Montana State University and its partners at the Montana Office of Public Instruction and the University of Montana have received a $2.3 million grant for a program that is designed to train high-quality school and mental health counselors to work in rural areas of Montana. The grant, from the U.S. Department of Education, will be used for a five-year project, "Rural Mental Health Preparation/Practice Pathway.” Montana was one of only three states to receive this grant.

“We have a real need to recruit, prepare and retain counselors to work in Montana’s rural schools,” said Anna Elliott, the grant’s principal investigator and an assistant counseling professor in the MSU Department of Health and Human Development in the College of Education, Health and Human Development. “This grant aims to help K-12 students in these rural schools, as well as to provide excellent training to help our graduates be successful in these settings.”

MSU’s partners on the grant include the University of Montana’s Department of Counseling and the Montana Office of Public Instruction. Additional state partners include the Montana Rural Education Association, the Montana Small Schools Alliance and the Montana School Counselor Association. Co-principal investigators on the grant are Jayne Downey, associate professor in the MSU Department of Education; Rebecca Koltz, head of the MSU Department of Health and Human Development; and Kirsten Murray, professor in the Department of Counseling at UM.

“In Montana, we know that our students need additional access to mental health supports,” said Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction Elsie Arntzen. “I am proud to partner with Montana’s universities to increase the talent pipeline of counselors to our rural schools and communities. Student mental health continues to be a top priority at the Office of Public Instruction under the agency’s Montana Hope initiative.”

Elliott said the majority of the grant funds will support graduate students in their preparation and their post-graduation placement, including their lodging, travel and living expenses during a 10-month internship they must complete before graduation.

“There’s a real value to having our students and graduates intentionally integrated in the community where they’re serving,” Downey said. “We want to help make it possible for these students to integrate into their communities so that they can make real connections.”

As part of the grant, MSU and UM will provide financial support for approximately 10 students each year who are enrolled in their university’s graduate counseling and counselor education programs. Over the lifetime of the grant, approximately 50 students will be supported who will provide counseling at high-needs rural schools over the course of the five-year grant. Additional support will be available for one year for program graduates who choose to continue to work after graduation in a rural setting.

“Building five cohorts of counselors-in-training prepared to address rural counseling needs specific to Montana is an amazing opportunity,” Murray said. “The students from the two institutions will participate in training and preparation together, building lasting professional networks across the state that will not only serve them now but in their future careers.”

MSU and UM are each adding a class to their respective counseling curriculum that is focused on special issues related to working in rural populations, and Elliott anticipates that parts of several other courses will be adapted to more prominently highlight issues in rural counseling.

Program participants will also have a number of opportunities to gain experience in rural settings, Downey noted. The degree program takes two years to complete; in their first semester, students participate in a short rural life orientation, and in the second semester they participate in a rural practicum. In their second year, students in the program will complete a 10-month internship in a rural community, with each student providing at least 600 hours of service.

Finally, Elliott said, to make MSU’s and UM’s programs more accessible to counseling students serving rural communities across the state, those programs are growing more agile in their delivery systems and schedules, aiming for students to be physically on campus just one day per week during their internship year.

Holly Mook, Coordinated School Health Unit director within the Health Enhancement and Safety Division at the OPI and the grant’s project director, said the grant will address a critical need in Montana’s rural schools.

“Many of our rural schools do not have access to school mental health supports, let alone community mental health supports, due to various things like geography or lack of trained professionals,” she said. The grant’s partnerships strengthen it, she added.

“The partnerships within the grant are critical in training and preparing graduate students in rural life and cultural responsiveness, as well as promoting graduate programs to existing school staff in rural areas in order to meet these needs,” Mook said.

The program is roughly modeled after another five-year grant project based in MSU’s College of Education, Health and Human Development that aims to address a shortage of teachers in rural schools across the state. Announced in October, that program is called “Addressing Rural Recruitment and Retention in Montana" and is supported by a $6.2 million grant. 

“We realized that this teacher preparation model had real potential to support the preparation, recruitment and retention of rural school counselors and mental health professionals,” Downey said. “So, we’ve adapted the teacher preparation model to fit for rural school counselor preparation.”

Elliott added that many parallel challenges exist between the two.

“As a state, Montana is large, remote and isolated. We’re aware of the fact that Montana has one of the highest suicide rates in the country every year,” she said. In small, rural schools, there are also often limited resources, she added. Limited resources often translate into limited support for mental health staff.

Koltz said the “gravity” of these needs would be too much to address without the unique collaboration between Montana's two flagship universities and the Office of Public Instruction.

“By working together, the MSU and UM counseling programs hope they will be able to increase the number of counseling professionals prepared and equipped to make a real difference in rural communities across Montana,” Koltz said.

Elliott added that “research that shows that preventative measures are what lead to better mental health in communities. If we can get mental health counselors into schools and help support kids and their wellness as they’re going through the school system, that could potentially have a larger systemic impact.”

Alison Harmon, dean of the College of Education, Health and Human Development, said that the college’s efforts to develop a network of both rural educators and mental health practitioners is a creative approach to improving services.

“The contribution MSU will make to this project is supported by a strong collaboration among faculty in both the Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Development,” she said. “Having a grant-funded project that connects programs across this college is both unique and powerful – and certainly a first in my experience as dean.”

HAVE YOU SOMETIMES WISHED YOU COULD SPEND A HOLIDAY SOBER?

Alcoholics Anonymous can help!

Call 833-800-8553 to talk to a member of A.A.

or

download the free Meeting Guide app

from Google Play or the App Store

 or

go to aa-montana.org

for meeting times and locations.

On Friday, Dec. 13, the Montana State University football team will host Austin Peay State University in the quarterfinal round of the 2019 NCAA Division I Football Championship Playoffs at 6 p.m. at Bobcat Stadium.

Accordingly, Kagy Boulevard will be closed between Seventh Avenue and 11th Avenue from 2 p.m. to 11 p.m. Kagy Boulevard will detour via South 19th Avenue, Graf Street and South Third Avenue.

MSU 2019 fall commencement will also take place on Saturday, Dec. 14, at the Brick Breeden Fieldhouse with the processional beginning at 8:40 a.m.

For members of the public attending the game or commencement, a permit is not required to park in available lots on campus on Dec. 13 and 14, except for 24-hour reserved spaces.

The campus parking map can be found at montana.edu/parking/map.pdf.

Due to the high demand for parking on game day, MSU Parking Services urges attendees to consider walking, biking, carpooling or using the Streamline bus system. To find carpools, visit www.bozemancommute.org.

Important game day information will also be available on 1610 AM radio.

For questions, contact Michael Becker, director of MSU News Service, at michael.becker@montana.edu or 406-994-4565.

The Skyline Sportsmen Association, of Butte, has added $500 to the reward offered for information leading to a conviction in a case where a mature bull moose was killed illegally in the Highland Mountains south of Butte. 

The maximum reward amount informants may be eligible for in the case is now $1,500. 

The moose was shot sometime between Nov. 15 and 22 in Camp Creek, east of Melrose. The moose was found on the north side of Camp Creek Road after it leaves private property but before it comes to Camp Creek Reservoir. 

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is asking anyone with information on the case to call 1-800-TIP-MONT (847-6668). Informants can remain anonymous.

Wardens with Region 3 of Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks are seeking information on several big game poaching cases that have happened in less than two weeks. 

On Nov. 23, wardens learned of a spike bull elk that was shot and abandoned on Montana State University’s Red Bluff Ranch, north of State Highway 84 and east of Norris. That area is within Hunting District 311, where spike elk cannot be hunted. The animal was found dead and unfit for human consumption. However, it was found near several cow elk carcasses from which hunters had salvaged all edible meat. 

Every year, several hunters accidentally shoot spike bull elk in restricted units and report themselves to law enforcement for doing so. In these self-report cases, the meat can be salvaged and donated to local food banks. Fines to the hunter are also minimized. Had the hunter who shot this spike elk — mistakenly or otherwise — reported it in a timely manner, the meat could have been salvaged and donated. 

Wardens are also investigating a white-tailed deer buck that was shot and abandoned on private property near Three Forks sometime between Nov. 24 and 27. It is likely this animal was shot from a road, possibly at night. The meat from this deer had spoiled by the time it was found. 

Another white-tailed deer buck was shot and left on private property in the Four Corners area, west of the Gallatin County gravel pit. Wardens determined this deer was shot on the evening of Nov. 30 with a rifle inside Hunting District 309, which is a weapons-restricted area. This possibly happened from a vehicle or a road after legal shooting hours. The meat from this deer was also unfit for human consumption by the time it was discovered. 

Those with information on any of these cases are asked to call 1-800-TIP-MONT (847-6668). Informants can remain anonymous and may be eligible for monetary rewards.

BOZEMAN, MONTANA, Monday, December 2, 2019 - Bridger Bowl is pleased to announce the opening of the 2019-2020 ski season this Friday, December 6th at 9am. Entering our 65th ski season, we appreciate the continued support from our local, and regional SW Montana cliental.  Bridger continues to see record skier visits and pass sales, paralleling the influx of growth in the surrounding areas.  We are working on Long Range planning for our facilities that will help with the growth and continue to provide exceptional guest experiences.


Bridger Bowl Guest Service and Administration Offices will be closed on Wednesday, December 4th to allow for a scheduled power outage by NorthWestern Energy in the upper Bridger Canyon.  Offices will open on Friday, December 6th through the end of the season.     
 
In addition, Bridger Bowl will be closed to all uphill travel starting at midnight on Wednesday, December 4th.  This closure is necessary to allow Ski Patrol a full day to concentrate on preparing the mountain for Opening Day.  Please respect the closure and do not enter Bridger Bowl property or USFS lands within the operating boundary. Safety is a concern and there are no exceptions.
 
Please note throughout the season, uphill travelers cannot enter Bridger Bowl via the adjacent Crosscut Mountain Sports property.  All access into Bridger Bowl must be made via the lifts in the base area for the continued safety of our guests and employees. 
 
Please carpool and ride the buses throughout the season.  On busy days, there is often heavy highway traffic and occasionally parking lots may fill up.  Bridger Bowl contracts with two bus companies, Streamline and First Student, for free bus service to and from the mountain. Pick up and drop off locations in town are at the SUB at MSU and the Gallatin County Fairgrounds at the Park N' Ride lot on Oak Street.
 
Bridger Bowl continues to be family-friendly and we are working to keep our operations costs low while still providing a great product for the community; beginner to expert, child to senior. We are looking forward to another great snow year!

Bridger Bowl
Bob Petitt
General Manager

Deluxe (NYSE:DLX), a Trusted Business Technology™ company, announced today the 10 small towns in the running to win Season 5 of the highly acclaimed Small Business Revolution series. Deluxe executives sifted through thousands of nominations from states across the country to reach the final 10. 

On Oct. 8, Deluxe launched the fourth season of Small Business Revolution, featuring the community of Searcy, Arkansas. Searcy and six of its small businesses won a $500,000 makeover captured in an eight-part series airing on www.smallbusinessrevolution.org, Hulu, Amazon Prime and YouTube. Small Business Revolution highlights marketing and business expertise for small businesses in one small town featuring marketing experts from Deluxe, led by Chief Brand & Content Officer, Amanda Brinkman, and co-host and renovation icon, Ty Pennington, as they provide business advice to selected entrepreneurs in the winning community. 

“This year, we had so many incredible nominations from small towns across the country,” said Brinkman. “We are always amazed how many people reach out to tell us why their town and businesses should win, and it really speaks to the work we’re doing for small businesses at Deluxe.”  

Deluxe team members will travel to each of the 10 communities to meet civic leaders, community members, interview business owners and learn more about how marketing expertise can benefit each community. From there, Deluxe will narrow the list to five towns eligible for a public vote in mid-January to determine the winner. The towns represent a cross-section of American life: 

Benicia, California                    
Brunswick, Georgia                  
Livingston, Montana                
Spearfish, South Dakota           
Waseca, Minnesota
Bisbee, Arizona            
Xenia, Ohio
The Dalles, Oregon
Oregon City, Oregon
Fredonia, New York           

Deluxe, a leading provider business products, services and solutions for companies of all sizes, launched the Small Business Revolution in 2015, highlighting 100 small business stories from across the country. Since 2016, more than 35,000 small towns have been nominated for a chance to win the $500,000 makeover. In 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 four lucky communities – Wabash, Indiana, Bristol Borough, Pennsylvania, Alton, Illinois and Searcy, Arkansas – were featured in the Main Street series on www.smallbusinessrevolution.org, Hulu and Amazon Prime. Catch all 32 episodes from Seasons 1-4 now and to learn more about how Deluxe small business marketing services can help your small business, go to www.deluxe.com.   

### About Deluxe Corporation Deluxe is a Trusted Business Technology™ company for enterprises, small businesses and financial institutions offering a range of solutions to help customers manage and grow their businesses. Approximately 4.8 million small business customers access a wide range of products and services from Deluxe, including incorporation services, logo design, website development and hosting, email marketing, social media, search engine optimization and payroll services, along with customized checks and forms. For our approximately 4,600 financial institution customers, Deluxe offers industry-leading programs in data analytics, customer acquisition and treasury management solutions, fraud prevention and profitability solutions, as well as checks. Deluxe is also a leading provider of checks and accessories sold directly to consumers. For more information, visit us at www.deluxe.com, www.facebook.com/deluxecorp or www.twitter.com/deluxecorp.

Wardens with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks are seeking information on two cases involving wildlife crimes in southwest Montana. 

In early October, wardens responded to a tip that waterfowl carcasses had been dumped at the Cameron Bridge Fishing Access Site south of Belgrade. Wardens found carcasses of 20 Canada geese and 11 mallard ducks. Of those, five geese and six ducks had significant portions of meat that was abandoned and wasted. 

Dumping carcasses on fishing access sites and other public lands is considered littering, which, when done in connection with hunting activities, may result in fines suspension of hunting privileges. Littering, moreover, creates a nuisance for other recreationists and land managers and can attract scavengers. Waste of game meat is also illegal and can come with similar penalties. 

In addition, wardens are asking for the public’s help to identify persons responsible for shooting and killing two juvenile red-tailed hawks in Bozeman. The dead birds were discovered on Oct. 19 after wardens received a report that a raptor had been shot on state land west of Mandeville Road, near Murdoch’s Ranch & Home Supply. Both raptor carcasses were taken to the Montana Raptor Conservation Center, where significant amounts of bird shot were found in the carcasses.  

Raptors are federally protected and cannot be hunted. Shooting firearms within Bozeman City limits is also prohibited. Those with information in either of these cases are asked to call 1-800-TIP-MONT (847-6668). Informants can remain anonymous and may be eligible for monetary rewards.

When most people think of Montana, the first thing that typically comes to mind is its natural beauty. From its majestic mountains and wildlife to its famous national parks, Montana is the perfect destination for lovers of anything “outdoorsy”... those reasons alone play a major role as to why people are flocking to the “Treasure State” but can you guess one of the other reasons why Montana is loved by so many out-of-towners? Well, if you weren’t aware, Montana is a hub for entrepreneurs all over the world.

Montana is best known for its natural beauty and rich history but this majestic state is actually one of the world’s best-kept secrets in the entrepreneurial world… and it’s based on two simple words that pack a major blow; can you guess what those two words are? Asset Protection.

Let’s say you’re wanting to form an LLC in Georgia but are having a hard time deciding whether or not you should get registered in Montana. Well, to be fair, that is a tough decision to make because most people typically get registered in the same state where their business will be BUT business owners aren’t required to do that, and depending on where you live, some places have terrible taxations for starting a business.

Montana’s Unique Entrepreneurial Ecosystem
According to Montana Public Radio, Montana is a unique ecosystem for entrepreneurs and the factors that make it the unique “entrepreneurship ecosystem” that it is, is due to the fact that it has openness as well as a supportive government that willingly helps new businesses. The article further states that the biggest reason why Montana’s start-up businesses are thriving is because of its great quality of life. So just imagine… Montana’s booming industry for entrepreneurs combined with its natural beauty… that’s the perfect formula for a thriving quality of life!

That’s a great climate for entrepreneurs living in Montana but to reference the previous scenario where someone has a Georgia LLC but wants to register it in Montana, why would this entrepreneurial move be a smart business move? Again, Asset Protection.

The Unique Benefits of Registering Your LLC in Montana
An LLC is a form of protection of your personal assets when a debt or loss is owed on behalf of your business. Well, when you register your LLC in Montana, you’ll not only get the protection of your personal assets but you, yourself will be protected as well.

Personal Information
With a Montana LLC, you have the luxury of maintaining the privacy of your personal information. Now, in order to get this process going, you’re of course going to have to give a few names as well as addresses but you can rest assured in knowing that the information you provide is handled securely and safely.

Once you’ve completed the paperwork process (providing names and addresses), you will then be able to start the process of registering all your valuable assets to your Montana LLC. This process allows your Montana LLC to be the acting owner of your possessions of value, all while keeping your personal information safeguarded.

Credit Protection in Asset Searches
A Montana LLC is already protecting your personal information but it can also protect your personal information when it comes to asset searches. For example, when you’re trying to make major purchases, you are subject to credit checks, whether it’s for a house, car, or loan, the lender is going to run a basic credit check. But in the credit check process, you’re also (possibly unknowingly) authorizing an asset check as well.

The fact that you have a Montana LLC acting as the owner of your valuable assets, you have the ability to lower your chances of suffering the consequences of asset searches, especially if you don’t own some of your assets outright.

In Conclusion
The initial question was whether or not a Georgia LLC should register in Montana, right? Well, in short, the answer to that question is “Yes, absolutely yes.” Montana has great asset protection benefits to offer business owners in Georgia and anywhere else in the world. As an entrepreneur, if you can follow the five core strategies every entrepreneur needs to know and maintain the drive and determination you need to succeed, your business will go very far!

Good luck!