Montana Public Health Institute

The state opioid response (sor) project allows mtphi to serve as the technical assistant for six regional hubs focused on overdose prevention efforts at the local and tribal level. This pilot project is called the opioid education and naloxone distribution program (oendp). The goal of the oendp project is to reduce opioid overdose in Montana through a regional approach that focuses on opioid prevention, harm reduction strategies, increasing access to treatment and recovery services, and the distribution of naloxone. In the first half of 2023, mtphi facilitated an application process and selected six organizations to serve as pilot project sites for the two-year project period (through september 2024).

Syphilis cases in Montana have been increasing at an alarming rate, especially in tribal nations and pregnant individuals. As a result of this urgent threat, mtphi and partners have worked to increase capacity of the Public Health and Health care system to address these issues by organizing a series of syphilis symposiums to bring much-needed expertise, education, and resources to Health professionals and counties across Montana. During this week-long event, over 300 people participated including Health professionals and community partners from social, government, nonprofit, and other relevant organizations.

On an ongoing basis, mtphi staff work to provide mentorship, support, and encouragement to Public Health professionals in the state. Mtphi has continued to build and grow communities of practice that allow for Public Health professionals to network and exchange ideas. For example, mtphi has hosted five virtual meetings with Public Health medical directors focusing on a variety of Public Health topics and issues that local and tribal communities are facing. The meetings to date have included presentations on mpox, covid and influenza, syphilis, opioid and overdose prevention, and Public Health law with a focus on how Montana's Public Health system is structured.

Other program services consisted of the following. 988: provide evaluation services for the 988 suicide prevention hotline. Crisis diversion: provide technical assistance to the Montana communities engaged in crisis redesign.environmental scan: developed toolkit for local and tribal Health departments focused on the role of Public Health in behavioral Health and how to do this work. Ppw: provide technical assistance and evaluation for the pregnant and parenting women sites. Ccbhc: provide technical assistance and evaluation for the planning of certified community behavioral Health clinics in Montana. Chronic disease: provided support and facilitation to the Montana statewide Health equity task force. Mhcf: continued the organizational development of mtphi and the strengthening of relationships with local and tribal Health departments. Nnphi Health equity: provided technical assistance to state Health departments in the implementation of the cdc funding related to Health equity. Rsh evaluation: participated in the riverstone Health evaluation team for their community Health workers project in yellowstone county. Title x: assisted with the transition for title x funding from state agency to non-governmental organization. Trailhead: provided technical assistance to region 8 state Health departments in their implementation of the Public Health infrastructure grant (centers for disease control and prevention). Web survey: provided survey and evaluation support to the Montana tobacco use prevention program (mtupp) and coordinated the creation of the mtupp strategic plan.