Project Grant P1053093

RURAL HEALTH NETWORK DEVELOPMENT PLANNING GRANT PROGRAM - APPLICANT ORGANIZATION INFORMATION: DOG TAG BUDDIES 924 PINE RIDGE LN #4 BILLINGS, MT 59105 NONPROFIT VETERAN SERVICE ORGANIZATION DOGTAGBUDDIES.ORG DESIGNATED PROJECT DIRECTOR INFORMATION: KATI GROVE, HRSA PROJECT DIRECTOR (406) 969-1227 KGROVE@DOGTAGBUDDIES.ORG NETWORK PLANNING PROJECT: INTEGRATED RURAL HEALTH NETWORK FOR MONTANA VETERANS LEGISLATIVE AIM: THE NETWORK PARTNERS' HRSA PROJECT TARGETS TWO CRITICAL LEGISLATIVE AIMS: ENHANCING EFFICIENCIES IN HEALTHCARE DELIVERY AND FORTIFYING MONTANA'S RURAL HEALTHCARE SYSTEM, FOCUSING ON VETERAN HEALTHCARE. AIM #1 - ACHIEVE EFFICIENCIES: OUR INTEGRATED MODEL COMBINES MENTAL HEALTH, OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY, AND AGRICULTURAL THERAPY FOR VETERANS, STREAMLINING HEALTHCARE DELIVERY. THIS COLLABORATIVE APPROACH OPTIMIZES RESOURCES, MINIMIZES FRAGMENTATION, AND ENHANCES OVERALL CARE EFFICIENCY. AIM #3 - STRENGTHEN THE RURAL HEALTH CARE SYSTEM: WE FOCUS ON BUILDING A ROBUST NETWORK FOR RURAL VETERANS, WORKING WITH LOCAL HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS, COMMUNITY GROUPS, AND VETERAN ORGANIZATIONS. OUR INITIATIVES ADDRESS RURAL VETERANS' UNIQUE CHALLENGES, ENHANCING THE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY OF MONTANA'S RURAL HEALTHCARE SYSTEM. FOCUS AREA: OUR FOCUS IS ENHANCING MENTAL HEALTH AND REHABILITATIVE SERVICES FOR MONTANA'S VETERANS, PARTICULARLY THOSE WITH MENTAL HEALTH DISABILITIES. THIS RESPONDS TO THE CRITICAL NEED FOR MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT AND INTEGRATED REHABILITATION IN THE VETERAN COMMUNITY. PROPOSED SERVICE REGION: THE NETWORK PARTNERS' SERVICE REGION EXTENDS ACROSS MONTANA, WITH AN EMPHASIS ON RURAL AND FRONTIER COUNTIES. ESTABLISHING SERVICE CENTERS IN SEVEN STRATEGIC CITIES: BILLINGS, MISSOULA, GREAT FALLS, BOZEMAN, HELENA, KALISPELL, AND BUTTE. THESE CENTERS WILL DELIVER AND DEPLOY MENTAL HEALTH AND REHABILITATIVE CARE FOR VETERANS THROUGHOUT MONTANA'S RURAL LANDSCAPE. POPULATION TO BE SERVED: WE'RE DEDICATED TO SERVING MONTANA'S VET ERANS, PARTICULARLY THOSE IN RURAL AREAS, WHO REPRESENT ABOUT 10% OF THE STATE'S POPULATION. THESE VETERANS OFTEN CONTEND WITH PTSD, TBI, MST, AND REINTEGRATION ISSUES. MONTANA'S RURAL AREAS, WHILE TRANQUIL, CAN CONTRIBUTE TO VETERANS' ISOLATION. A SEVERE SHORTAGE OF MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS IN THESE AREAS EXACERBATES HEALTH DISPARITIES, WITH BARRIERS LIKE LONG TRAVEL DISTANCES, LIMITED SERVICES, AND SOCIOECONOMIC CHALLENGES HINDERING CARE ACCESS. CULTURAL STIGMA AROUND MENTAL HEALTH ADDS TO THESE CHALLENGES. THE ALARMING VETERAN SUICIDE RATE IN MONTANA-NEARLY DOUBLE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE-UNDERSCORES THE URGENCY FOR ACCESSIBLE, CULTURALLY SENSITIVE MENTAL HEALTH AND REHABILITATION SERVICES. NETWORK MEMBERS: THE NETWORK CONSISTS OF SIX KEY MEMBERS, OVER 66% OF WHOM ARE IN HRSA-DESIGNATED RURAL AREAS: DOG TAG BUDDIES, A NONPROFIT VETERAN SERVICE ORGANIZATION. ROCKY MOUNTAIN COLLEGE, AN ACADEMIC AND RESEARCH INSTITUTION. MONTANA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, A STATE GOVERNMENT HEALTH DEPARTMENT. MONTANA OFFICE OF RURAL HEALTH, A STATE GOVERNMENT EDUCATIONAL AND HEALTH PROGRAM. ADAPTIVE PERFORMANCE CENTER, A REHABILITATION AND WELLNESS CENTER. FARMER VETERAN COALITION OF MONTANA, INC., A NONPROFIT VETERAN SUPPORT ORGANIZATION. EXPERIENCE IN SERVING RURAL UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS: THE NETWORK PARTNERS EXCEL IN SERVING MONTANA'S RURAL, UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES, OFFERING A SPECTRUM OF SERVICES FROM MENTAL HEALTH REHABILITATION, HEALTHCARE EDUCATION, SUICIDE PREVENTION, TO AGRICULTURAL THERAPY. THEIR COLLABORATIVE APPROACH ENSURES ACCESSIBLE, CUSTOMIZED CARE, SIGNIFICANTLY ENHANCING THE RURAL HEALTHCARE SYSTEM, ADDRESSING MENTAL HEALTH, PHYSICAL WELL-BEING, AND SOCIAL REINTEGRATION OF RURAL VETERANS. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY NOTIFICATION: WE LEARNED ABOUT THIS HRSA FUNDING OPPORTUNITY THROUGH GRANTS.GOV. HRSA FUNDING PREFERENCE: WE WILL BE PROVIDING HEALTH SERVICES IN A HEALTH PROFESSIONAL SHORTAGE AREA (HPSA)