? ? Voices of Hope proposes to collaborate with existing Information and Referral providers and the Montana Library Association to improve access to health information and community services in Montana. This proposal describes a project that will: ? ? Create a database of statewide community resources (MT Community Resource Database). ? Create an interactive website that allows for access to health information via NLM databases and to ? health services via the MT Community Resource Database. Disseminate health information by ensuring access to the website via technology improvements for public and medical libraries. ? ? Provide training and information skills development to public and medical libraries across the state. ? Montana is a large state in which both the service providers and the populations of county after county are extremely isolated. Large sections of our state's population has inadequate or antiquated medical, mental health and community resource provision. Montana desperately needs better access to health information and community services including health and mental health providers. The creation and dissemination of a website to provide access to health information and community referrals would not only serve to empower individual citizens it would also provide the basis for the implementation of an integrated system providing 2-1-1 and crisis services to all of Montana. ? ? ?
