FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: May 01 2025

Three people standing showing the certificate that they received.

Photo caption: Pictured above from left are Andrew and Kelsey Richards of Missoula and DPHHS Child Protection Specialist Jessica Sorenson. On Thursday, the Richards were presented with the Jana Elliott Memorial Resource Parents of the Year award, along with co-recipient Tawna Robinson of Billings. 

 

Contact: Jon Ebelt, Communications Director, DPHHS, (406) 444-0936, (406) 461-3757
                jebelt@mt.gov

Individuals, Organizations Honored for Excellence in Supporting Montana Children and Families

Foster parents, youth, and child protection workers among those awarded

HELENA - Foster parents, child protection workers, youth, and non-profit organizations were honored today, Thursday, May 1, during an awards ceremony in Helena at the Delta Hotels Helena Colonial as part of the annual Montana Prevent Child Abuse and Neglect Conference sponsored by the Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS).

“Those honored this year represent the excellent work that is happening across the state to make a positive impact on the lives of Montana children and families,” DPHHS Director Charlie Brereton said. “These impacts are realized through the daily work and dedication of all those who are dedicated to improving the child welfare system. I’m very proud of their accomplishments and thank them for their unwavering commitment.” 

The theme of this year’s conference, “Building Bridges, Empowering Futures,” was designed to inspire child welfare employees, partners, and stakeholders as they work together to ensure youth and families have strong and empowering support from communities around them.

During the awards ceremony, DPHHS and Montana Children’s Trust Fund (MCTF) representatives recognized individuals and organizations from Belgrade, Billings, Great Falls, Helena, Kalispell, Miles City, and Missoula.

The list of awards includes the Jana Elliott Memorial Resource Parents of the Year. This award goes to foster/adoptive parents who are committed to excellence in working with birth parents and children in foster care and/or children who have been adopted.

The award is named after the late Jana Elliott, who served the Wolf Point community in many ways as both a licensed foster parent and a 6th grade teacher. In 2016 the Wolf Point community suffered a huge loss when Elliott tragically lost her life in a car accident while helping someone in need.

The 2025 recipients of this award are Missoula residents Kelsey and Andrew Richards and Billings resident Tawna Robinson.

The following awards were also presented: 

  • The Youth Achievement of the Year award goes to foster or adoptive youths who exhibit a drive to be successful and make positive changes in their lives. The recipients are Jocelyn Cortez, Shayla Heigis, Iris Polarity, and Anjle Cobler.
  • The Engaging Families in Positive Change award goes to individuals who carry out their work in a family-centered approach. The recipients are Dev Haegele of Kalispell, Brennan Wilson of Helena, and Concetta Kujath of Missoula.
  • The Resiliency Award goes to individuals who display qualities that foster a supportive and positive work environment and embody a healthy work/life balance. The recipients are Claudia Bergman of Kalispell and Logan Bradshaw of Miles City.
  • The Creative Solutions Award goes to individuals who utilize creative problem-solving and resource allocation to better serve children and families. The recipients are Rejeana Turner of Great Falls and Holly Dershem-Bruce of Glendive.
  • The Progressive Leadership Award goes to individuals who impact positive change for Montana children and families as role models and who demonstrate a clear understanding of the agency’s role. The recipients are Wendy Alvarez of Kalispell, Crystal McCarthy of Billings, and Jessica Sorenson of Missoula.
  • The Practice Model Champion Award goes to individuals who demonstrate 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. The recipients are Bonnie Rothe of Billings and Carissa Emett of Kalispell.
  • The Parent of the Year Award goes to a parent who became involved with the child welfare system and exhibited strength, determination, and self-awareness in making positive changes for themselves and their children to overcome the conditions that prompted CFSD involvement. The recipient is April Hartley of Missoula.
  • The Pinwheels for Prevention Award goes to a parent or community member in recognition of their exemplary commitment to the families in their community. The recipients are Brooke Bartholomew of Billings and Sandy Cade of Belgrade.
  • The Strengthening Families Award is awarded to an individual who has dedicated their career to strengthening Montana families and keeping children safe from abuse and neglect. The recipient is Stacy Dreessen of Billings.
  • The Nonprofit Organization of the Year is given in recognition of nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening Montana families and the prevention of child maltreatment by providing effective and innovative programming for families in the community, adopting trauma-responsive practices, engaging caregivers in decisions that affect their families and community, or developing partnerships and collaborations to build awareness and community capacity. The recipient is Friends of the Children of Western Montana in Missoula.
  • The Outstanding Corporate Citizenship Award goes to a company or business that has made a significant contribution to child abuse and neglect prevention or strengthening families’ activities in Montana, made a significant impact on improving the lives of their employees and their employees’ families in Montana, or leveraged their status in the community to advance child abuse and neglect prevention in Montana. The recipient is Crave Management Group of Missoula.