As Montana prepares for the 70th Legislative Session in January 2027, what decisions will shape the future of families across our state? And how can parents, caregivers, and community members help make sure the needs of Montana families are part of the conversation?

On this episode of the LIFTS Podcast, host Gwyneth Hyndman talks with Mary Collins, Policy Director for HMHB to talk about the upcoming legislative session, HMHB's policy priorities, and the importance of advocating for the health and well-being of mothers, babies, and families.

Mary shares what has changed since the 2025 legislative session, including the tighter state budget and the challenges facing Montana's healthcare and Medicaid systems. She discusses the importance of protecting recent policy wins, including progress toward Medicaid reimbursement for doula services and funding for home visiting programs, while continuing to push for policies that strengthen families.

The conversation also explores HMHB's priorities for the upcoming session, including expanding Good Samaritan protections for people seeking prenatal and postpartum care while navigating substance use, strengthening voluntary home visiting services, supporting community health workers, and continuing to advocate for bigger-picture investments in paid family leave, childcare, and a state child tax credit.

But advocacy isn't just for policymakers or organizations. Mary offers practical ways everyday Montanans can get involved, from contacting their legislators to sharing personal stories about what families need to thrive.

At the heart of this conversation is a reminder that even when progress feels slow, it's important to keep imagining what a better Montana could look like. As Mary puts it, we shouldn't lose sight of what we genuinely want our world to look like for families.

Because building a healthier future for Montana families starts with making sure their voices are heard.

In This Episode

• Mary's journey from being a new mom during the 2025 legislative session to serving as HMHB's Policy Director.
• What to expect during the 70th Montana Legislative Session and how a tighter state budget may affect families.
• The potential impact of proposed flat tax changes on Montana's healthcare and family support systems.
• Progress on Senate Bill 319 and the effort to establish Medicaid reimbursement for doula services.
• HMHB's efforts to expand Good Samaritan protections for people seeking prenatal and postpartum care while navigating substance use.
• The importance of voluntary home visiting programs and community health workers.
• Why paid family leave, affordable childcare, and a state child tax credit remain important long-term priorities.
• How Montana families can contact legislators, share their stories, and get involved in advocacy.

Bio

Mary grew up on a farm in Northern California and has called Montana home since 2011. She earned both her Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies and Master of Social Work from the University of Montana. Her passion for systems-level change led her to serve in several leadership roles at the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS), where she focused on strengthening the state’s behavioral health system. Driven by a desire to serve others—and informed by her own experience as the mother of a preemie—Mary is deeply motivated to create a more just, supportive world for Montana’s babies and families.

Enjoying the podcast? We’d love your feedback and ideas for future episodes! Take our LIFTS Podcast Listener Survey at hmhb-mt.org/survey.

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For statewide resources to support Montana families in the 0-3 years of parenting, check out the LIFTS online resource guide at
https://hmhb-lifts.org/

On this episode of the LIFTS Podcast, we talk with Dr. Michael Smith, a naturopathic doctor at Natura Health and Wellness Clinic in Missoula, Montana, about paternal perinatal mental health and why fathers need support, too. Drawing on his experience as a dad, his work in naturopathic medicine, and his growing interest in this emerging area of research, Dr. Smith shares why the transition to parenthood can be a vulnerable time for fathers and how mental health challenges may show up differently for them.

Dr. Smith explains how stress, sleep deprivation, changing relationships, financial pressures, and the physical and emotional demands of welcoming a baby can affect a father's well-being. Anxiety, withdrawal, and changes in behavior may be signs that a dad is struggling, even when he doesn't recognize his experience as a mental health concern or feel comfortable asking for help.

We also explore the gaps in research and resources for fathers, the importance of making space for their stories, and how families, workplaces, and communities can help dads feel less alone. Dr. Smith hopes to learn from fathers across Montana — from rural communities to cities and Tribal communities — to better understand their experiences and help connect them with meaningful support.

In this episode, we talk about:

• What paternal perinatal mental health is and why it deserves more attention.
• How becoming a dad — and witnessing his wife's postpartum mental health challenges — shaped his understanding of the transition to parenthood.
• Why fathers may experience anxiety, depression, isolation, or changes in behavior after a baby arrives.
• How cultural expectations around masculinity can make it harder for dads to acknowledge their struggles or seek help.
• The gaps in research, education, and resources for fathers experiencing perinatal mental health challenges.
• How families, communities, workplaces, and healthcare providers can create more supportive environments for new dads.

Guest Bio

Dr. Michael Smith is a naturopathic doctor at Natura Health and Wellness Clinic in Missoula, Montana. His approach to healthcare focuses on the whole person, bringing together conventional medical tools, nutrition, lifestyle, and other naturopathic approaches to help patients better understand their health.

Originally born in Edmonton, Alberta, and raised in the Salt Lake City area, Dr. Smith's own experiences with healthcare helped shape his interest in medicine. After studying neuroscience and epigenetics in New York City, he went on to earn his naturopathic medical degree from the National University of Natural Medicine in Portland, Oregon.

Dr. Smith has a particular interest in neurological health and the connections between physical health, mental health, and the body's many systems. His experiences as a father, including supporting his wife through postpartum mental health challenges and navigating his own experiences with depression and anxiety, have also influenced his growing interest in paternal perinatal mental health.

After attending perinatal mental health conferences and specialized training focused on fathers, Dr. Smith became passionate about learning more about the experiences of new dads and the support they need during the transition to parenthood. He hopes to help bring greater awareness to paternal mental health and encourage more conversations, research, and community support for fathers across Montana.

To learn more about Dr. Smith and his work, visit his personal website, drmichaelsmithnd.com. To work with Dr. Smith or to contact him, reach out to his clinic, Natura Health and Wellness Clinic via phone at 406-317-1965 or email, info@natura.health.

Links

https://natura.health/

https://postpartum.net/get-help/help-for-dads/

Enjoying the podcast? We’d love your feedback and ideas for future episodes! Take our LIFTS Podcast Listener Survey at hmhb-mt.org/survey.

Connect with Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies

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For statewide resources to support Montana families in the 0-3 years of parenting, check out the LIFTS online resource guide at
https://hmhb-lifts.org/

In the final episode of our "Growing Our Storytellers" series, host Gwyneth Hyndman speaks with Montana’s First Lady Susan Gianforte for a conversation about the power of books, the importance of early literacy, and the simple ways reading can bring families together.

Ms Gianforte shares why The Little Engine That Could has always held a special place in her heart and why its message — “I think I can” — continues to resonate with her. She talks about growing up as the daughter of German immigrants, spending time with her grandmother in Germany, and the stories and traditions that connected her to her family’s heritage, including the beloved German tale The Bremen Town Musicians.

She also reflects on raising her four children and the role books played in their family life. From weekly trips to the library and reading together while she nursed her babies, to discovering books through her children’s school reading lists, she shares how reading became a meaningful part of family connection.

The conversation also explores her work bringing Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to children across Montana. She discusses how the statewide program has grown, the excitement families have when a new book arrives in the mailbox, and why providing free books to young children is about much more than learning to read. It’s also about bonding, imagination, emotional development and giving families an opportunity to share stories together.

In This Episode:

• The connection between reading and early childhood development
• How books can build emotional awareness and strengthen family bonds
• Susan’s work bringing Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library statewide in Montana
• Stories from Montana families receiving their free books
• Why every Montana child under five should have access to a free book every month

Learn More & Sign Up

Families can learn more about the Montana Imagination Library and sign up children under age five to receive a free book every month at montanaimaginationlibrary.org.

Guest Bio

Susan Gianforte is the First Lady of Montana and a passionate advocate for early childhood literacy and the importance of reading together as a family. As the daughter of German immigrants, Susan grew up with a deep appreciation for stories, books and the connections they create across generations.

Enjoying the podcast? We’d love your feedback and ideas for future episodes! Take our LIFTS Podcast Listener Survey at hmhb-mt.org/survey.

Connect with Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies

• Website
• Facebook
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For statewide resources to support Montana families in the 0-3 years of parenting, check out the LIFTS online resource guide at
https://hmhb-lifts.org/

In this episode of the LIFTS Podcast, we take a road trip across Granite County, Montana to have coffee with Stephanie White, one of the storytellers featured in the latest issue of LIFTS Magazine.

Stephanie shares her story, “A Father’s Love of Literature Lives On,” about growing up with a dad who brought books and stories to life—and how that love of reading has continued into the next generation. From childhood trips to the library with her father to reading with her own three daughters, Stephanie reflects on the ways books have shaped her family and helped create a sense of connection and belonging.

Today, as chair of the Philipsburg Library, she is passionate about making libraries welcoming spaces for young families. She talks about the moms’ group that grew out of a need for connection among rural parents, and how something as simple as gathering at the library has become a source of friendship, support, shared hobbies, hand-me-downs, and a reminder that no one has to do parenting alone.

Stephanie and host Gwyneth Hyndman also talk about the realities of raising young children in a rural community, where partners may be away for seasonal work and families can sometimes feel isolated. They explore the importance of creating places where parents and children can show up exactly as they are—and where children can grow up associating libraries and reading with warmth, friendship, and safety.

In This Episode

• Stephanie’s childhood memories of reading with her father
• Passing a love of books and storytelling on to her daughters
• The role of libraries in supporting early literacy
• Discovering the Dolly Parton Imagination Library after moving to Philipsburg
• The importance of friendship and connection during the early years of parenting
• Sharing hobbies, resources, hand-me-downs, and everyday parenting wisdom
• The challenges of parenting when partners work seasonal or away-from-home jobs

Guest Bio

Stephanie White is a mother of three daughters and a member of the Philipsburg community. She serves on the Philipsburg Community Library Board and is passionate about supporting young families, early literacy, and creating welcoming spaces where parents and children can connect.

Stephanie’s story, “A Father’s Love of Literature Lives On,” appears in the latest issue of LIFTS Magazine. Her story explores the love of books passed down from her father to her, and now to her daughters.

Resources & Links

Philipsburg Public Library

Philipsburg Public Library

Montana Doula Collaborative

www.montanadoulacollaborative.org

Enjoying the podcast? We’d love your feedback and ideas for future episodes! Take our LIFTS Podcast Listener Survey at hmhb-mt.org/survey.

Connect with Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies

• Website
• Facebook
• Instagram

For statewide resources to support Montana families in the 0-3 years of parenting, check out the LIFTS online resource guide at
https://hmhb-lifts.org/

What can we grow here? And perhaps more importantly—what can we learn from the place where we live?

In the second episode of our early literacy series "Growing Our Storytellers," we explore Grow Where You Are, a community early literacy project in Dillon, Montana, with Katrina Kennett, a professor of education at the University of Montana Western.

The idea behind Grow Where You Are grew out of a collection of projects, conversations and community efforts focused on understanding what can grow in southwest Montana—and helping people of all ages overcome the barriers that can make growing feel out of reach, while developing the imaginations of our earliest learners.

Katrina talks about the many pieces already happening in the community—from seed catalogs at the library and raised garden beds to efforts to grow food for the local food bank, as educators explore how all ages can participate.

Katrina is also joined by Marti Laknar of the Beaverhead Conservation District, who brings a different but complementary perspective. Her work with the Beaverhead Conservation District has brought her face-to-face with the growing issue of food insecurity and the loss of basic food-growing and preservation skills they are hoping to reinvigorate in their community.

She remembers a time when gardens were common in Dillon and throughout Montana, with vegetable gardens tucked into backyards and alleyways. Over time, convenience, larger grocery stores and changes in how communities access food contributed to a loss of those skills.

Together they speak on connecting people not only with information, but with one another—older generations with younger generations, experienced growers with beginners, and community organizations with people who want to get involved.

In This Episode

• The story behind the Grow Where You Are project
• What it means to understand what grows in southwest Montana from the earliest age
• Building partnerships and connecting community resources
• The potential for fresh produce in local preschools and schools
• The importance of passing knowledge between generations
• How gardening can strengthen community connections
• Why growing food is about more than food—it's about resilience and relationships

Links

https://www.umwestern.edu/directory/katrina-kennett/

Enjoying the podcast? We’d love your feedback and ideas for future episodes! Take our LIFTS Podcast Listener Survey at hmhb-mt.org/survey.

Connect with Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies

• Website
• Facebook
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For statewide resources to support Montana families in the 0-3 years of parenting, check out the LIFTS online resource guide at
https://hmhb-lifts.org/

What happens when a child who found safety, consistency and belonging in Head Start grows up to become a powerful advocate for the next generation?

In this episode of the LIFTS Podcast, host Gwyneth Hyndman speaks with Hilary Gourneau, an enrolled Dakota member of the Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes, former Fort Peck Tribal Head Start executive director and founder of Pté Collective, about how early literacy begins with creating spaces where children and families feel safe, seen and supported.

Hilary shares what she learned during her time as a Head Start executive director—including the realities of serving children and families in rural Montana, the challenges of aging facilities, and the determination it took to advocate for new Head Start buildings in Poplar and Wolf Point.

Hilary also shares the story of bringing Dolly Parton's Imagination Library books to families on the Fort Peck Reservation, even when traditional mailing systems didn't work for families who shared mailboxes or didn't have individual addresses.

She also introduces Pté Collective, the consulting organization she created to bring a Native voice to early childhood and early learning, particularly in rural and Tribal communities. "Pté" is the Dakota word for female buffalo - a matriarchal symbol of strength, family, leadership.

The conversation also turns to the future of Head Start and proposed changes that Hilary believes could have significant implications for mental health, children with special needs, and Tribal and local control.

Ultimately, Hilary's message is simple and powerful: every child deserves access to early learning, healthcare, food, clean water, a safe home and a safe, healthy learning environment—and every child deserves someone willing to advocate for them.

Bio

Hilary is the former executive director of Fort Peck Tribal Head Start and the founder and director of Pté Collective.

In This Episode

• Hilary's own experience as a Head Start child
• Growing up on the Fort Peck Reservation
• Her path to graduate school
• Bringing Indigenous culture into early learning
• Designing spaces around children's physical, emotional, cultural and developmental needs
• Why identity and belonging matter

Books mentioned

• Buffalo Fluffalo by Bess Kalb
• Powwow Day Traci Sorell

Links

https://www.ptecollective.com/

To Comment on Proposed Head Start Changes: https://nhsa.org/nprm-resources/how-to-speak-up-for-head-start/submit-a-public-comment/

https://www.montanaimaginationlibrary.org/

Enjoying the podcast? We’d love your feedback and ideas for future episodes! Take our LIFTS Podcast Listener Survey at hmhb-mt.org/survey.

Connect with Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies

• Website
• Facebook
• Instagram

For statewide resources to support Montana families in the 0-3 years of parenting, check out the LIFTS online resource guide at
https://hmhb-lifts.org/

In this episode of the LIFTS Podcast, host Gwyneth Hyndman joins Rylee Andrews, a Maternal Support Professional with the Butte 4 C’s, to talk about the realities facing families across Southwest Montana.

Rylee shares what she is seeing in homes right now as the cost of groceries, gas, housing, childcare, and healthcare continues to put pressure on family budgets. She talks about the difficult choices parents are making, from delaying medical appointments to sacrificing their own needs so their children can have what they need.

The conversation also explores the emotional toll of that stress, including what Rylee is seeing through postpartum depression screenings and the importance of recognizing when a parent may need additional support. She speaks openly about her own experience as a mom of three and how that lived experience helps her connect with families in an authentic, judgment-free way.

Gwyneth and Rylee also talk about Meals for Moms, a program made possible through the generosity of an anonymous donor that provides nourishing meals to families during those exhausting first weeks with a new baby. Since launching in January 2026, the program has delivered hundreds of meals to local families—and has also helped connect families with additional home-visiting support.

Guest Bio

Rylee Andrews is a Maternal Support Professional with the Butte 4 C’s, where she works alongside families during pregnancy and the first year of a baby’s life. With a background that includes 10 years working in childcare and her own experience as a mother of three young children, Rylee brings both professional training and lived experience to her work.

In This Episode

• Supporting families before they reach a crisis: Rylee explains how the Butte 4 C’s works alongside families early, helping them build confidence, find resources, and create their own support networks.
• The realities of rising costs: A look at how higher costs for groceries, gas, housing, childcare, and healthcare are forcing Montana families to make difficult choices—and sometimes put their own needs last.
• Maternal mental health: Rylee shares what she is seeing through postpartum depression screenings and why financial stress, uncertainty, and isolation can have such a profound effect on parents and families.
• The importance of lived experience: As a mother of three herself, Rylee talks about how remembering her own challenging moments in early parenthood helps her connect with the families she serves.
• 406 Healthy Start: Learn how this home-visiting program supports families during pregnancy and baby's first year with education, encouragement, practical resources, and one-on-one support.
• Meals for Moms: Hear the story behind this community-supported program providing nourishing meals to families during those exhausting first weeks after bringing home a new baby—and how a simple meal can become a doorway to additional support.
• It takes a village: Gwyneth and Rylee talk about the importance of accepting help, building community connections, and reminding parents that they were never meant to do this alone.
• Looking toward the future: Rylee discusses the growing need for family services across Southwest Montana and the ongoing challenge of securing funding so organizations can continue to meet families where they are.

Enjoying the podcast? We’d love your feedback and ideas for future episodes! Take our LIFTS Podcast Listener Survey at hmhb-mt.org/survey.

Connect with Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies

• Website
• Facebook
• Instagram

For statewide resources to support Montana families in the 0-3 years of parenting, check out the LIFTS online resource guide at
https://hmhb-lifts.org/