Reducing American Indian Health Disparities Initiative

Reducing American Indian Health Disparities Initiative is sponsored by Montana Healthcare Foundation. This initiative aims to improve opportunities for health and wellness in American Indian communities in Montana.

Reducing American Indian Health Disparities - Montana Healthcare Foundation Initiatives Toggle sub-menu Integrated Behavioral Health Strengthening American Indian Health Services School-Based Health Initiative Strengthening Public Health Behavioral Health Continuum of Care Toggle sub-menu The Meadowlark Initiative® Reducing American Indian Health Disparities Medicaid and Health Policy Grant Application Assistance The Mignon Waterman Award Reducing American Indian Health Disparities Improving opportunities for health and wellness in American Indian communities.

We support community development and projects that address the social determinants of health in American Indian communities. Connections to the land, culture, traditional diets, and strong family and community ties have supported the resilience, well-being, and health of American Indian communities in Montana throughout history and now.

Health disparities among American Indian people relate to unmet basic needs like housing, employment, and food security, as well as health care access and quality issues (which we address in the Strengthening American Indian Health Services Initiative ).

This initiative builds partnerships with tribes, Native-led nonprofits, and urban Indian health organizations to address housing needs, build food systems that strengthen traditional diets and access to affordable, healthful food, create employment and economic opportunities, and revitalize language and culture.

We support projects that: Reducing American Indian Health Disparities Initiative One-Pager SPOTLIGHT: STRENGTHENING MONTANA’S FOOD SYSTEMS Montana’s ranchers and farmers are major producers of a wide range of foods, including meat, lentils, grains, and vegetables. Even so, in many communities, particularly in rural Montana, there are opportunities to improve access to affordable, healthful, locally-produced foods.

Over the past several years, we have invested more in building local food systems as a pathway to better health. Our goal: to help build a more connected, sustainable food system that ensures all Montanans can access healthful, locally produced food. We launched the Reducing American Indian Health Disparities Initiative in 2017.

The initiative focuses on building long-term partnerships and providing technical assistance and flexible capital through contracts, grants, and low-interest loans. Since the initiative’s launch, we have funded nine tribal housing needs assessments, feasibility studies, and other pilot projects. We have also supported 18 tribal food initiatives and served eight Montana tribal communities.

We support projects that improve local food production, develop reservation housing, and grow local businesses. Visit our Grant Library to learn more about these projects. We support planning and programs that address basic health needs, such as housing, food security, education, and employment.

We also offer low-interest loans to address needs such as housing restoration or construction, infrastructure to support food sovereignty, and other capital project needs. These loans can also help secure additional funds from various state and federal community development programs. For more information on participating in the initiative, please contact our program team at [email protected] .

Strengthening Montana’s Food Systems Grantee Spotlight: Little Shell Tribe Food Distribution Program Grantee Spotlight: Focus on Food Sovereignty If you have a question about this initiative, please email our program team .