CHW History in Montana
Community Health Workers have been in Montana since 1968
The first Community Health Worker Program in Montana is the Community Health Representative (CHR) implemented and funded by Indian Health Services since 1968. The CHR program has a scope of services and training that meets national standards for CHWs. Many states, such as South Dakota and Arizona, allign state-wide standards with CHR standards to support the portability of CHR certification.
MTCHWA recommended standards are inclusive of CHR standards. See the MTCHWA Policy Manual for more details.
The first CHW training for Montana was developed in 2017
The Montana Office of Rural Health and Area Health Education Center (MORH/AHEC) at Montana State University developed the first CHW training program in Montana with funds from the Montana Healthcare Foundation and federal grant funds. Since then, additional CHW trainings that meet MTCHWA training standards have been developed by the Montana Center for Children, Families and Workforce Development at University of Montana (CCFWD) and Salish Kootenai College. Additional CHW specific trainings like Spanish CHW fundamentals, Pathways of a Messenger, and Asthma Basics for CHWs are available at MORH/AHEC website.
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Since 2017, over 640 people have been trained as CHWs in Montana-map below of counties (green) of trained CHWs.
Between 2020-2023, Montana received four federal grants that supported CHW training, funded CHW positions and CHW workforce efforts such as developing a CHW registered apprenticeship with Montana Department of Labor and Industry. The grants were awarded to the MORH/AHEC, CCFWD, Partnership Health Center and Riverstone Health. Through these grants, new CHW trainings were created, 40 CHW positions were funded, over 300 individuals were trained as a CHW and a CHW registered apprenticeship was developed.
In 2023, the Montana Community Health Worker Association launched
In 2023, a partnership between Healthy By Design, Riverstone Health and MT ORH/AHEC launched the Montana Community Health Worker Association. A website and mission were developed, and the first annual MT CHW Summit occurred with over 120 participants.
MTCHWA History: Key Events
2024
2025
2026
MORH/AHEC and CCFWD partnered to develop a CHW advisory council called the Community Health Support Network.
A core group of staff from MORH/AHEC, CCFWD and two regional AHEC directors created the MTCHWA Advisory Council.
In the fall, strategic planning with the MTCHWA Advisory Council and the Montana Public Health Institute (MTPHI) created the first strategic plan for MTCHWA.
MTCHWA membership recruitment began at in March 2025 MT CHW Summit.
The MTCHWA Advisory Council recruited a slate of Board of Directors.
Partnership with the MN CHW Alliance to support MTCHWA formation.
Key activities were conducted including drafting by-laws, procedures, and initiating the monthly newsletter and networking meetings.
The Executive Officers were elected at the first annual MTCHWA membreship meeting at the CHW Summit.
The full Board of Directors were appointed at the first MTCHWA Board meeting.
The MTCHWA by-laws, policy manual and procedures were adopted.
Strategic planning with MTPHI occured to develop a road map for the first 12 months of the Association.