OUR MISSION
Our mission is to reduce the number of suicides and suicide attempts through collaborative efforts that promote, support, and increase awareness, prevention, intervention, and recovery.
OUR HISTORY
Originally known as the Western Montana Suicide Prevention Initiative (WMSPI), the organization was founded by the Missoula City-County Health Department, United Way of Missoula County, the Institute for Educational Research and Service (IERS) at The University of Montana, and LivingWorks Education in 2014. In 2016 the organization rebranded and adopted the name Project Tomorrow Montana.
The initiative was established to reduce the number of suicides and suicide attempts in Western Montana through collaborative efforts that promote, support, and increase awareness,prevention, intervention, and recovery. Under this model, Project Tomorrow has educated hundreds of health care professionals, school counselors and community members on how to identify suicide warning signs and safe intervention strategies. Together, we are fighting for a better tomorrow, for Missoula, for Western Montana.
PROJECT TOMORROW COALITION COORDINATORS:
- Jackie Briggs, United Way, Project Tomorrow Montana Coordinator
- Julie Hilley, United Way, Project Tomorrow Montana Coordinator
- Elissa White, Missoula Public Health, Suicide Prevention Coordinator
COMMUNITY PARTNERS:
- Christopher Hightower, Missoula Aging Services
- Kari Auclai, Area Director, Western Montana Mental Health Center
- Faith Price, Community Prevention Coordinator, All Nations Health Center
- Brittany Blair, 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline Program Manager
- Leah Fitch-Brody, Missoula Public Health
- Katie Levine, Area Director, AFSP (American Foundation for Suicide Prevention)
- Anton Johnson, Outreach Specialist, Missoula Veterans Center, US Department of Veterans Affairs
- Meg Smith, Tamarack Grief Resource Center
- Stephanie Rosier, Partnership Health Center
- Eric Legvold, Director of Impact, United Way of Missoula County
- Todd Lester, Veterans Administration, Montana Suicide Prevention Coordinator
- Marie Degel, Veterans Administration
- Andy Nelson, Executive Director, Western MT LGBTQ+ Center
- Dannette Fadness, Safe Kids Missoula Co-Coordinator, Be SMART Montana Lead, QPR Certified Trainer and AmeriCorps Program Manager
- Jeremiah Petersen, Missoula Sheriff
- Jeremy Meeder, Missoula Undersheriff
- Jace Dicken, Missoula County Coroner
- Shannan Sproull, Volunteer
- Marie Jenson, St. Patrick’s Hospital, Harm Reduction
- Lisa Kersch, Bright Ways Learning
- Erin Gillie, QPR Trainer, Montana Housing Authority
PROJECT TOMORROW LEADERSHIP GROUP:
- Susan Hay Patrick, CEO, United Way of Missoula County – chair
- Damian Chase-Begay, MS, Director & Health Officer at Missoula Public Health
- Tina Barrett, Executive Director, Tamarack Grief Resource Center
- Nancy Berg, Manager of Professional Development Projects, Institute for Educational Research and Service, University of Montana
- Scott Burke, CEO, First Security Bank
- Rick Evans, Owner/Operator, Garden City Funeral Home and Crematory and four other locations in Missoula and Western Montana
- Mike Frost, LCPC, LAC
- Anton Johnson, Outreach Specialist, Missoula Vets Center, US Department of Veterans Affairs
- Jack Lawson, CEO, Clearwater Credit Union
- TJ McDermott, Former Missoula County Sheriff and Chief Coroner
- Kim Seeberger, Chief Deputy Treasurer, Missoula County
- John Sommers-Flanagan, Professor of Counselor Education at the University of Montana Executive Director, All Nations Health Care Center Inc.
- Matthew Taylor, National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
