TRACI: Montana Disability and Health Program: Living Well Under the Big Sky

2026

The Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services established the Montana Disability and Health Program (MTDH) in 2002. The Department charged MTDH to serve as a focal point for disability programs, services, and activities related to health in the State. The Chief of the Bureau of Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion serves as the Principal Investigator of the program. In addition, the Department has designated the University of Montana Rural Institute for Inclusive Communities (RIIC) as its agent to provide program supports. A RIIC faculty member serves as MTDH Project Director under contract to the Department. MTDHs mission is to eliminate health disparities experienced by Montanans with disabilities. Specific goals of this program include: 1) Enhance program infrastructure and capacity, 2) Improve state level surveillance and monitoring activities, 3) Increase awareness of health-related disability policy initiatives, 4) Increase health promotion opportunities for people with disabilities to maximize health, 5) Improve access to health care for people with disabilities 6) Improve emergency preparedness among people with disabilities, and 7) Effectively monitor and evaluate program activities. MTDH executes this mission by: (1) monitoring the health status of Montanans with disabilities, (2) facilitating the involvement of people with disabilities and their representatives in policy and planning processes of the state, (3) integrating health issues into the activities of state disability services programs, (4) integrating disability issues into broader programs and services of the state, (5) providing training and technical assistance on delivering health promotion services to populations of persons with disabilities, (6) improving access to health screenings and health care, (7) promoting improvements in accessibility of community environments to local agencies and organizations providing health and disability programs, and (8) demonstrating new, evidence based approaches to health promotion for people with disabilities. Organizationally, a CORE Management Team (CMT) provides oversight and direction. The CMT is composed of the directors of the four DPHHS divisions most directly involved in health and disability (Public Health and Safety, Developmental Services, Disability Transition Services, and Senior and Long Term Care). Finally, the project director and two RIIC professors participate as members of the CMT. Additionally, a Community Planning Group (CPG) provides advice to the CMT on the state strategic planning process for improving the health of Montanans with disabilities, and the CPG conducts programmatic initiatives of its own. The CPG is composed of individuals with disabilities from State designated geographic regions, various disability service providers, and key State agency personnel. Programmatically, RIIC staff organize health and disability data with promising or evidence based public health practice information that the CMT uses to set program goals and procedures for their own divisions, collaborate with each other to achieve a goal, identify other agencies of State government that should integrate disability and health priorities and practices into their programs, or direct the bona fide agents to conduct specific program activities. The CMT seeks guidance from the CPG on these activities. Finally, the CMT monitors and assess program performance.

public health; disability management; health disparities / health promotion

Training Trainees, Performing Research or Evaluation, Developing & Disseminating Information, Continuing Education/Community Training

Quality Assurance, Education & Early Intervention, Health-Related Activities, Employment-Related Activities, Housing-Related Activities, Transportation-Related Activities, Recreation-Related Activities, Quality of Life, Other - Cultural Diversity, Other - Leadership, Other

Students/Trainees (long or intermediate trainees), Community Trainees / Short term trainees, Professionals and Para-Professionals, Family Members/Caregivers, Adults with Disabilities, Children/Adolescents with Disabilities/SHCN, Legislators/Policy Makers, General Public

Racial or Ethnic Minorities, Disadvantaged Circumstances, Limited English, Geographic Areas, Reservation, Rural/Remote, Urban, Specific Groups

Single-County, Mulit-County, State, Regional, National

N/A