MCH Workforce Development

In January 2020, DPHHS established the Early Childhood and Family Support Division (ECFSD) to better coordinate existing services for children and families. The ECFSD includes the current programs in the Family and Community Health (FCHB) and Early Childhood Services (ECSB) Bureaus, Child Care Licensing, No Kid Hungry, Montana Milestones/ Part C Early Intervention, Family Education and Support Program, and the Montana Children’s Trust Fund. These programs focus on the maternal and child health population and their families.  For more information, go to:  https://dphhs.mt.gov/aboutus/news/2020/newdivision

The ECFSD staffing structure mirrors the 12 other DPHHS Divisions.

• Sections managed by Section Supervisors (SS)
• SS report to the Bureau Chief (BC)
• BC reports to the Division Administrator (DA)
• DA reports to the DPHHS Branch Manager/Director

The DA oversees the FCHB, ECSB, Fiscal and Operations Bureau (FOB), and the Children’s Trust Fund and No Kid Hungry programs.

The FOB includes three sections: Epidemiology, Business System and Operations, and Financial Services.  The lead epidemiologist/supervisor remains the same, and a GIS Coordinator was hired in March 2020. There are currently five epidemiologists and the PRAMS data control specialist.  From 2018-present the Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Epidemiology Section has provided support to the MCHBG through data analysis, consultation, document review of the 2020-2025 MCH Needs Assessment, and maintenance of the Minimum/Core Dataset used for the purpose of MCHB 2019 Annual Report/2021 Application reporting. For the upcoming 2020-2021 SSDI grant cycle, the MCH Epidemiology Section will continue to provide epidemiological support to MCHBG, including ongoing MCH Needs Assessment support, data linkages and management, surveillance reporting, and program evaluation activities.

Providing division wide epidemiology support is being strategically addressed and a plan is anticipated to be in place by October 2020. ECFSD intends to align epidemiology costs with the level of effort performed on a particular grant. This creates flexibility, and a shared services model to meet requests for epidemiological support according to need. 

The new FOB Bureau Chief was hired in March 2020.  She has, in turn, hired supervisors for the Business Systems and Operations (BSO) and Financial Unit (FU).  These began in July and August respectively.  The BSO Supervisor is responsible for meeting all systems and data infrastructure needs, security, and reporting. The FU Supervisor oversees the work of the budget specialists and analysts.   Pertinent positions previously embedded in either FCHB or ECSB programs have been re-assigned to the FOB.

Under the current structure, epidemiology and other support efforts are direct charged to the grant to which they are assigned. DPHHS Fiscal Division is in the process of submitting a revised cost allocation plan to HHS and is awaiting review and approval of the updates to the cost allocation plan that reflect the structure of the new division. Each program will be notified when the updated cost allocation plan has been approved and implemented.  

The Title V MCHBG State Action Plans are overseen by the Title V and CSHCN Directors, who are also the Maternal and Child Health Coordination (MCHC) and Children’s Special Health Services (CSHS) SS.  The SS have bi-monthly meetings with their staff.  These are opportunities to identify professional development needs, which are met with Title V MCHBG or other grant funds. 

Staff are encouraged to avail themselves of training from the State Professional Development Center (PDC), housed in the Department of Administration.  The PDC offers training on topics such as: Excel for Beginners to Advanced; planning and organizing; and, writing clearly and concisely.  The PDC also provides tailored training, such as a CSHS Team Building training in early 2020.  All staff, and particularly new staff, are encouraged to take the annual Tribal Relations Training, sponsored by the Governor’s Office of Indian Affairs.  The Oral Health Program Coordinator and MAPP-Net AmeriCorps VISTA completed the 2020 training Partners in Building a Stronger Montana.

In addition to staff participating in their own professional development plans, all DPHHS staff participated in the May 2020 MT Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Safe Sleep Initiative Training.   DPHHS and the Governor’s Office are focused on providing a safe sleep environment for all infants, and the training served as a kickoff for the June 2020 official announcement. See NPM 5 narratives for further details.  

The DPHHS Human Resources (HR) Office also provides onboarding training for all new hires.  Annually, all employees are required to complete refresher trainings on topics such as HIPAA; safety in the workplace; and internet safety, see  http://ours.hhs.mt.gov/personnel/newemployeeorientation.shtml.  

In response to the Governor’s Coronavirus Task Force’s March 23, 2020 directive for state employees to telework, DPHHS-HR created trainings for the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), and COVID-19 Paid Leave and Remote Supervision. ECFSD supervisors and bureau chiefs attended these trainings. 

Grant required out-of-state travel is summarily deemed approved by ECFSD management, provided the staff completes the request-to-travel process. ECFSD management reviews out-of-state travel, and non-grant-required trainings and conferences on a case-by-case basis, and staff are aware that approval must be in-hand prior to completing necessary travel plans.

HRSA sponsored trainings on: the Needs Assessment; the Evidence Based/Informed Strategies for the 15 NPMs; and, TVIS Learning Lab webinars.  These were attended by: the MCHBG Program Specialist; Title V and CSHCN Directors; epidemiologists; and, as appropriate, the MCHC/CSHS staff providing support of any NPM work.  These key staff people, the Title V/AMCHP Family Delegate, and the CSHS Nurse Consultant attended the October 2019 MCHBG Federal-State Partnership Technical Assistance Meeting.  They also participate on the quarterly Region VIII/AMCHP Partner Calls and the bi-monthly AMCHP and MCHB COVID-19 Townhall webinars. FCHB staff are invited to participate as their schedules allow.

MCHC and CSHS: Professional Development Highlights:

• MCHBG Program Specialist (PS):  In FFY 19, the PS attended 20+ trainings for: supporting the state’s current and upcoming performance measure priorities; COVID-19 impact; and, specifically for duties as the MCHC webmaster.  Trainings included:  Early Childhood Education: Partnering Up to Amplify Impact Webinar; Rural Suicide Prevention in Farm & Ranch Communities; Food is Medicine - Food Banks Work with Health Centers; and, Social & Economic Wellbeing in MT in Challenging Times. Information learned was shared with FCHB staff and CPHD contractors.  In November 2019, she trained the MCHC Staff on Adaptive Leadership, a training completed in 2018. 
• FICMMR Coordinator: The National Center for Fatality Review and Prevention Western States Coalition Meeting.

• OH Program Coordinator:  The virtual National Oral Health Conference with the OH Epidemiologist; Continuing education courses from the University of Washington School of Dentistry; and, the American Institute of Dental Public Health Colloquium.
• FCHB Epidemiologists: CityMatCH Conference; CSTE Annual Conference; and, CDC Evaluation Practicum.
• CSHCN Director: Healthy Teen Network’s Sexual Health Revolution conference, and the Pediatric Mental Health Symposium.
• CSHS Staff: National AAP Conference; Northwest Regional Telehealth Conference; Montana Nurses Association Convention; EHDI Conference; Hands and Voices Conference; and, Montana Youth Transitions Conference.  

Prior to the joining the ECFSD, FCHB staff participated in professional development opportunities provided by the Public Health and Safety Division (PHSD).  These PHSD opportunities remain available to ECFSD staff.  As a new division, ECFSD is in the strategic planning phase. This will begin with a self-assessment related to equity, diversity, and inclusion.  The results of this assessment will likely inform future continuing education needs throughout the division.  Additionally, a component of the strategic plan includes internal workforce support needs.