Program Description and Purpose1 

 Due to the differences in permissions necessary for Counties and Tribes to apply for grants, and due to the differences in time required to receive these permissions, this grant program will have 2 application portals, one for Counties and one for Tribes.  The applications will be identical. If applying as a group of Counties, a group of Tribes, or a group of Counties and Tribes, the community submitting the application for the grant will be considered the primary community. The primary community should apply under the application that matches their status as a tribe or county. 

 Applications will be reviewed by the Department in the order they are received. Applications will be considered complete if they have answered all required questions and included all requested documentation. If an application is deemed incomplete, it will not proceed through the remainder of the evaluation process. The first 8 County applications and the first 2 Tribal applications received that meet criteria will be accepted. Applications that do not meet criteria will not be awarded. The County application will close on April 11th, or after the receipt of 8 successful applications, whichever comes first. The Tribal application will close on April 11th, or after the receipt of 2 successful applications, whichever comes first. County applications received after the Department has received 8 successful county applications will not be awarded. Tribal applications received after the Department has received 2 successful tribal applications will not be awarded. 

  Rural and frontier Counties and Tribes across Montana have heightened behavioral health (BH) needs and often lack the resources necessary to address them. Rural Montanans often lack access to BH supports and services that could significantly improve their lives.  More than 40% of Montana communities do not have a mental health center and access to BH services is particularly limited in rural, frontier, and tribal communities1.   Efforts to improve Montana’s BH systems and the mental wellbeing of Montanans will be far more impactful, particularly in rural, frontier, and tribal communities if strategic efforts to meet the specific BH needs of their community members are led at the local level. BH needs across Montana are diverse and complex and include disproportionately high suicide and substance use disorder rates, increasing overdose fatalities, and other issues related to BH crises, mental health, and wellbeing. Targeted, locally developed solutions to BH needs are particularly important given the variety of challenges and availability of assets and resources that exist across communities in Montana. Given the uniqueness of each Montana community, there is no “one size fits all” approach to improving rural BH outcomes1. 

  To support local communities in meeting the diverse, complex, and unique BH needs of their respective populations, the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (the Department), pursuant to the approved Behavioral Health System for Future Generations (BHSFG) Near Term Initiative (NTI), has developed a Local Innovation Pilot Programs grant to provide funds to help design and implement solutions that are tailored to specific County or Tribe-level needs. Counties or Tribes could apply for one of two tracks under this program:   

1. System-Level Innovation with support from the Montana Public Health Institute (MTPHI)     This pilot is intended to support collaboration at the local level to transform the way health systems work together to complement existing behavioral health prevention, crisis, treatment, and recovery efforts1. Funding will be utilized to contract with MTPHI to provide administrative capacity and technical assistance to the grantees1. Approximately 25% of the grant award value will be provided by the Awardee to MTPHI for Technical Assistance with grant activities1. The remaining funding is not intended to provide direct services at the individual level or to replace existing services.  Funding instead will be utilized to allow for a dedicated change leader to engage the community to assess existing behavioral health services and identify ways to strengthen their local systems to increase resilience and mental wellness through coordinated community efforts 1. Funding will be deliverable based, allowing communities flexibility without requiring new staff positions. Communities will be supported in developing a plan for sustaining their efforts beyond this funding opportunity1.     This work will be focused on two strategic priorities: i) supporting local innovation and community coordination and ii) beginning to develop a network of local collaboratives through which DPHHS and other statewide partners can maximize the reach and impact of Montana’s behavioral health system1.       
2. Local-based Community Health Workers with support from Catalyst for Change     Catalyst for Change has demonstrated success in supporting rural and frontier communities with a model that connects local, County- or Tribe-based community health workers (CHWs) to an existing infrastructure which includes training, clinical supervision, and an extensive telehealth network of licensed professionals1. Funding will be utilized to contract with Catalyst for Change to provide administrative capacity and technical assistance to the grantees. Approximately 25% of the grant award value will be provided by the Awardee to Catalyst for Change for Technical Assistance with grant activities1. Remaining funding will be utilized for the County or Tribe to employ a CHW and work with Catalyst for Change to access their existing infrastructure and model. The level of clinical supervision provided to CHWs under this model equips the CHWs to offer important BH interventions that, combined with linkage to needed telehealth BH treatment services, can significantly improve outcomes for people in rural Montana communities. Over the course of the grant period, Catalyst for Change will support communities in developing a plan for sustaining their efforts beyond this funding opportunity1.   Funding for the program is provided via the Behavioral Health System for Future Generations (BHSFG) Commission, as authorized under House Bill 872 (HB 872). Funding will be deliverable based and will be provided on a quarterly basis upon receipt of proof of deliverables.   

Target outcomes for this grant program: 

• Reduced rates of substance use disorder, suicidal ideation, depression, and anxiety in rural and frontier communities.   
• Reduced BH crises in rural, frontier, and tribal communities.  
• Increased community-led innovation that will lead to local behavioral health system improvements through collaboration and coordination.  

Target outputs for this grant program: 

• Increased coordination between health/social services and community resources in rural, frontier, and tribal communities.  
• Increased utilization of BH-related resources in rural, frontier, and tribal communities.  
• Stronger local behavioral health systems that can better reduce the prevalence of SUD and mental illness.  
• County and Tribe data on youth and adult behavioral health.  

 Proposed Project Cost Guidance 

   As part of their applications, applicants will submit detailed budget proposals that outline accurate and verifiable costs. Applicants to track one of this Initiative are required to work in tandem with the MTPHI toward project completion. Applicants to track two of this Initiative are required to work in tandem with Catalyst for Change toward project completion. It is expected that approximately 25% of the total award value of this grant will be used to pay MTPHI or Catalyst for Change.  Applicants may submit proposals that do not cover the full cost of a project if they identify the sources of other funds that will be leveraged to cover the full cost. Total request may not exceed $250,000.    Eligibility and Application Requirements  

  Eligible applicants must:   

• Be a County or Tribal Government, or a group of County and Tribal communities, with a population of each county or tribe under approximately 10,000 people; 
• Clearly specify in the application whether the applicant is applying for track one, System-Level Innovation with support from the Montana Public Health Institute (MTPHI), or track two, Local-based Community Health Workers with support from Catalyst for Change; and 
• Commit to all requirements subsequently laid out by the Department, including reporting requirements which are outlined in more detail later in this application. 

  A total of $2,500,000 is dedicated to this NTI, to be distributed as one-time, two-year grants in maximum allotments of $250,000 to up to ten rural and/or frontier Counties and Tribes, defined as those with populations less than 10,000 people. The Department will award the first eight County applicants and the first two Tribal applicants that meet criteria in the order they are submitted. 

  Counties and Tribes selected for grants will enter into an agreement with the Department and either the MTPHI (track one) or Catalyst for Change (track two) for the provision of training and technical assistance. MTPHI or Catalyst for Change will receive approximately 25% of the award value of this grant.   Reporting Requirements   Counties and Tribes selected for an award under this program will be required to:   

• Track and report data on activities, outputs, and outcomes to DPHHS.  
• Monitor outcomes through administering surveys to members served and other activities.  
• Report individual members served.  
• Meet all reporting requirements subsequently outlined in the grant application process.  

The cadence and format of this reporting will be determined by DPHHS and the provider after a provider is selected under this program. 

References 

[1] Behavioral Health System for Future Generations Commission, ‘Recommendation for Consideration Number 11: Funding to Pilot Local Innovations in Behavioral Health through Grants to Counties and Tribes,’ Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, 2024. 

Program Description and Purpose1 

Due to the differences in permissions necessary for Counties and Tribes to apply for grants, and due to the differences in time required to receive these permissions, this grant program will have 2 application portals, one for Counties and one for Tribes.  The applications will be identical. If applying as a group of Counties, a group of Tribes, or a group of Counties and Tribes, the community submitting the application for the grant will be considered the primary community. The primary community should apply under the application that matches their status as a tribe or county. 

Applications will be reviewed by the Department in the order they are received. Applications will be considered complete if they have answered all required questions and included all requested documentation. If an application is deemed incomplete, it will not proceed through the remainder of the evaluation process. The first 8 County applications and the first 2 Tribal applications received that meet criteria will be accepted. Applications that do not meet criteria will not be awarded. The County application will close on April 11th, or after the receipt of 8 successful applications, whichever comes first. The Tribal application will close on April 11th, or after the receipt of 2 successful applications, whichever comes first. County applications received after the Department has received 8 successful county applications will not be awarded. Tribal applications received after the Department has received 2 successful tribal applications will not be awarded.  

Rural and frontier Counties and Tribes across Montana have heightened behavioral health (BH) needs and often lack the resources necessary to address them. Rural Montanans often lack access to BH supports and services that could significantly improve their lives.  More than 40% of Montana communities do not have a mental health center and access to BH services is particularly limited in rural, frontier, and tribal communities1.
Efforts to improve Montana’s BH systems and the mental wellbeing of Montanans will be far more impactful, particularly in rural, frontier, and tribal communities if strategic efforts to meet the specific BH needs of their community members are led at the local level. BH needs across Montana are diverse and complex and include disproportionately high suicide and substance use disorder rates, increasing overdose fatalities, and other issues related to BH crises, mental health, and wellbeing. Targeted, locally developed solutions to BH needs are particularly important given the variety of challenges and availability of assets and resources that exist across communities in Montana. Given the uniqueness of each Montana community, there is no “one size fits all” approach to improving rural BH outcomes1. 

To support local communities in meeting the diverse, complex, and unique BH needs of their respective populations, the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (the Department), pursuant to the approved Behavioral Health System for Future Generations (BHSFG) Near Term Initiative (NTI), has developed a Local Innovation Pilot Programs grant to provide funds to help design and implement solutions that are tailored to specific County or Tribe-level needs. Counties or Tribes could apply for one of two tracks under this program:

1. System-Level Innovation with support from the Montana Public Health Institute (MTPHI)
   
   This pilot is intended to support collaboration at the local level to transform the way health systems work together to complement existing behavioral health prevention, crisis, treatment, and recovery efforts1. Funding will be utilized to contract with MTPHI to provide administrative capacity and technical assistance to the grantees1. Approximately 25% of the grant award value will be provided by the Awardee to MTPHI for Technical Assistance with grant activities1. The remaining funding is not intended to provide direct services at the individual level or to replace existing services.  Funding instead will be utilized to allow for a dedicated change leader to engage the community to assess existing behavioral health services and identify ways to strengthen their local systems to increase resilience and mental wellness through coordinated community efforts 1. Funding will be deliverable based, allowing communities flexibility without requiring new staff positions. Communities will be supported in developing a plan for sustaining their efforts beyond this funding opportunity1.
   
   This work will be focused on two strategic priorities: i) supporting local innovation and community coordination and ii) beginning to develop a network of local collaboratives through which DPHHS and other statewide partners can maximize the reach and impact of Montana’s behavioral health system1.  
   
   
2. Local-based Community Health Workers with support from Catalyst for Change
   
   Catalyst for Change has demonstrated success in supporting rural and frontier communities with a model that connects local, County- or Tribe-based community health workers (CHWs) to an existing infrastructure which includes training, clinical supervision, and an extensive telehealth network of licensed professionals1. Funding will be utilized to contract with Catalyst for Change to provide administrative capacity and technical assistance to the grantees. Approximately 25% of the grant award value will be provided by the Awardee to Catalyst for Change for Technical Assistance with grant activities1. Remaining funding will be utilized for the County or Tribe to employ a CHW and work with Catalyst for Change to access their existing infrastructure and model. The level of clinical supervision provided to CHWs under this model equips the CHWs to offer important BH interventions that, combined with linkage to needed telehealth BH treatment services, can significantly improve outcomes for people in rural Montana communities. Over the course of the grant period, Catalyst for Change will support communities in developing a plan for sustaining their efforts beyond this funding opportunity1.
   Funding for the program is provided via the Behavioral Health System for Future Generations (BHSFG) Commission, as authorized under House Bill 872 (HB 872). Funding will be deliverable based and will be provided on a quarterly basis upon receipt of proof of deliverables.
    

Target outcomes for this grant program:

• Reduced rates of substance use disorder, suicidal ideation, depression, and anxiety in rural and frontier communities.   
• Reduced BH crises in rural, frontier, and tribal communities.  
• Increased community-led innovation that will lead to local behavioral health system improvements through collaboration and coordination.  

Target outputs for this grant program:

• Increased coordination between health/social services and community resources in rural, frontier, and tribal communities.  
• Increased utilization of BH-related resources in rural, frontier, and tribal communities.  
• Stronger local behavioral health systems that can better reduce the prevalence of SUD and mental illness.  
• County and Tribe data on youth and adult behavioral health.  

Proposed Project Cost Guidance    

 As part of their applications, applicants will submit detailed budget proposals that outline accurate and verifiable costs. Applicants to track one of this Initiative are required to work in tandem with the MTPHI toward project completion. Applicants to track two of this Initiative are required to work in tandem with Catalyst for Change toward project completion. It is expected that approximately 25% of the total award value of this grant will be used to pay MTPHI or Catalyst for Change.  Applicants may submit proposals that do not cover the full cost of a project if they identify the sources of other funds that will be leveraged to cover the full cost. Total request may not exceed $250,000.  
Eligibility and Application Requirements   

Eligible applicants must:

• Be a County or Tribal Government, or a group of County and Tribal communities, with a population of each county or tribe under approximately 10,000 people; 
• Clearly specify in the application whether the applicant is applying for track one, System-Level Innovation with support from the Montana Public Health Institute (MTPHI), or track two, Local-based Community Health Workers with support from Catalyst for Change; and 
• Commit to all requirements subsequently laid out by the Department, including reporting requirements which are outlined in more detail later in this application. 

A total of $2,500,000 is dedicated to this NTI, to be distributed as one-time, two-year grants in maximum allotments of $250,000 to up to ten rural and/or frontier Counties and Tribes, defined as those with populations less than 10,000 people. The Department will award the first eight County applicants and the first two Tribal applicants that meet criteria in the order they are submitted.  

Counties and Tribes selected for grants will enter into an agreement with the Department and either the MTPHI (track one) or Catalyst for Change (track two) for the provision of training and technical assistance. MTPHI or Catalyst for Change will receive approximately 25% of the award value of this grant.  
Reporting Requirements
Counties and Tribes selected for an award under this program will be required to:

• Track and report data on activities, outputs, and outcomes to DPHHS.  
• Monitor outcomes through administering surveys to members served and other activities.  
• Report individual members served.  
• Meet all reporting requirements subsequently outlined in the grant application process.  

The cadence and format of this reporting will be determined by DPHHS and the provider after a provider is selected under this program. 

References 

[1] Behavioral Health System for Future Generations Commission, ‘Recommendation for Consideration Number 11: Funding to Pilot Local Innovations in Behavioral Health through Grants to Counties and Tribes,’ Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, 2024. 

Program Description and Purpose 

Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) often need life-long supports and services to ensure health and safety while also accessing and participating in their local communities. These supports and services are often provided on a day-to-day basis by Direct Support Professionals (DSPs).

There is a significant need and in turn value to investing in DSP workforce stabilization and promoting stronger capacity across the continuum to support people with IDD. Specifically, this initiative calls for piloting a DSP credentialing structure to test best practice approaches to DSP stabilization through career ladders. The DSP Workforce Capacity Grants provide one-time grants to five (1 per DDP region) service providers for, on average, 25 DSPs to become credentialed through the National Alliance for Direct Support Professional platform eBadge Academy, a web-based credentialing platform. The Developmental Disabilities Program (DDP) will pre-purchase access to the credentialing platform on behalf of selected agencies, as well as some technical assistance support from NADSP. Grant funds will cover staff time for DSPs participating in the credentialing program as well as “backfilled” staff to cover the shift time of staff enrolled in the credentialing program; payroll processing, grant reporting and tracking and other administrative costs incurred by selected provider agencies; and one-time incentive bonuses to DSPs once they reach credentialing tiers, as modeled below: 

DSP – I (Tier 1) –$1,000 

DSP – II (Tier 2)  – $1,500 

DSP – III (Tier 3) – $2,000

DSPs enrolled in the NADSP eBadge Academy must complete the following under each tier to be eligible for the one-time bonuses; a DSP may achieve all three Tiers. 

DSP-I 

To earn a DSP – I certification, the DSP must earn 15 total E-Badges, including: 

• The Code of Ethics Commitment E-Badge 
• The 50 hours of Accredited Education E-Badge 
• At least one E-Badge in Crisis Prevention and Intervention 
• At least one E-Badge in Person-Centered Practices 
• At least one E-Badge in Health and Wellness and 
• At least one E-Badge in Safety 

 DSP-II 

To earn DSP – II certification, the DSP must earn 30 total E-Badges, including: 

• The DSP-I E-Badge
• The 100 hours of Accredited Education E-Badge 
• At least one E-Badge in Evaluation and Observation 
• At least E-Badge in Communication 
• At least one E-Badge in Professionalism and Ethics and 
• At least one E-Badge in Community Inclusion and Networking 

DSP-III 

To earn DSP – III certification, the DSP must earn 50 total E-Badges, including: 

• The DSP-II E-Badge 
• At least one E-Badge in Empowerment and Advocacy 
• At least one E-Badge in Community Living Skills and Supports 
• At least one E-Badge in Education, Training, and Self-Development 
• At least one E-Badge in Cultural Competence