Engaging individuals in meaningful service to Montana through community partnerships to advance sustainable solutions to the state’s most pressing health challenges. 

The AmeriCorps planning initiative has been terminated as of Friday, April 25th. All activities are currently on pause.

Mission: To improve lives, strengthen communities, and foster civic engagement through service and volunteering.

AmeriCorps is a federal program for national service and volunteer work. It helps fund organizations that solve important community problems by placing AmeriCorps members in service roles. Members serve for a set period to help with challenges like education, health, disaster services, and economic opportunity. AmeriCorps programs use people’s time and skills to make a lasting impact and create real solutions.

 

Overview of the AmeriCorps Planning Initiative

The Montana Office of Rural Health & Area Health Education Center (MORH/AHEC) at Montana State University received a planning grant from the Montana Governor’s Office of Community Service to explore how an AmeriCorps program can help meet Montana’s public health needs.

The initiative will take place in three primary phases; 

number 1

Crafting Program Direction
In this phase, we will set the program’s goals based on data from the Community Health Needs Assessment, Community Health Implementation Plans, and the State Service Plan. We’ll also gather feedback from stakeholders and hold focus groups with organizations already working on these goals. This will help us decide what results we want the program to achieve.
number 2

Building Program Management
The second phase of the AmeriCorps Planning initiative includes establishing program regulations such as term lengths, host site agreements, member recruitment plans, and program data management.  
number 3

Program Implementation
The final phase will focus on finalizing the program’s details and preparing for the official launch. 

Current Progress

Building Program Management: 

Here’s what we've accomplished:

  • Program name: Community Health Corps Montana 
  • Program mission: Engaging individuals in meaningful service to Montana through community partnerships to advance sustainable solutions to the state’s most pressing health challenges.
  • The grant for program launch has been successfully submitted. Review and fundings recommendations are expected mid-May.

As of April 25th, all planning grant initiatives have been discontinued. The Community Health Corps Montana program launch has been paused, pending funding recommendations in May.

How We Got Here: Program Development Milestones

Program Goals: 

Grounded in statewide community level data and informed by the insights of healthcare professionals, community organizations, and health leaders, our program goals reflect Montana’s most pressing health challenges:

 

    1. Strengthen Mental Health And Substance Use Disorder Services
    2. Improve Chronic Disease Prevention And Management
    3. Address Social Determinants Of Health

 

These goals emerged through collaboration with communities and professionals across the state, ensuring the program is responsive to real needs and challenges.

Program Outcomes: 

Just as our program goals were shaped by statewide collaboration, our outcomes are rooted in insights from focus groups and key informant discussions. These conversations shed light on the unique health challenges and strengths of Montana’s rural and tribal communities, emphasizing the importance of culturally responsive services, sustainable local partnerships, and community-driven solutions. Our outcomes reflect this collective vision for impact:

number 1        

Expand Organizational Capacity for More Efficient & Impactful Programming.
Participating organizations will demonstrate improved efficiency and effectiveness in delivering their programs, leading to greater community impact.
number 2

Strengthen Community Engagement and Understanding to Reduce Stigma and Improve Health Outcomes.
AmeriCorps members will foster community engagement in substantive educational activities that increase understanding of health topics and reduce stigma. This will contribute to more informed health decisions, reduce barriers to accessing services, and improve overall health outcomes.
number 3

Enhance Collaboration To Drive Sustainable Community Health Impact And Improve Resource Sharing. 
AmeriCorps members will actively foster new partnerships between local organizations, service providers, and community stakeholders. By engaging with and building connections with diverse community players, AmeriCorps members will contribute to a more coordinated and sustainable approach to addressing pressing community needs.

By building on existing community strengths and addressing the realities of rural and tribal healthcare, we aim to create long-term, sustainable change that enhances health equity and expands access to critical services across Montana.

 


Questions?

For more information about our AmeriCorps planning initiative or to find out
how your organization can get involved, please contact:

Angela Davis
angela.davis9@montana.edu
406-994-2984