic performance of the youth who participated in the program could not be evaluated.
Grant Amount
$26,088
Term
12 month
2017
YWCA of Helena 2017
WINGS Reentry Transitional Housing Program
This project’s goal was to integrate a behavioral health clinician into the YWCA’s transitional women’s housing program and secure state approval for a level three sober living home for women and children, which would allow for a range of reimbursable services for behavioral health. Through this project, the YWCA successfully completed a building inspection, developed the policies and procedures, and planned for the programming that will be implemented once state approval is obtained. In the course of the project, the YWCA experienced a leadership turnover which created challenges in applying for state approval and this objective was ultimately not achieved. However, the YWCA did hire a behavioral health clinician, which was a major achievement in advancing programming and strategies and positions the organization to successfully obtain state approval in the future.
Grant Amount
$50,000
Term
12 month
2017
Alluvion Health 2016
Community Health Care Center Integrated Behavioral Health Program Development Project
The goal of this project was to strengthen the existing integration of primary care and behavioral health services within the Cascade County Community Care Center. To achieve this goal, the health center hired a psychiatric nurse practitioner to join their team of medical providers, licensed clinical social workers, and care managers to help move their program from partial to full behavioral health integration. The National Council for Behavioral Health provided technical assistance, training, and learning communities for this project. Key project outcomes included: strengthening the continuum of care with Benefis Hospital by ensuring that patients discharged from the hospital’s behavioral health unit would receive appropriate and timely care from the health center’s behavioral health team; adjusting behavioral health therapist schedules to ensure availability for “warm handoffs” and consults with primary care providers; coordinating with a dedicated biller/coder to ensure sustainable third-party billing and collections. Through this grant, the health center determined that the addition of the psychiatric nurse practitioner provided a more comprehensive model of care for the center and that the position would be sustainable moving forward through third-party billing.
Grant Amount
$35,000
Term
12 month
2016
Benefis Health System Foundation 2016
Integrated Behavioral Health for Primary Care Patients in Great Falls and North Central Montana
This project’s initial goal was for the Benefis Medical Group to plan for the integration of behavioral health into their primary care practice and support the broader implementation of integrated behavioral health by regional partners in Cascade County and north-central Montana. However, the project experienced unexpected challenges which led to an adjustment in scope. Despite challenges, the project did succeed in implementing a pilot program with a provider in a primary care clinic to screen individuals for depression. More than 150 individuals were screened, 40 of whom reported high depression scores. Through this pilot project, Benefis was able to fine-tune an algorithm for identifying individuals with depression and/or suicidal ideation, develop plans for the ongoing integration of behavioral health in clinic operations, and identify ways to improve and consolidate their electronic health records system and incorporate behavioral health modules into primary care clinic workflows.
Grant Amount
$35,000
Term
12 month
2016
Billings Clinic 2016
Transforming Primary Care to Meet the Needs of Alzheimer’s Patients and Caregivers
This project developed and implemented a clinical care pathway to screen for and improve outcomes among Alzheimer’s patients at Billings Clinic and two rural healthcare facilities: Glendive Medical Center and Lewistown’s Central Montana Medical Center. As part of the project, patients over the age of 65 were screened appropriately for Alzheimer’s dementia and related dementias (ADRD) and that those diagnosed with ADRD and their caregivers received high-quality care and support. A detailed clinical care pathway and set of tools that address clinical care, support services, operations, and billing issues, with the goal of transforming and standardizing dementia care were also put into place. The project produced a robust framework, and the sites will continue to work on implementing the clinical pathways and will collect data and outcome measures over the next 12 to 24 months. Billings Clinic is interested in sharing the success of this project and their specific approach with other clinics across the state.
Grant Amount
$150,000
Term
24 month
2016
Billings Clinic 2016
American Indian Healthcare Advocate Program
This project provided outreach, information, and health insurance enrollment assistance to American Indian people residing on the Crow and Northern Cheyenne Reservations and the urban American Indian population residing in Billings. Through the American Indian Healthcare Advocate Program, outreach events, presentations, and informational materials were distributed to over 700 individuals with questions about Montana’s Medicaid expansion and how obtaining health insurance could increase their access to quality health care. Twenty-six people were directly enrolled in a health insurance product for which they were eligible but not yet enrolled and 177 people were assisted in the enrollment process. Additionally, a qualitative research project was initiated to gain insight into American Indian perceptions of health insurance and health care.
Grant Amount
$46,820
Term
12 month
2016
Blackfeet Tribe 2016
Centralized Third Party Billing System
The Blackfeet Tribe created a centralized third-party billing office for their health system. The billing office allows the tribe to maximize revenue from the health services they provide and improve the financial management of revenue from third-party billing. The project hired a benefits coordinator and patient accounts coordinator to assess their current programs and identify billable services. The billing office collected over $2.5 million in revenue and provided referral services for Blackfeet Tribal Medicaid recipients for denture and brace services. The billing office is helping the tribe improve and expand health services to serve the needs of their community better and create a more fiscally stable, and sustainable structure for existing health programs. The office is sustainable through the revenue generated from billing services.
Grant Amount
$100,000
Term
24 month
2016
Bozeman Health Foundation 2016
Integrating Behavioral Health into an Internal Medicine Team
The goal of this project was to develop a plan to integrate behavioral health care into a Bozeman Health internal medicine team. The project resulted in the hiring of a psychiatrist who worked with the internal medicine team and a women’s specialist to establish the integrated behavioral health (IBH) program. The National Council for Behavioral Health met with providers and staff to provide guidance on implementing IBH workflows, policies, procedures, and protocols. Bozeman Health integrated IBH into one “pod” of providers and then expanded to the rest of the group once workflows were ironed out. The staggered roll-out allowed refinement and improvement of processes prior to full implementation. Because of this thorough planning process, Bozeman Health positioned themselves to fully implement IBH throughout their primary care and pediatric practices.
Grant Amount
$32,700
Term
12 month
2016
Center Pole 2016
Oosha Itchik/Healthy Food Systems
Through this grant, Center Pole successfully created a model for community-based food sovereignty and a traditional and healthy foods hub. They trained youth through community internships in food sovereignty, exposed hundreds of community members to growing and eating natural foods, completed a community food assessment survey, and used the survey findings to further development of the healthy foods hub. Center Pole was chosen as one of eight “changemaker” organizations in the Pacific Northwest by Philanthropy Northwest, and Center Pole’s Executive Director Peggy Wellknown Buffalo received an award for long-term excellence working in Indian Country from the Seventh Generation Fund for Indigenous Peoples.
Grant Amount
$50,000
Term
24 month
2016
CSKT Tribal Health Department 2016
The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribal Health Integrated Behavioral Health Program
The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribe (CSKT) Tribal Health Department developed a detailed strategic plan to integrate behavioral health into primary care and to train their current behavioral health staff and primary care providers on conducting motivational interviews and brief interventions. With the established protocol, screening tools, and a workflow plan in place, primary care and behavioral health providers are now able to consult with one another regarding behavior change for preventable disease as well as for indications of mental illness and substance abuse problems. As part of the project, CSKT also piloted a daily “huddle” to improve communication and introduce behavioral health staff into the primary care clinic. They found this to be positive and have an immediate impact on patient care and outcomes. It created a collegial and friendly environment between staff teams and resulted in successful warm hand-offs, brief interventions, and the establishment of ongoing care. Due to leadership and staff turnover, they have experienced challenges in the progression of an integrated model. The project also allowed a team of 12 program directors to travel to the SouthCentral Foundation in Alaska for a site visit and training.
Grant Amount
$35,000
Term
12 month
2016
Daniels County Health Department 2016
Improving Behavorial Health Awareness in Daniels County
This project’s goal was to help the community gain a better understanding of available behavioral health resources and for the Daniels Memorial Health Center to develop a plan to begin integrating behavioral health services into their primary care. The project engaged a diverse coalition of community stakeholders and held several training sessions on the behavioral health resources available in the community and on how to recognize the signs and symptoms of crisis situations. The coalition also developed a resource guide of local behavioral health services which was made available in print and online. The Daniels Memorial Health Center also succeeded in developing a business plan for integrating behavioral health into their primary care services and began routinely screening patients for depression. Health center leadership expressed their commitment to continue working towards integrating behavioral health throughout their health system.
Grant Amount
$35,000
2016
Flathead Community Health Center 2016
FCHC/Intermountain Integrated Behavioral Health Collaboration
For this project, Flathead Community Health Center received technical assistance and training from the National Council for Behavioral Health so that they could enhance their integrated behavioral health model and explore a partnership with Intermountain. The health center succeeded in refining their structure and protocol for defining when to treat, when to consult, and when to refer individuals for specialty behavioral health services. They also standardized their depression screening tool, developed protocols for a scope of care and referral, and purchased an EHR module for screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT). The successful collaboration between the health center and Intermountain can be used as a model for further integration efforts across the community.
Grant Amount
$35,000
Term
12 month
2016
Fort Peck Tribal Health Department 2016
Rapid HIV and HCV Testing Services
This project expanded Fort Peck’s current needle exchange program to provide testing services for HIV and hepatitis C (HCV). With 446 cases of HCV between 2011 and 2015, the HCV rates on Fort Peck are among the highest in the state and six times the national rate. HIV screenings were successfully provided at an annual community-wide screening (which was also available to non-Native community members), and the adult and juvenile correction facilities. In addition to providing screenings for injection drug users in the community, the project also successfully facilitated new collaborations with county and state health agencies including the tribal corrections facilities, the Roosevelt County Health Department, and Indian Health Services.
Grant Amount
$50,000
Term
24 month
2016
Fort Peck Tribes - Spotted Bull Recovery Resource Center 2016
Fort Peck Substance Abuse Inpatient Treatment Center Development Project
For this project, the Fort Peck Tribes developed business and strategic plans along with a detailed cost analysis to guide the establishment of a new inpatient chemical dependency treatment center to compliment Spotted Bull Recovery Center’s current outpatient facility on the Fort Peck Reservation. When built, the center will be able to provide inpatient treatment services to Native American patients from the Fort Peck region as well as non-Native patients and will eventually expand to include other tribes throughout the state. This planning project was successfully completed through a partnership that included the tribal action plan committee, the tribal executive board, the tribal health department, tribal courts, and the law enforcement agencies with jurisdiction on the reservation. The completed plans provided the Fort Peck Executive Committee with enough information to approve the next phase of the project.
Grant Amount
$50,000
Term
24 month
2016
Helena Indian Alliance 2016
Master Plan
This project resulted in the production of a preliminary architecture report that the organization will use as a guide for building renovations and for developing additional health services including dental and pharmacy. The report was also used it to seek funding for a Community Development Block Grant. Their project was not selected for block grant funding in 2018, however, they will continue looking for future opportunities.
Grant Amount
$25,000
Term
12 month
2016
Horses Spirits Healing, Inc. 2016
Equine Assisted Activities and Therapy for Veterans and Returning Military
Horses Spirits Healing, Inc. offers equine assisted activities and therapy for returning military personnel in southeastern Montana. This project formulated a sustainability plan and experienced steady growth in Veteran referrals and community support. Program growth over the duration of the grant led to the hiring of a program director, equine instructors, and contracted grant writers as well as technology and development personnel. Other accomplishments included program accreditation through the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship and the receipt of a large renewable grant through the Veterans Administration Adaptive Sports Program to cover Veteran session costs and planning for the implementation of a standardized research project through the MSU Center for Research and Recovery to determine the program’s effectiveness. Horses Spirits Healing also successfully entered into formal agreements with key partners which will support the long-term sustainability of the program.
Grant Amount
$20,000
Term
12 month
2016
Human Resource Development Council of District IX, Inc. 2016
Assessment of Community Costs of Chronic Homelessness
The Human Resource Development Council (HRDC) is a leader in community efforts improving lives for low-income people and those struggling with homelessness. This project produced a study that analyzed the costs expended each year by community stakeholders which could be impacted by housing. The report also gave recommendations for alternative models like the Housing First Model which connects homeless persons with stable housing and supportive services and costs approximately $11,860 per household annually. Importantly, the report has been shared with statewide providers and has been used as part of our Housing and Healthcare Initiative.
Grant Amount
$20,000
Term
24 month
2016
Intermountain Deaconess Children's Services 2016
Intermountain/PureView Integrated Behavioral Health Collaboration
This project’s goal was to prepare an integrated behavioral health business and operations plan to serve as a blueprint for building an economically sustainable, patient-centered, team-based collaboration between Intermountain and PureView. The project resulted in an MOU for placement of a part-time Intermountain psychotherapist at PureView, and a formal agreement for carrying forward a focused and informed approach for implementing integrated care at the East Helena Schools Clinic. This planning grant provided an opportunity for both partners to examine their existing and potential relationships with behavioral and primary care providers, and to explore new and promising opportunities for integrated health.
Grant Amount
$35,000
Term
12 month
2016
Livingston HealthCare Foundation 2016
Integrating Behavioral Health into Primary Care Services in Park County
For this project, Livingston HealthCare successfully integrated behavioral health services into their primary care clinic by creating a collaborative primary and psychiatric care team. They also began implementing universal behavioral health screenings and developed a streamlined system to provide care for patients with physical and mental health concerns at the same visit. Throughout the course of the grant, screening rates for depression increased from 17% to 65%, emergency behavioral health evaluations decreased by 43%, and depression scores improved by 76%.
Grant Amount
$126,717
Term
24 month
2016
Madison County 2016
Integrating Behavioral and Physical Health in Madison County
The Madison County Local Advisory Council for Mental Health oversaw a community-wide process for behavioral health integration. The National Council for Behavioral Health provided technical assistance and training throughout the process. The advisory council utilized integration of behavioral health as a lens to convene key community leaders and both Madison Valley Medical Center and Ruby Valley Hospital. Throughout the course of the project, primary care providers became more aware of the mental health and addiction counselors who practice in Madison County and learned how to contact them. Crisis response procedures between the two hospitals and Western Montana Mental Health Center were clarified and telehealth for crisis response evaluations was launched at both hospitals and their clinics. Universal screening for depression, referral forms, and protocols were developed for hospitals, and materials were distributed to all local primary care providers and licensed counselors. A local crisis counseling pilot project was designed and implemented by utilizing existing clinicians in Madison County, and transfer agreements with Barrett Hospital in Dillon were clarified to enable Madison County’s two local hospitals to transfer patients to the Barrett Hospital emergency room’s crisis stabilization/detox room on an as-available basis. Finally, a searchable database of local resources related to physical health, behavioral health, and social services was developed and is now available on the Madison County website with a list of priority projects.
Grant Amount
$28,398
Term
12 month
2016
Missoula Aging Services 2016
Care Transitions Achieving Better Health Outcomes
This project supported a care coordination position to help older adults transition successfully from the hospital back into their homes. This group of patients tends to utilize high-cost services such as inpatient care more frequently than the general population, and social risk factors such as poor housing and social isolation often lead to poor clinical outcomes. The project used an established model that involves home visiting followed by frequent phone or in-person contacts during the month after a hospital stay. The program also identified social risks and helped coordinate appropriate referrals as needed. Missoula Aging Services successfully developed data sharing agreements with the local hospital and other partners to ensure the discharge needs of the patients were met. The program saw a dramatic decrease in readmissions for this senior population and an increase in discharge instructions and care recommendations among patients. Funding from local partners and potentially the local hospital will help continue these care transition efforts.
Grant Amount
$135,250
Term
24 month
2016
Missoula County 2016
Missoula County Collaborative Care Planning Summit
Missoula County successfully coordinated two stakeholder meetings with the National Council of Behavioral Health’s facilitator which resulted in a shared vision for moving forward and achievable action items. Through these two primary meetings, monthly phone calls, and occasional follow-up meetings, Missoula was able to increase communication among providers and secure commitment for expanding integrated care. Community partners successfully came together to celebrate successes, identify gaps, and create action items for the future. Through these meetings, communication and understanding of other agency roles have increased, resulting in a more unified approach to integrated care across Missoula County. At the conclusion of this project, Missoula committed to creating a community of wellness group to continue this work and to provide a platform for future communication and collaboration.
Grant Amount
$20,000
Term
12 month
2016
Montana Budget and Policy Center 2016
Report on the Impact of Medicaid Repeal on Montana’s Budget, Healthcare Provider, and Individuals
This project produced a report, 142,000 Montanans Face Uncertainty of Health Coverage with Threat of ACA Repeal, published in January 2017. The report generated two news stories and was mentioned in nine others.