Messengers for Health partnered with the Montana Office of Rural Health/Area Health Education Center (AHEC) at Montana State University, College of Nursing to develop a training for Community Health Workers (CHWs) called Pathway of a Messenger. 

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Messengers are CHWs who are Apsáalooke community members and who have established trust and respect with the Crow Indian people. Trained in health education outreach, they call on friends and relatives to share information and provide encouragement in the same way Apsáalooke have learned about health and life for centuries – through those who they trust and respect.  A Messenger is recognized in the community as an individual who:

  • Others seek out for support and advice
  • Is open and interested in sharing their culture
  • Will maintain confidentiality
  • Is involved in the community
  • Has integrity
  • Is knowledgeable, but humble
  • Is respectful and respected

The Pathway of a Messenger curriculum was created collaboratively involving CHWs, organizations and educational programs.

This course is approximately 40 hours in length and is taught in-person. This course is designed to be customized to specific Montana Tribes.

Who is Messengers for Health?

Messengers for Health

Messengers for Health is an Indigenous 501(c)(3) non-profit organization located on the Apsáalooke (Crow) Reservation in Montana. Their mission is to improve the health of individuals on the Crow Indian Reservation and outlying areas through community-based projects designed to strengthen the capacity of communities and empower them to assess and address their own unique health-related problems.

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Questions? 

Beth Ann Carter
Assistant Director/Behavioral Health Workforce
406.925.1261
beth.carter@montana.edu