Project Grant P1049212

RURAL HEALTH NETWORK DEVELOPMENT PLANNING GRANT PROGRAM - APPLICANT ORGANIZATION INFORMATION ORGANIZATION NAME: MONTANA HEALTH RESEARCH AND EDUCATION FOUNDATION ADDRESS: 2625 WINNE AVE, HELENA, MONTANA, 59601-4952 ENTITY TYPE: MHREF IS A NOT-FOR-PROFIT 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION ESTABLISHED IN 1973 BY THE MONTANA HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION WEBSITE ADDRESS: HTTPS://MTHA.ORG/FOUNDATION/MONTANA-HEALTH-RESEARCH-EDUCATION-FOUNDATION/ DESIGNATED PROJECT DIRECTOR INFORMATION PROJECT DIRECTOR NAME: KATHRINE (KATIE) GLUECKERT TITLE: SOUTH CENTRAL MONTANA AREA HEALTH EDUCATION CENTER DIRECTOR PHONE NUMBER: (406) 457-8048 EMAIL ADDRESS: KATIE.GLUECKERT@MTHA.ORG PROJECT TRACK ADVANCING HEALTH EQUITY TRACK (AHE) NETWORK PLANNING GRANT PROJECT NETWORK NAME: MONTANA HEALTH EQUITY NETWORK DEVELOPMENT PLANNING LEGISLATIVE AIMS ? LEGISLATIVE AIM #1: ACHIEVE EFFICIENCIES BY ESTABLISHING COLLABORATION AMONG THE MONTANA HEALTH EQUITY NETWORK AND IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE MEMBERS TO ADDRESS REGIONAL AND LOCAL POPULATION HEALTH NEEDS BETTER. ? LEGISLATIVE AIM #2: EXPAND ACCESS TO, COORDINATE, AND IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF ESSENTIAL HEALTHCARE SERVICES AND ASSOCIATED HEALTH OUTCOMES BY DEVELOPING NETWORK FRAMEWORK CONTENT. ? LEGISLATIVE AIM #3: STRENGTHEN THE RURAL HEALTHCARE SYSTEM AS A WHOLE. THE LEARNING COLLABORATION OF EARLY ADOPTERS AND NEW PILOT SITES WILL ENCOURAGE COOPERATION AND CROSS-ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP COMMITMENT. FOCUS AREA AHE TRACK: MONTANA HEALTH RESEARCH AND EDUCATION FOUNDATION'S (MHREF) FOCUS AREA OF THIS NETWORK DEVELOPMENT PLANNING PROPOSAL IS TO ADDRESS HEALTH EQUITY NEEDS IN RURAL MONTANA COMMUNITIES. SPECIFICALLY, THE GOALS OF THIS NETWORK INCLUDE: 1) IDENTIFYING AREAS OF OPPORTUNITY FOR HEALTH EQUITY INTERVENTIONS IN EACH COMMUNITY, 2) DESIGNING AND IMPLEMENTING EVIDENCE-BASED INTERVENTIONS TO ADDRESS THESE NEEDS, AND 3) DEFINING EVALUATION METRICS TO MEASURE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THESE INTERVENTIONS. PROPOSED SERVICE REGION ALL THE MONTANA HEALTH EQUITY NETWORK MEMBERS OPERATE IN FULLY RURAL AREAS AND QUALIFY FOR RURAL HEALTH GRANTS. ? MONTANA HEALTH RESEARCH AND EDUCATION FOUNDATION, HELENA, LEWIS AND CLARK COUNTY, MONTANA ? MONTANA OFFICE OF RURAL HEALTH, BOZEMAN, GALLATIN COUNTY, MONTANA ? BILLINGS BEARTOOTH CLINIC, RED LODGE, CARBON COUNTY, MONTANA ? FRANCES MAHON DEACONESS HOSPITAL, GLASGOW, VALLEY COUNTY, MONTANA POPULATION TO BE SERVED MONTANA IS A RURAL STATE WITH LIMITED HEALTHCARE ACCESS AND INFRASTRUCTURE. THESE FACTORS HAVE LED TO POOR HEALTH OUTCOMES, HEALTH DISPARITIES, AND OTHER INEQUITIES FOR ITS POPULATION, PARTICULARLY THOSE IN FRONTIER AND RURAL AREAS, INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES, AND THOSE OF LOWER SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS. THESE DISPARITIES ARE FURTHER EXACERBATED BY A LACK OF QUALITY HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS, BROADBAND ACCESS, AND A CULTURAL STIGMA SURROUNDING HEALTHCARE. NETWORK MEMBERS ? MONTANA HEALTH RESEARCH AND EDUCATION FOUNDATION (MHREF) IS A NOT-FOR-PROFIT 501(C)(3) ? MONTANA OFFICE OF RURAL HEALTH AND THE MONTANA AREA HEALTH EDUCATION CENTER (MORH/AHEC) IS A NON-FOR-PROFIT 501(C)(3) ? FRANCES MAHON DEACONESS HOSPITAL IS A VOLUNTARY, NON-PROFIT CORPORATION ? BEARTOOTH BILLINGS CLINIC IS A 10-BED NONPROFIT CRITICAL ACCESS HOSPITAL THE PROPOSED SERVICE REGIONS AND MEMBERS OF THIS NETWORK ARE LOCATED IN HRSA-DESIGNATED RURAL AREAS, AS DEFINED BY THE RURAL HEALTH GRANTS ELIGIBILITY ANALYZER. THE MONTANA HEALTH EQUITY NETWORK WILL PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR HOSPITALS OF DIFFERENT SIZES, SERVICE POPULATIONS, AND RESOURCES TO LEARN FROM EACH OTHER AND COLLABORATE ON STRATEGIES FOR ADDRESSING HEALTH INEQUITIES IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. THE PROPOSED NETWORK MEMBERS WERE SELECTED BECAUSE OF THE RURAL, ISOLATED, AND HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES THEY SERVE, THEIR COMMITMENT TO HEALTH EQUITY, THEIR READINESS TO PARTICIPATE, AND THEIR ABILITY TO ENGAGE THEIR COMMUNITIES. THIS MONTANA HEALTH EQUITY NETWORK DEVELOPMENT PLANNING PROPOSAL MEETS THE FOLLOWING FUNDING PREFERENCE: QUALIFICATION 2- MEDICALLY UNDERSERVED COMMUNITY/POPU LATIONS (MUC/MUPS).