Tag

Montana Families Archives - Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies: the Montana Coalition

I’m Emily: Your New Host of the Mother Love Podcast and Storytelling Coordinator at HMHB

By The Power of Story

by Emily Freeman, HMHB Storytelling Coordinator and Mother Love Podcast Host

Welcome Back to Mother Love!

Emily Freeman

After a summer hiatus, the Mother Love podcast is back in action with a new host (me!) and a new mini-series that I was lucky enough to co-host with Cass Weber, a mom of two from Butte. Cass was a guest on Mother Love last year, and her story resonated far beyond her original conversation with previous host, Claire. Not only did she share her own lived experience, but that of a community, as well. Her observations of the changes in the perinatal landscape in Butte, from one birth to the next, seemed well worth digging into more. So we did.

In five linked episodes – a series we’re calling “A Mining City Story” – Cass and I connect with some of the nurses and other providers who are working hard to improve resources and supports for moms and babies in Butte. The conversations are informative, accessible, and hopefully inspiring, both to healthcare providers for moms and babies, as well as to birthing families across Montana and beyond.

Looking Back

Cass Weber

An unexpected delight of co-hosting with Cass was having an opportunity to revisit my own years of pregnancy and early parenting in Montana. My children are now 12 and 14, and babyhood seems at once a million years ago, and like it happened just yesterday. In conversation with our podcast

guests, I was able to reflect on the supports and resources that I had (or didn’t) during those years, as well as my willingness (or not) to seek out the help that I needed.

I’m heartened by the shift I see in the generation of moms that came after mine, and the overall cultural shift towards normalizing asking for support in the early years. If I could go back in time and advise my younger self – deep in the trenches of early parenting, postpartum depletion, and general overwhelm – I might sit her down, take her hand, and encourage her to reach out to someone; to let her know she’s not alone, and that there’s no shame in asking for help.

Looking Forward

Since its inception, the Mother Love podcast has provided a source of connection for moms and families in the perinatal season of life, a season which can be isolating, particularly in a rural state such as ours, or when experienced in combination with any other life stressors. I believe deeply that sharing stories creates connection, and that through connection comes strength. I couldn’t be happier to facilitate this strengthening of Montana families through storytelling, and am truly honored to be the new voice of the podcast, building on the good work done in the past, and charting an exciting new course for the future.

The next Mother Love series will explore the Montana State Legislature. The legislative session can seem mystifying or inaccessible, and our guests will help us to better understand how it works, what’s interesting about it, and how to get involved. I look forward to these conversations, which will showcase the people behind the work, including parents, providers, advocates, and others offering insights on issues that impact families in the 0-3 years. The episodes will be short and sweet, perfect for listening on a lunch break, or while folding tiny pieces of laundry.

Share Your Story!

As we think about the podcast and our storytelling efforts in general going forward, our hope is to create the kind of content that you want, sharing stories from across the state, exploring bold ideas and creative solutions for supporting the littlest Montanans and their families.

Is there a voice or a topic that you’d like us to amplify in a future episode or series? Don’t hesitate to reach out via email at  stories@hmhb-mt.org to share your ideas.

2024 HMHB Year in Review

By Community, Community Support, Early Childhood, Montana Early Childhood Coalition, Native American Initiatives, Published Work

With the close of 2024, we’re reflecting on a year filled with meaningful milestones, new connections, and impactful work at HMHB-MT. From expanding our team to strengthening collaborations, this year has been one of growth and inspiration. Join us as we look back on some of the highlights that made 2024 so remarkable!

January

We started the year strong with a team retreat in Helena, welcoming two new team members: Hollin Buck, Program Manager and Lauren Johnson, Director of Communications and Outreach.  Together, we set our intentions for the year and bonded through team-building activities.

Dr. Amy Stiffarm traveled to Washington, D.C., to meet with HRSA (Health Resources & Services Administration) officials, sharing valuable insights about our collaborative work with state partners.

February

HMHB Team members attended The 2024 Montana Winter Institute on Improving Public Health through Positive Experiences, learning about the impacts of supportive and caring experiences for child and families and how communities can support them.

Claire Larson continued to craft new episodes of the Mother Love podcast, featuring powerful stories from mothers and care providers across Montana.

 

March

We put more momentum behind our Look Closer public messaging campaign, working to decrease negative biases around perinatal substance use disorders. This free, downloadable campaign fosters kindness and compassion, encouraging those struggling with unhealthy substance use to ask for help and for providers who may serve them to meet those requests with understanding.

Dr. Amy Stiffarm took the lead in organizing a series of Indigenous doula networking events, strengthening connections and support for Indigenous birth workers.

April

We were thrilled to have our article, “A Strategy to Support Perinatal Mental Health by Collaborating With Tribal Communities in Montana,” published in Health Affairs’ April issue. Co-authored by Dr. Amy Stiffarm, Stephanie Morton, Dawn Gunderson, and former Executive Director, Brie MacLaurin, this piece highlights critical work in improving maternal mental health.

May

May brought bittersweet farewells as we said goodbye to Claire Larson, who released her final episode of the Mother Love podcast.

This month we were especially grateful for funders and supporters. We celebrated receiving a grant from the Women’s Foundation of Montana, allowing HMHB to begin more formally support building the doula and birth worker workforce in Montana.  The Helena Exchange Club and Gulch Distillers generously hosted a pint night fundraiser on our behalf for Mother’s Day.

Dr. Amy Stiffarm also collaborated with the Family Medicine Residency of Western Montana to enhance understanding of Indigenous perinatal cultural safety.

June

Dr. Amy Stiffarm unveiled an updated version of the Cultural Safety for Indigenous Women and Birthing People Toolkit, offering vital resources for providers supporting Indigenous families during the perinatal period.

Several staff members attended The Montana Healthcare Foundation’s 2024 Symposium as part of our work on the Meadowlark Initiatives. We also participated in Early Childhood Strategic Planning hosted by the Early Childhood and Family Services Division of DPHHS.

Our Essentials Program received $35,000 from the Otto Bremer Trust Community Responsive Fund at Montana Community Foundation. These funds will help us to continue distributing safe sleep kits and car seats to family support providers across the state, to provide to families and caregivers, giving them the essential tools and information they need to care for their children. Through the Essentials program, in 2024 we distributed 363 safe sleep kits; 420 car seats; and served 527 unique families across Montana.

 

July

We convened an in-person meeting of the Montana Early Childhood Coalition alongside our coalition co-conveners, The University of Montana Center for Children Families and Workforce Development and Zero to Five.  We also co-hosted a day long training with our partners in the Injury Prevention Bureau at DPHHS, called Resilience Rising: Navigating Through Adversity and Cultivating Positive Childhood Experiences.

August

The fourth annual edition of LIFTS Magazine was published, featuring stories from Montana parents and caregivers sharing about how asking for help has transformed the lives of Montana families. With 14,000 copies distributed to nearly 100 sites statewide, this edition continues to inspire and inform about when getting help, helps.

Dr. Amy Stiffarm delivered a keynote address at the inaugural Indigenous Milk Medicine Conference, a keystone event for Indigenous maternal and child health.

September

We hosted Dr. Samantha Greenberg’s virtual Perinatal Mental Health 101 series—a free webinar designed to raise awareness among Montana professionals about perinatal mental health.

The Montana Home Visiting Coalition, co-convened The Home Visiting Summit with the Early Childhood and Family Services Bureau of DPHHS. This provided an opportunity to connect with passionate home visitors through training and shared experiences.

This year, we dedicated significant time to improving the back end of our LIFTS Online Resource guide, focusing on making the overall experience more user-friendly. This fall, we were excited to

complete several meaningful updates and look forward to continuing to expand and enhance the capabilities of LIFTS.

October

Our 2024 Perinatal Mental Health Conference returned to an in-person format in Helena, reuniting partners from across the state. Nearly 200 providers, advocates and system champions gathered to learn and celebrate together. A standout moment was the screening of the impactful documentary film, Siloed, and the addition of poster sessions featuring local level work from around Montana.

We also received incredible news of funding from the Arthur M. Blank West Foundation, to support our storytelling work and build a strong administrative foundation for our growing organization.

November

We were thrilled to welcome two familiar faces to our team: Chelsea Bellon as the Native American Initiatives Program Manager and Emily Freeman as our new Storytelling Coordinator. We were excited to welcome their expertise and passion to our team.

Dr. Amy Stiffarm returned to Washington, D.C., to address the 2024 Tribal Prenatal-to-Three Policy Agenda, spotlighting critical issues facing AI/AN mothers, children, and families.

December

Stephanie Morton represented HMHB at the NCIT Paid Family & Medical Leave Education Initiative Convening and PN3 Policy Impact Center’s Great Opportunities, Great Progress event in Denver.

HMHB worked closely with Montana Doula Collaborative, Indigenous Birth workers network and state and national experts to draft a bill to create a state certification for doulas and birth workers, a key step to expanding access to these critical supports during and after pregnancy.

As we wrapped up 2024, we looked ahead to the 2025 Legislative Session the much-anticipated release of the fourth season of the Mother Love podcast in January, and continuing to build and deepen relationships to support the collaborative and impactful work of building a better system to improve the lives of moms, babies and families in Montana.

Looking Ahead

2024 was a year for HMHB filled with growth, collaboration, and impact. We are energized to carry this momentum into 2025 as we continue to support the work and partners helping Montana families.

 

Supporting Montana’s Youngest Through Early Intervention: Updates from Montana Milestones/Part C

By advocacy, Early Childhood

Montana Milestones/Part C is Montana’s early intervention program, and Sandy Cade, the Part C Coordinator, has provided some essential updates on changes to Early Intervention providers, along with helpful resources and contacts. Montana Milestones/Part C partners an early intervention specialist with a family to support caregivers in learning strategies to encourage the growth and development of children with developmental delays or disabilities. Early intervention is a program provided FREE to all eligible children and families. Read on to learn more about the updates and resources available to families and partners who work closely with children in need of early intervention support.


Message from Sandy Cade, Part C Coordinator

My name is Sandy Cade, and I serve as the Part C Coordinator for Montana. On behalf of Part C, I’m reaching out to you as valued partners who work with families of infants or toddlers that may be eligible for Early Intervention Part C services.

Research shows that early intervention can help children develop the skills they need to be successful, and it can also improve family relationships and mental health.

Montana Milestones/Part C of the IDEA Early Intervention Program is Montana’s comprehensive system of early intervention services and supports for families who have infants or toddlers, from birth through three, who have significant developmental delays or have been diagnosed with a condition associated with significant delays in development. Montana Milestones is funded through an annual federal grant under Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and legislatively appropriated State General Fund dollars.

Infants and toddlers come into Early Intervention through multiple doors, and because of your work, it’s important to make available current contact information to submit a referral and connect families or professionals to EI.

Please find note the following documents:

  • A statewide map of Part C Early Intervention providers with associated county
  • A list of those providers with contact information

Additional information including making a referral can be located at Montana Milestones (mt.gov). Please share this information broadly with local partners and staff.

part c regional map

Part C Early Intervention Provider

Contact Information

Developmental Educational Assistance Program
DEAP

2200 Box Elder St, Miles City, MT 59301

(406) 234-6034

Benchmark Human Services
Benchmark Human Services

1601 2nd Ave N, Great Falls, MT 59401

(406) 403-0087

Early Childhood Intervention
Early Childhood Intervention

2016 Grand Ave, Billings, MT 59102

(406) 281-5885

Family Outreach
Family Outreach, Inc., Children’s Services

1212 Helena Ave, Helena, MT 59601

(406) 442-1571


Thank you to Sandy Cade for providing these updates. We hope you’ll use these resources to support families and children throughout Montana. Act early-if concerned about a child meeting his/her developmental milestones, talk to the parents/caregivers and make a referral! Early intervention can make a lasting difference, and by working together, we can help children reach their full potential.

7th Annual Perinatal Mental Health Conference Recap

By Community, Community Support, Maternal Mental Health, Perinatal Substance Use Disorders, Self-care

The HMHB team is grateful for the opportunity to reflect on the 7th Annual Perinatal Mental Health Conference. Returning to in-person convening, we valued the chance to connect face-to-face with participants, speakers, partners, exhibitors, and sponsors. We also enjoyed moments of virtual connection and were thankful to balance in-person and online options for people working across the state of Montana to support perinatal mental health. Our heartfelt thanks go to everyone who gathered in person or online to make this event meaningful.

Perinatal Mental Health 101

The conference kicked off in September with two bonus Perinatal Mental Health 101 sessions led by Dr. Samantha Greenberg. These foundational sessions provided valuable insights for individuals new to the perinatal mental health field or those looking to deepen their understanding of the basics. Dr. Greenberg’s content remains accessible to all on the HMHB website.

 In-Person Conference

On October 15-16, the in-person conference was held at the Delta Colonial Hotel in Helena, MT, where over 150 attendees joined for learning, connection, and sharing. Presenters thoughtfully crafted sessions on topics ranging from lived experiences in perinatal mental health to doula work and pelvic floor health. We are deeply thankful for the panelists who kindly shared their insights, lived experiences, and expertise. In a community engagement poster session, twelve groups from across Montana shared about their impactful, community-based work supporting perinatal mental health.

Keynote speaker, Dr. Pooja Lakshmin, offered insights on Real Self-Care from her bestselling book—a reminder of the importance of self-care for those dedicated to caring for others.

Another memorable moment was the screening of the documentary film SILOED, followed by a panel led by Director Hazel Cramer. This discussion covered the journey of making the film and thoughtful (and sometimes funny!) conversations among participants surrounding mental health.

 Virtual Advanced Training Sessions

Two days of virtual learning took place on October 22 and 24, covering Perinatal Substance Use and Perinatal Nutrition. These sessions featured local and national experts, allowing attendees to continue engaging and connecting through our virtual platform, Whova. You can explore the full conference agenda here.

 We Can’t Wait for Next Year!

We are already excited to start planning our 8th Annual Perinatal Mental Health Conference! To stay updated on next year’s conference dates and content, please subscribe to the HMHB newsletter or follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

 Thanks to Exhibitors!

Thanks to Sponsors!

pmhc SPONSORS

Thanks to Our Event Manager!

We also wanted to share our gratitude for our amazing Event Manager, Anna Strange. This event wouldn’t have been the same without her kindness, creativity and attention to detail.

We are grateful to all who participated for their support and contributions to this event!

Empowering Families with Essentials: HMHB’s Safe Sleep and Safe Car Seat Initiatives

By Caregiving, Community, Community Support, Parenting, Safety

Ensuring the safety and well-being of our little ones is paramount. However, for some families, accessing essential items like safe sleep spaces and car seats can be a challenge. That’s where Health Mothers Healthy Babies (HMHB) steps in with the Essentials program, providing pack-and-plays and car seats to families in need across Montana through our Safe Sleep for Baby and Safe Seat for Baby programs.

Foundation of Essentials

Image of a happy family with a baby in a car seat, showcasing the importance of safe travel for infants.From its inception, Essentials has been an integral part of HMHB’s mission to support mothers and babies aged zero to three. Recognizing the critical importance of safe sleep and secure travel for infants and toddlers, the program was designed to bridge the gap for families facing financial or logistical barriers.

Impact

A glance at the numbers reveals the program’s growth and impact. In 2024, less than half-way through the year, we are already on pace to surpass our crib and car seat distribution from 2023 and have a broad reach across Montana counties and Reservations. Since its inception, the program has distributed thousands of pack-and-plays and car seats to Montana families.

Year Counties Served Reservations Served Car Seats

 

Cribs
2024 (through May 1) 22 4 141 120
2023 28 6 244 209
Success Stories

The heart of Essentials lies in the stories of families it has helped. Through testimonials like April’s, who found solace in a pack-n-play for her newborn in a small trailer, or Martha’s, a homeless mother provided with a pack-and-play, this program makes tangible differences in people’s lives. From fleeing domestic violence to unexpected births, the Essentials offerings can be accessed during critical moments, offering safety and support.

Building Trust Through Partnerships

Image of a happy baby, safely in a pack n play.To ensure car seats and pack and plays are safely set up, providers (such as doctors, nurses, Health Departments, home visitors, etc.) must order Essentials items for the families they serve.  Thus, Essentials not only provides tangible products to families, but also fosters trust and relationships with direct service providers. By equipping partners with resources, HMHB empowers them to support parents comprehensively, from access to guidance on safe sleep practices, laying the foundation for future engagements.

Continuing the Mission

As HMHB continues to expand its reach and impact through Essentials, the commitment to ensuring every Montana family has access to safe sleep spaces and car seats remains unwavering. Through collaboration with partner organizations and the dedication of its team, Essentials continues to be a beacon of hope for families in need.  If you would like to help further the reach of this important program, please consider making a donation.

Donate Now to Provide Essentials to Montana Babies