Project Grant TR145923

RURAL PUBLIC HEALTH WORKFORCE TRAINING NETWORK PROGRAM - PROJECT TITLE: MONTANA COMMUNITY HEALTH SUPPORT NETWORK (MT-CHSN) APPLICANT: MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY APPLICANT ORGANIZATION FACILITY TYPE: EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: KAILYN MOCK, DIRECTOR, 406-994-7709, KAILYN.MOCK@MONTANA.EDU PROPOSED WORKFORCE TRAINING TRACK: TRACKS 1, 3, AND 4 TARGET SERVICE AREA: 50 OF MONTANA'S 56 COUNTIES (ALL RURAL) AND RURAL AREAS IN 6 COUNTIES OUTSIDE THE CENSUS TRACTS OF BILLINGS, BOZEMAN, GREAT FALLS, HELENA, KALISPELL, AND MISSOULA. TOTAL FUNDING AMOUNT REQUESTED: $1,544,998 THE MONTANA COMMUNITY HEALTH SUPPORT NETWORK AND PARTNERS WILL TAKE A NETWORK APPROACH TO BRIDGE A WORKFORCE NEED IN MONTANA'S RURAL, FRONTIER, TRIBAL AND UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. MT-CHSN IS A NETWORK OF NETWORKS BUILT TO REACH ITS MEMBERS WITH CUSTOMIZED STRATEGIES ACROSS A VAST, RURAL, AND FRONTIER STATE. THE NETWORK HAS ADOPTED A COMPREHENSIVE DEFINITION OF COMMUNITY HEALTH SUPPORT WORKFORCE BUT WILL FOCUS ON COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS AND COMMUNITY INTEGRATED HEALTH WORKERS. BASED ON DATA FROM COMMUNITY HEALTH ASSESSMENTS AND PLANNING INPUT BY PARTNERS AND HEALTH CARE EMPLOYERS THROUGHOUT RURAL, FRONTIER, TRIBAL, AND UNDERSERVED MONTANA COMMUNITIES, MT-CHSN WILL FOCUS ON ACTIONS THAT ENCOMPASS THREE OF THE FOUR IDENTIFIED WORKFORCE TRAINING TRACKS. AMONG MT-CHSN'S CRITICAL FUNCTIONS IS TO PROVIDE THE FRAMEWORK AND TOOLS FOR MONTANA HEALTH CARE EMPLOYERS TO SUSTAIN MUCH OF THE COMMUNITY HEALTH SUPPORT WORKFORCE INITIATIVES UNDERWAY THROUGH OTHER HRSA AND CDC-FUNDED PROGRAMS THAT ADDRESS CRITICAL NEEDS AND RESPOND TO COVID-19 CHALLENGES IN MONTANA. GOAL: SUSTAINABLY ADDRESS MONTANA'S CRITICAL HEALTH NEEDS IN RURAL, FRONTIER, TRIBAL, AND UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES THROUGH EXPANDED COMMUNITY HEALTH SUPPORT WORKFORCE CAPACITY. - OBJECTIVE 1: DEVELOP INNOVATIVE WORKFORCE EDUCATION AND TRAINING APPROACHES TO SUPPORT HEALTH CARE EMPLOYER BUSINESS OPERATIONS AND EQUIP THE WORKFORCE WITH SKILLS TO ENGAGE IN POPULATION HEA LTH AND VALUE-BASED CARE. STRATEGIES WILL INCLUDE LEVERAGING EXISTING TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR CROSS-TRAINING, SUPPORTING SECTOR LEAD ORGANIZATIONS IN ENGAGING TARGET EMPLOYERS, AND PROMOTING DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION WITH CURRICULAR MODIFICATIONS AND SPECIFIC OUTREACH. - OBJECTIVE 2: CREATE SYSTEMIC CHANGE WITHIN PARTNER WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, TRAINING, AND PLACEMENT STRATEGIES TO FACILITATE CAREER AND EDUCATIONAL PATHWAYS AND SUSTAINABILITY. STRATEGIES INCLUDE DEVELOPING AND INSTITUTIONALIZING EDUCATION AND CAREER PATHWAYS, DEVELOPING A FLEXIBLE MONTANA MODEL FOR SUSTAINING VALUABLE COMMUNITY HEALTH SUPPORT WORKERS, AND CULTIVATING BROAD SUPPORT FOR THE COMMUNITY HEALTH SUPPORT WORKFORCE. - OBJECTIVE 3: DEVELOP AND SUSTAIN A COLLABORATIVE NETWORK TO ADDRESS THE ONGOING CRITICAL NEEDS FOR COMMUNITY HEALTH SUPPORT WORKFORCE THAT IMPROVES HEALTH OUTCOMES FOR THE POPULATION AND PROVIDES VALUE FOR HEALTH CARE EMPLOYERS IN RURAL, FRONTIER, TRIBAL, AND UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES OF MONTANA. STRATEGIES INCLUDE DEVELOPING A SUSTAINABLE NETWORK, INCREASING CROSS-SECTOR COLLABORATION, EVALUATING PROJECT PROCESSES AND OUTCOMES, AND COLLABORATING AROUND BEST PRACTICES AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. AS APPLICANT FOR THE NETWORK, MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY'S MONTANA OFFICE OF RURAL HEALTH AND AREA HEALTH EDUCATION CENTER (MORH/AHEC) IS A LEADER IN HEALTH WORKFORCE COLLABORATION AND PLANNING FOR THE STATE'S RURAL, FRONTIER, AND UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. MORH/AHEC AND MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY HAVE DECADES OF EXPERIENCE MANAGING SUCCESSFUL HRSA AND OTHER FEDERALLY FUNDED PROGRAMS, INCLUDING MANY NETWORK AND WORKFORCE INITIATIVES. MORH/AHEC BOASTS A HIGHLY KNOWLEDGEABLE STAFF. FUNDING PREFERENCE: MT-CHSN SERVES COMMUNITIES WITH HPSA SHORTAGES AND MUC/MUP. DOCUMENTATION IS INCLUDED IN ATTACHMENT 10. SPECIAL CONSIDERATION: MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY IS REQUESTING SPECIAL CONSIDERATION BASED ON THE INCLUSION OF A SIGNED MOA/U FROM ALL NETWORK PARTNERS INCLUDED IN ATTACH