February 2026

The MPHTC newsletter will provide timely updates, information on upcoming trainings, events, resources, and more!

THIS WEEK!

Building Trust in Public Health: Addressing Misinformation

Unregulated supplements, unproven treatments, and viral falsehoods continue to challenge public health. This session equips participants with tools to recognize, analyze, and effectively respond to health mis-, mal-, and disinformation. Learn why misinformation spreads, how it impacts vulnerable populations, and how to counter it using trust-centered, evidence-informed communication strategies.

Trainer: Heather Voorhees, PhD

Date: 2/5/26

Time: 10:00AM-noon MT

Location: Zoom

Register: MPHTC Portal

FIRST SESSION THIS WEEK!

February is National Eating Disorders Awareness Month

February marks the beginning of Eating Disorder Awareness Month. Join the Montana Public Health Training Center and the Center for Children, Families, and Workforce Development for two sessions on February 5th and February 19th from 4-5:30pm MST via Zoom to learn more about the identification, treatment and supports for eating disorders in children and adolescents in Montana.

This learning opportunity is open to practicing and training primary care, behavioral health and other interprofessional team members treating children and adolescents with mental and behavioral healthcare needs in Montana, as well as parents and community members interested in learning more.

Recognizing Eating Disorders: What Parents and Professionals Need to Know

Trainer: Megan Dunlap, MA, LCPC and Lindsey Myers, RDN, LN - Emily Wish, LLC.

Date: 2/5/26

Time: 4:00-5:30pm MT

Location: Zoom

Register here



*Please note - registration for this training is not available in the MPHTC portal. Please use the Register here link above.

More details to come for session 2!

February 19, 2026 - 4:00-5:30pm MT

Recruitment Strategies for Montana Public Health Departments

This interactive webinar brings together Montana public health professionals and University of Montana students for a candid, practice-informed conversation about recruiting the next generation of the public health workforce. Centered on real-world hiring needs and student perspectives, the session will explore effective recruitment strategies, common barriers to hiring, and how tools like the Montana Public Health Training Center (MPHTC) job board can support connections between health departments and emerging talent. By elevating both employer and student voices, this training is designed to strengthen recruitment pathways and align workforce opportunities with the skills and interests of future public health professionals.

Trainer: Panelists from state & local public health and SPCHS students

Date: 4/2/26

Time: 9:00-11:00AM MT

Location: Zoom

Register: MPHTC Portal

Please reach out to anna.kiley@mso.umt.edu if you are interested in being a panelist!

Coming Soon!

Budgeting with Excel - a series of asynchronous learning modules that will guide participants through building and managing budgets and leveraging Excel functionality for structure and consistency.

Let us help you fill open positions!

Our new Public Health Jobs Board is attracting job seekers from across the state, and beyond! The jobs board received over 1,000 visitors in January 2025 alone.

Do you have a position you would like posted on our board? It's easy (and free!) to submit a job using our Create a Job Posting Form.

Searching for a student or intern?

We work closely with faculty and advisors in the School of Public and Community Health Sciences. We can help connect you with graduate students looking for applied practicum projects or internships. Simply fill out the form and we will help notify interested students and make connections.

This month, UM‑TAC met with Montana’s prevention specialists and highlighted the Local Chronic Disease Prevention Plan Completion Map dashboard created by Montana DPHHS.

We immediately recognized that this resource could be a valuable addition to prevention specialists’ toolkit, supporting data‑informed planning and local prevention efforts. The dashboard offers an interactive look at county‑level progress statewide, and we are excited to share it in hopes that others will find it equally useful in advancing their public health work.

Student Leaders in Public Health (SLPH) Student Stipend Program

Apply by February 15, 2026.

During the 2025–2026 academic year, RM-PHTC will award up to 27 higher education students $3,500 stipends to support field placements and faculty–student collaborative projects in public health.

The goal of the SLPH program is to grow the supply and diversity of the Rocky Mountain Region public health workforce, with a focus on underserved communities. RM-PHTC especially encourages applications for field placements with medically underserved, rural, or tribal populations. 

Attend an information session via Zoom to learn more and ask questions. Sessions are Wednesdays, 12–1pm MT.

Learn More and Apply for the Next SLPH Cohort.

Students, Faculty, Preceptors can all reach out to Olivia Joy to learn more about the program and discuss their application/idea at Olivia.Jolly@CUAnschutz.edu

Public Health Graduate Certificate Sponsorship

The PHSIO Workforce Development Program is happy to announce that 26 state, local, and tribal health department staff have been awarded sponsorships to obtain a public health graduate certificate from the University of Montana School of Public and Community Health Sciences. Programs include Certificate in Public Health (CPH), Certificate in Epidemiology (CE), Certificate in Environmental Health Sciences (CEHS), and Certificate in Public Health Administration (CPHA). Participants will begin courses Fall 2026, graduating Fall 2027!

Confluence 2026 Conference

Plains to Peaks: Uniting for a Healthier Montana

April14-16 | Billings Hotel & Convention Center

Conference Information: https://www.confluencepha.org/confluence-conference

• This week: Conference registration and the scholarship application OPEN!
• Next week: Breakout session and agenda overview available.
• Board of Health Track: All Board of Health (BOH) members are warmly invited to attend the BOH track from April 14 through lunch on April 15.
• The DPHHS Public Health System Improvement Office is offering scholarships for registration and reimbursement for one night of lodging for BOH members. To apply, please contact: KPride@mt.gov
• Questions about the 2026 Conference? Info@cphamt.org

Montana Board of Health Member Call

March 9 | 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.

Please join us on Monday, March 9 from 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. for Montana’s first quarterly call just for board of health members.

Purpose of the Quarterly BOH Member Calls:

• Provide short, practical and interactive mini-trainings based on BOH member needs and feedback.
• Create opportunities for peer connection and statewide knowledge-exchange.
• Highlight emerging issues, resource needs, and trends relevant to local governance and public health authority.

Registration for the March 9 Call: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/T6P33lxQS_msdqmivInvtA

The quarterly BOH Member Call is hosted by Confluence Public Health Alliance with support from DPHH Public Health System Improvement Office.

Questions? Please contact lisa.dworak@cphamt.org or visit the BOH resource page.

Montana Public Health Emergency Preparedness

Regional Collaborative Meetings - March 2026

DPHHS and MTPHI are hosting another round of in-person PHEP collaborative discussions this March and we would love to have you attend! These meetings are your opportunity to connect with your peers, network, and work through the PHEP deliverables- MTPHI will facilitate but YOU set the agenda. The minutes from the September meeting are attached. Click here to register for the next round of PHEP regional meetings (you will receive a calendar invite following registration):

• Glendive: Monday, March 9th, 10am-2pm (Yellowstone River Inn)
• Lewistown: Tuesday, March 10th, 10am-2pm (Calvert Hotel)
• Helena: Thursday, March 12th, 10:30am - 2:30pm (Lewis and Clark Library)
• Kalispell: Friday, March 13th, 10am - 2pm (Flathead City-County Health Department)



Questions? Please contact Hillary.Hanson@mtphi.org

2025 Montana Public Health Workforce Assessment Report

The MT 21C Workforce Development Group is pleased to share the 2025 Montana Public Health Workforce Assessment Report, highlighting the findings of the recent assessment which many of you participated in. This data will inform the 2026-28 Montana Public Health Workforce Development Plan, which should be finalized in January!

Over the coming months, we will continue work to produce individual reports for each health department that participated in the survey. Please reach out if you have any questions.

The Consortium for Workforce Research in Public Health (CWORPH) invites you to attend their webinar series highlighting recent workforce topics. See below for dates, topics, and registration links.

February 4th 1PM ET – Collaborations between Local Public Health and Healthcare: Highlighting Rural Success Stories | Changing Structures in Local Public Health: Impacts and Implications

February 17th 1PM ET – Retaining Younger Public Health Staff: The Appeal of Nontraditional Benefits | Understanding the Impact of State Governance on Recruitment Strategies in Public Health

March 5th 2PM ET – Recent Trends in US Government Healthcare & Behavioral Health Workforce Departures | Come Work for Us: How to Improve the Health Department Job Application Experience

April 2nd 2PM ET – Identification of Potential Public Health Workforce Datasets and Their Utility for Future Research | Consequences of State Remote Work Policies on Rural Public Health

We welcome the opportunity to share announcements on behalf of your organization. Please email mphtc@mso.umt.edu if you have an announcement you would like us to include in future newsletters.