Kyle Ann Johnson – Helena Indian Alliance
What is your name and the name of the organization you represent?
Helena Indian Alliance
Leo Pocha Memorial Clinic (The healthcare part of our organization).
Where can we find your website?
https://www.hia-mt.org/
Where in Montana are you located?
Helena, Montana- Serving Broadwater and Jefferson county residents as well (but only physical location in Helena).
Tell us a bit about your organization, and the sort of work it does?
Helena Indian Alliance is an Urban Indian Organization (UIO) funded by Indian Health Services (I.H.S), a Health Resources & Services Admin (HRSA), and a Look-Alike community health center (CHC). We operate several grants and contracts with I.H.S., State of Montana, SAMHSA, IBH, SDPI, Opioid Response, & Veterans Affairs.
Tell us about some of your accomplishments, and what you are most proud of as an organization?
The most recent accomplishment and circumstance that is bringing a ton of pride and excitement to the behavioral health department is that Helena Indian Alliance was chosen as one out of two organizations that the National Council on Mental Wellbeing (BHAM’s national organization). The other location is out of the Chicago Illinois. To my knowledge this is the first time a Montana Organization will be featured at this conference. Myself and our Executive Director will be interviewed in general session. They sent out film crew from New York and LA 2 weeks ago and interviewed our staff, clients and filmed all over Helena.
We were chosen for our work with our Urban Native Population, our service delivery based on our smaller staff and location, our partnerships in our community and our success as an organization with advocacy and client care.
If you had to give a shout out to another BHAM organization for doing exceptional work, what org would it be? Why?
For sure the AWARE PACT team in Helena. We have loved working with Matt, Kennar and their team on our local mental health court and referrals back and forth.
Any other shout-outs or kudos for Montana’s behavioral health heroes?
Mary Windecker has been such a huge champion for all of our organizations. She knows the system in and out, isn’t afraid to go to any length to help our organizations in any fashion.