The Montana Early Childhood Coalition

What is the Montana Early Childhood Coalition?

The MTECC is a statewide coalition of local early childhood coalition leaders and community group representatives who may be involved in childcare, public health, home visiting or several other areas of the early childhood system.

The goal of the MTECC is to facilitate information sharing, relationship,
building and resource leveraging amongst its participants to ensure local early childhood coalitions are well informed, well connected, and well equipped.

The agendas focus on:

  • Relationship building and networking
  • Funding opportunities
  • Information and resource sharing
  • Advocacy

Meeting Details

The coalition meets the 3rd Tuesday of each month from 2:30 – 4:00 pm virtually. To request a meeting agenda and Zoom link email HMHB Program Coordinator, Dawn Gunderson, at dawn@hmhb-mt.org.

Statewide Coalition Work

LIFTS Online Resource Guide

LIFTS, or Linking Infants & Families to Supports, was created to link Montana families who are expecting or raising young ones to supports, resources, and family-friendly events. Local level early childhood coalitions were implemental in identifying and collecting community-based supports included in this online guide through mini-grants. https://hmhb-lifts.org/

Positive Childhood Experiences Community Conversations

In 2023, Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies, presented to the statewide Early Childhood Coalition coordinators on Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs) and the findings in the Montana HOPE report. Many of these coordinators then hosted their own community discussion to share the findings from the Montana HOPE Report to grow the awareness of the impact of Positive Childhood Experiences in their community and to explore ways to engage additional community members.

Postpartum Behavioral Health Crisis Mapping

In 2020, early childhood education coordinators attended a virtual workshop to prepare to conduct a postpartum behavioral health crisis mapping exercise with stakeholders in their in their local community. The objective of the workshop was to map the resources available to postpartum women experiencing suicidal thoughts in their community and prioritize areas for action to create better systems of support for these women.

MTECC Resource Library

Together, ECCs throughout our state have compiled a rich library of resources – everything from research articles to family engagement strategies.

Examples of Local Level Work

  • Parenting classes

  • Support groups

  • Children’s playspaces & events

  • Parent aide/liaison programs

  • Perinatal support (doulas, universal home visiting, etc.)

  • Community education & information sharing

  • Children’s items donations and resale

  • Resource referrals

  • Reading and literacy programs

  • Food security

  • The list goes on…!

Interested in joining or learning more about a local coalition? Visit the links below to find out more.

Anaconda Deer Lodge County Best Beginnings Coalition

Contact Leia Pate-Terry at lpate-terry@adlc.us
View a Snapshot of Deer Lodge County
View the website

Bitterroot Childcare Coalition

Contact Ariella Wells at ella@beln.org or (406)363-1688
View the website at beln.org

Butte Community Council

Contact Dawnann Davis at ddavis@butte4-cs.org
View a Snapshot of Silverbow County

Central Montana Coalition for Family Health

Contact Chelsea Solberg at chelsea.solberg@gmail.com
View the website

Early Childhood Coalition of Beaverhead County

Contact Maria Emmer-Aanes, Executive Director  director@earlychildhood406.org  (360) 255-3801
View a Snapshot of Beaverhead County

Early Childhood Coalition of the Greater Helena Area

Contact Maureen Bjerke at mbjerke@sphealth.org (406) 461-4449
View a Snapshot of Lewis & Clark County
View the website https://www.ecchelena.org/

Gallatin Early Childhood Community Council

Contact Tori Sproles at tori@greatergallatinunitedway.org
View a Snapshot of Gallatin County
View the website

Healthy Start Missoula

Contact Jacqueline Kline at jkline@missoulacounty.us
View a Snapshot of Missoula County

Park County Early Childhood Coalition

Miriam Gelderloos at gelderloosm@chphealth.org
View a Snapshot of Park County
View the website

Zero to Five Lincoln County

Contact Dorey Rowland at drowland@libby.com

View a Snapshot of Lincoln County

The Montana Early Childhood Coalition is facilitated by Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies – The Montana Coalition, Zero to Five and The University of Montana Center for Children, Families and Workforce Development.

Over the past five years, The Montana Early Childhood Coalition has received financial support from the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (MT DPHHS), Headwaters Foundation and a generous private donor.

To learn more, please contact:

HMHB
Dawn Gunderson, Program Coordinator, dawn@hmhb-mt.org

Zero to Five Statewide
Alex DuBois, Policy & Engagement Director, alexd@zerotofive.org

Center for Children, Families & Workforce Development
Mary Collins, Program Manager, Capacity Development, mary.collins@mso.umt.edu
Cat LeMay, Capacity Development Program Coordinator, catherine.lemay@mso.umt.edu