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Clients of All Nations Health Center in Missoula will soon be able to sign-up to receive 12 automated, culturally-relevant text messages. Written by All Nations Health Center behavioral health providers, the texts are part of Caring Contacts Montana, a program funded by the SAMHSA Zero Suicide in Health System grant awarded to Montana DPHHS in 2018. Caring Contacts text messages include simple and supportive messages, images, and resources for emergency and preventative care services.
The COVID-19 pandemic has increased isolation and shifted typical supportive pathways due to concerns of illness. Using Caring Contacts text messages healthcare providers can enhance the connection from provider to patient. The simple, supportive messages help patients feel seen, encouraged, and reminded that they are cared for.
Caring Contacts texts serve as a part of comprehensive suicide prevention that:
- Assists with safe care transitions
- Keeps patients engaged in services
- Connects with patients who are difficult to engage
- Extends the relationship between the provider and client after treatment has ended [1]
All Nations Health Center is piloting Caring Contacts Montana, and the Center for Children, Families, and Workforce Development is leading the behind-the-scenes implementation and evaluation of Caring Contacts. The evaluation will gather client input and evaluate two major outcomes of the pilot: (1) the strengthening of cultural connectedness as a protective factor; and (2) the enhancement of help-seeking behaviors. If successful, the intervention will be expanded to all participating health systems in the Zero Suicide grant.
Director of Behavioral Health at All Nations Health Center Ann Douglas, Ph.D., shares, “The hope is that the encouraging messages from Caring Contacts will help increase our clients' sense of belonging and connection to our agency as well as the great Missoula area.”
Terrance Lafromboise, MSW-ITR, the Indigenous ZeroSuicide Grant Coordinator for the Montana DPHHS Behavioral Health Disabilities Division, believes Caring Contacts text messages will strengthen the support for patients/clients in a more culturally connected way.
“Clients will receive supportive text messages developed by their providers after being seen at their healthcare clinic," says Lafromboise, "We hope that with this increased support, rooted and informed by Indigenous culture, will help communities heal and will help individuals seek needed support from their healthcare clinics.”
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