Supporting Youth: UM's $1.2 Million Grant For Behavioral Health

With alarming youth suicide rates in Montana, a fresh initiative aims to empower high school students. This could be a turning point for many families.

UM News Service tells us that the University of Montana’s has been awarded a three-year, $1.2 million grant from the Health Resources & Services Administration through its Rural Communities Opioid Response Program–Pathways initiative.

The funding for UM’s Center for Children, Families and Workforce Development will support youth behavioral health programs and career pathways in rural Montana, addressing urgent needs in both youth wellness and workforce development.

LOOKING INTO THE EYES OF A CRISIS

Montana faces a youth behavioral health crisis where suicide rates among young people are nearly three times the national average. In 2023, one in four high school students in the state reported seriously considering suicide, and one in seven had attempted it. Meanwhile, 46 of Montana’s 56 counties are classified as "Frontier," and 51 counties are designated Mental Health Professional Shortage Areas, meeting only 32.9% of behavioral health needs.

WHAT THIS GRANT REPRESENTS

According to Kate Chapin, executive director of the UM Center for Children, Families and Workforce Development, “This grant represents a transformative opportunity for Montana’s youth and rural communities. By equipping high school students with the skills and credentials to become community health workers, we’re not only addressing a critical workforce shortage, we’re empowering young people to be part of the solution in their own communities."

In addition to technical training, students will develop essential life and career skills such as problem-solving, personal wellness and resilience. A statewide network of partners will support the initiative’s long-term success, including high school work-based learning coordinators, community colleges, Reach Higher Montana and industry leaders like the Montana Primary Care Association and Montana Urban Indian Health Consortium.

To find out more details about what promises to be an effectively-used, worthwhile and much deserved grant, get the full story here.