Montana Children’s Health Data Partnership Project

In 2016, HMHB, began working with local early childhood coalitions (ECCs) from across the State of Montana. The coordinators of these ECCs began meeting as a group to discuss how local coalitions could work together to better achieve their shared goals and objectives. Through these conversations, it was agreed that HMHB would convene local ECC coordinators and key stakeholders, to establish shared measures.  The group agreed that shared measurement, a key component of the Collective Impact Framework, was a good place to advance collaboration in maternal and child health in Montana. This process produced the The Montana Children’s Health Data Partnership Project (MCHDPP).

The MCHDPP developed 10 early childhood measures to assess the impact of the work of local early childhood coalitions on children’s health. In the Spring of 2019, the Montana Children’s Health Data Partnership Project Summary and Strategic Plan was published.  The document details the process of determining the ten measures.  Throughout 2020 and 2021, HMHB worked closely with Montana KIDS COUNT to further refine and compile the measures.  In May of 2022, we shared the Spring 2022 Progress Report and launched the Montana Children’s Health Data Dashboard in partnership with Montana Kids Count.  You can view the presentation below or watch the recording of the dashboard launch on our YouTube channel.

In October of 2022, with support from DPHHS’s EMS, Trauma, and Injury Prevention Systems Program, HMHB worked in partnership with The Montana Institute and University of Washington to produce and promote a report on Montana HOPE (Health Outcomes from Positive Experiences). The authors of the report sought to examine and establish norms related to HOPE items as presented in the MT 2019 BRFSS HOPE module. This report provides analysis on the findings and offers direction for next-step work in Montana related to reducing Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) and mitigating the negative health outcomes from ACES, by identifying opportunities to increase HOPE from Positive Childhood Experiences in Montana.