FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: April 27 2021

Contact: Jon Ebelt, Public Information Officer, DPHHS, (406) 444-0936, (406) 461-3757, jebelt@mt.gov
                Chuck Council, Communications Specialist, DPHHS, (406) 444-4391, (406) 461-8367, hcouncil@mt.gov

Individuals, Organizations Honored for Efforts to Support Montana Children and Families

Foster parents of the year recognized

Foster parents, child protection workers, youth, and non-profit organizations were honored today, Tuesday, April 27 during a virtual awards ceremony as part of the annual Prevent Child Abuse and Neglect Conference sponsored by the Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS).

DPHHS and Montana Children’s Trust Fund (MTCTF) representatives honored individuals and organizations from Kalispell, Glendive, Havre, Lolo, Missoula, Miles City, Lodge Grass, Polson, Great Falls and Billings.

The list of awards includes the Jana Elliott Memorial Resource Parents of the Year. This award goes to the foster/adoptive parent(s) who are committed to excellence in working with birth parents and foster/adoptive children. The award is named after the late Jana Elliott, who served the Wolf Point community myriad ways as both a licensed foster parent and 6th grade teacher. In 2016 the Wolf Point community took a huge loss when Elliott tragically lost her life in a car accident helping someone in need.

The co-recipients of this award are Sam and Honey Newton of Kalispell and Tracy and Cindy Gabbert of Glendive.

The Newtons have fostered multiple children over the past six years, and are an integral part of their community. “When they see a need in the community, they rise to the occasion to meet the needs no matter what they might look like,” said Kerri Brewer, of the DPHHS Child and Family Services Division (CFSD). “Both are selfless and put the needs of others first. They live a life of service, and their passion for helping children and families is noticed by other resource families, staff, and community members.”

Sam is an assistant law professor at the University of Idaho and Honey is a certified nurse-midwife and family nurse practitioner at North Valley Hospital. She is also a professor at Gonzaga University.

Tracy and Cindy Gabbert of Glendive have fostered 70 children over the past 19 years.

“They firmly believe that you need to be a resource for the entire birth family, not just the child placed into their home,” said Laura Moser of CFSD.  “Once a child is placed with their family, they are family for life, and they continue to play a grandparent role to the children and their families when they return home.”

The Gabberts often mentor other foster parents in the community by providing information, wisdom, and guidance such as mentoring new resource families and kinship families. “They are a helpful resource to those in the community to help prevent removals as well and often think outside the box to help families with clothing, babysitting, and support when they need it. They help parents rise up and be empowered to make healthy and safe decisions,” Moser said.

DPHHS also presented the following awards: 

  • The Youth Achievement of the Year goes to a foster or adoptive youth(s) who exhibits a drive to be successful and makes positive changes in their life. The recipients are Rhianna Rose Albert, Havre; Nikey Gregg, Lolo; and Halie Yeager, Kalispell.

  • The Engaging Families in Positive Change award goes to an individual or individuals who works with families to carry out the mission of CFSD in a manner that is positive and respectful of each family’s strengths. The recipients are Logan Ward, Missoula and Kelly Lucotch, Great Falls.

  • The Resiliency Award goes to an individual or team that displays traits that foster a supportive and positive work environment and that embody a healthy work/life balance. The recipient is Dan Donnelly, Kalispell.
  • The Creative Solutions Award goes to an individual or team that utilizes creative problem-solving and resource allocation to better serve children and families. The recipients are Mandy Kelsey, Great Falls and Lyndsee Angelo, Missoula.

  • The Progressive Leadership Award goes to an individual(s) who impact positive change for Montana children and families as a role model and by demonstrating a clear understanding of the agency’s role. The recipient is Jenn Weber, Billings.

  • The Practice Model Champion Award goes to an employee(s) who demonstrates excellence in implementing the agency safety model by understanding and executing the guiding principles as the roots that assure permanency and well-being for children and embody a learning culture that influences workforce stability and development. The recipient is Ike Jessee, Great Falls.

  • The Comeback Parent of the Year Award goes to a parent(s) who became involved with the child welfare system; and exhibited strength, determination and self-awareness in making positive changes for themselves and their child(ren) in an effort to overcome the conditions that prompted CFSD involvement. This parent’s commitment and engagement in their case plan was a significant catalyst in ensuring their child(ren)’s safety, permanency and well-being; while keeping their family strong. The recipient is Nikkia Jelleff, Kalispell. 

The MTCTF also presented several awards. MTCTF strategically supports initiatives to effectively strengthen Montana’s families and keep children safe from abuse and neglect. MTCTF honors those who have gone above and beyond to help strengthen children and families.

The awards include:

  • Pinwheels for Prevention Award, Misti Toineeta, Lodge Grass
  • Strengthening Families Award, Kami Ryles, Child Care Connections
  • Service to Children Award: Brooke Bartholomew, Miles City; Leslie Caye, Polson; Joseph Raffiani, Billings
  • Nonprofit Organization of the Year Award, Shodair Children’s Hospital, Helena