Current Projects
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The University of Montana partners with the Montana Access to Pediatric Psychiatry Network (MAPP-Net) to bring a virtual learning series to primary care and behavioral health providers treating children and adolescents with mental healthcare needs in Montana. The sessions feature subject matter experts and case presentations to provide resources, knowledge and clinical expertise to multidisciplinary professionals in their treatment and care for children and adolescents with behavioral health conditions.
Contact: Cat LeMay
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The Center is helping expand the public health workforce by training new and existing Community Health Workers (CHWs) and health support workers. The goal is that 75% of training participants will become newly credentialed CHWs and health support workers. We also increase CHW and health support worker employment readiness through field placements and apprenticeships, developed in collaboration with a network of partnerships, to enable trainees to support public health services, while providing them with employment opportunities. Increasing the number of CHWs will advance health equity and help reduce health disparities in underserved communities in Montana.
Funder: Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
Contact: Kate Chapin
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The Center partnered with the Missoula College Paramedicine Program to develop an online Community Integrated Health curriculum for community paramedics. Community Integrated Health, an emerging field in healthcare, expands the role of EMTs and paramedics so that they can more effectively respond to underserved populations and fill gaps in care in their community.
Funder: Montana Healthcare Foundation
Contact: Kim Spurzem
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The Center provides wrap-around capacity development services to Early Childhood Coalitions (ECCs) throughout Montana. Through meaningful thought partnership and adaptable support, we empower ECCs, individually and collectively, to effect sustainable improvements to Montana’s early childhood system. The Center's services help our partners maximize their available resources and develop skills and strategies. Our support work includes:
- Program Sustainability
- Data-Driven Decision Making
- Outreach and Marketing
- Revenue and Resource Maximization
- Policy Leadership
We evaluate and track process and outcome measures related to these support efforts. Additionally, The Center co-facilitates the Montana Early Childhood Coalition in partnership with Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies and Zero to Five Montana.
Funder: Headwaters Foundation
Contact: Charlotte Moores
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The School Behavioral Health team at the Center partners with schools to implement the Early Identification System (EIS), a data-informed approach to strengthening student support systems. Through ongoing coaching, schools build the internal capacity to use local student and teacher screening data to guide Tier 1 and Tier 2 intervention planning and identify early indicators of students who may need Tier 3 support.
Learn more about our project and how to join: Exploring Early Identification System for Montana Schools
Check out the library of free and lost cost interventions on the EIS Hub: Early Identification System (EIS) Intervention Hub | Rural SMH Center Site
The research: EIS - Missouri Prevention Science Institute
Funding: MT DPHHS, Behavioral Health and Disabilities Division (BHDD). Source - Behavioral Health Systems for Future Generations (BHSFG)
Contact: Wendy Ekegren
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The Center is working with DPHHS Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities Division on the following projects:
- Youth and family leadership and engagement in behavioral health services
- Leadership, consultation, and informed thought partnership in behavioral health policy
- Addressing systemic barriers and developing provider capacity in serving youth with unmet complex needs
Funder: Montana DPHHS Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities Division
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The Court Improvement Program aims to improve court practice in child abuse and neglect cases so the three goals of safety, permanence, and well-being for each child are achieved in a fair and timely manner. The Center assists in creating training for attorneys, judges, and other court personnel who are working with families involved with the child and family service system.
Funder: Children’s Bureau of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children, Youth, and Families Division
Contact: Jeff Folsom
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The Montana Crisis Response Training equips crisis responders and system partners to deliver timely, person-centered behavioral health crisis services across Montana. Developed in partnership with the DPHHS and crisis response leaders across the state, this program combines online learning and virtual coaching to strengthen crisis system coordination, support implementation of the Crisis Now framework and improve outcomes for Montanans experiencing a crisis.
Funder: DPHHS, BHDD
Contact: Andrea Lewis
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The PAX Good Behavior Game, developed and managed by the PAXIS Institute, is a school-based, universal preventive intervention designed to teach children self-regulation, self-management and self-control. PAX GBG provides educators with strategies to teach social-emotional and behavioral skills and academics, creating a trauma-informed, nurturing environment. PAX GBG has been proven to change student brain chemistry with life-long effects that dramatically impact mental health, substance abuse, graduation rates, and suicide in our children and communities.
The School Behavioral Health team is focused on sustaining PAX Good Behavior Game (PAX GBG) implementation in Montana schools that have previously been trained. Support includes digital resources, statewide virtual collaboratives, and virtual trainings to help new staff in participating schools continue established PAX practices.- Digital Resources and Printable Materials: Trained in PAX GBG? Visit PAXIS.org and log in to "Resources" to access videos, printable resources and materials.
- PAX GBG Material Refill: Follow the directions on the side of the form to order materials for your district. The invoice must be funded by the district. (Refill Order Form 2.0 (1).xlsx)
- Join our PAX GBG contact list to receive seasonal resources and information on our virtual Statewide PAX Collaborative meetings. Contact: Karlee Tchida
Funding: MT DPHHS, Behavioral Health and Disabilities Division (BHDD). Source for sustaining PAX GBG - Behavioral Health Systems for Future Generations (BHSFG)Program Contact: Wendy Ekegren -
The Center partnered with the Children's Mental Health Bureau in the Department of Public Health and Human Services to create the Montana Targeted Case Management training. The Family Ambassador Board and agency professionals statewide also contributed their voices and suggestions. The training prepares case managers to collaborate effectively with the families of children who have serious emotional disturbances, partnering with them to work toward their goals and improve their well-being.
The training has three connected parts:
- Six e-learning lessons that create a foundation for strengths-based, family-centered work.
- A workbook with practical strategies and tools to help families identify their strengths, connect with their community and engage in effective treatment.
- Seven tele-coaching sessions offered on Zoom, featuring the Family Ambassador Board — caregivers with lived experience with case management — and other presenters whose perspective is shaped by their work in the field.
Funder: DPHHS, Children's Mental Health Bureau
Contact: Lisa Firehammer
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Title IV-E provides training, technical assistance, tuition assistance, and research/evaluation services to help Montana’s CFSD prevent child abuse and neglect.
The evaluation has three separate aims designed to increase the competency and confidence of new and existing workers and resource families. Child welfare literature indicates that well-prepared workers are less likely to turnover, resulting in a stable, higher-quality workforce. Additionally, well-trained and supported resource families are more likely to remain licensed and continue fostering. As a result, in both instances, states see improved outcomes for children and families. Current evaluations: 1) New workers' in-person and eLearning onboarding and training. 2) All workers regarding new state-mandated training on ongoing skill development. 3) New or ongoing resource parent licensure training.
Funder: MT DPHHS, Child and Family Services Division
Contact: Kerrie Ghenie