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Montana
Project Name
Harvesting HopePartners
The Montana Center on Disabilities (MCD)
(http://www.msubillings.edu/mtcd/)
The Montana Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence(MCADSV)
(http://www.mcadsv.com/)
The Montana Mental Health Association (MMHA)
(http://www.montanamentalhealth.org/)
Overview
The Montana based collaborative – formally named HarvestingHope - represents a partnership between statewide experts in the field of domestic and sexual violence, mental health and disabilities. Together they aim to improve services, develop more inclusive policies and create systems change for women with disabilities who are survivors of violence in the state of Montana. While they are working to improve services for all women with disabilities, they are also concentrating their efforts on improving services for women with psychiatric disabilities who have experienced domestic and/or sexual violence.Harvesting Hope is comprised of a diverse and dedicated collaboration among the Montana Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence(MCADSV), the Montana Center on Disabilities (MCD), and the Montana Mental Health Association (MMHA). MCADSV is the only statewide organization that provides training and technical assistance to the array of service providers that address domestic violence and sexual violence in the state. MCD is a public service unit of Montana State University-Billings and collaborates with campus, regional, state and national programs in an effort to create a fully inclusive society. And finally, MMHA educates and advocates for the mental health of children and adults in Montana, and disseminates training, education and technical assistance to consumer-based groups around the state.
The members of the collaboration are not new at addressing the needs of survivors with mental illnesses and/or disabilities. All of the collaboration members have experience in this field and were recipients of the2004 Office of Violence Against Women Educational and Technical Assistance Grant to End Violence Against Women with Disabilities. Through this project, they have extensively trained disability, sexual assault and domestic violence providers in many of the counties throughout Montana.
Building on the knowledge and foundation gained through the2004 grant, Harvesting Hope seeks to improve service delivery systems for women with psychiatric disabilities who are survivors of domestic and/or sexual violence. They will begin this work in two communities that will serve as pilot sites, forging new relationships between providers and developing innovative policies and practices that can be replicated across the state. Their ultimate goal is that women with disabilities who are survivors of violence have full access to appropriate services at the time of crisis and in the months and years that follow.
Contact Information
Montana Coalition Against Domestic & Sexual Violence
Natalie Bolon, Substance Abuse & Mental Health Coordinator406-465-5991 (v)
