Bullhook Community Health Center originated in September 2005 as a section of the Hill County Health Department, funded by a federal Healthy Communities Access Planning Grant. This grant allowed the Health Departments Bullhook Clinic to offer medical and care management services to the community with a sliding fee scale. Patients were able to access coordinated and holistic care with other providers in the community. On July 1, 2007, a federal Community Health Center Grant was awarded to the board of directors fora new organization, Bullhook Community Health Center, Inc.

Bullhook Community Health Center provides healthcare services that help reduce the financial burden placed on the community when uninsured and underinsured residents cannot get theneeded healthcare or cannot pay for the healthcare they do get.

Community Health Centers are required to serve all residents of their service area with charges on a sliding fee scale based upon ability to pay. CHCs provide comprehensive health care - this includes primary health care and preventive care for infants, children & adults; some urgent care; mental health/substance abuse; dental; and pharmaceutical services.

Our Community Health Center is funded in part by federal grant dollars, patient income, and donations. Because we are federally funded, we are able to offer medical and dental care to our community on a Sliding Fee Scale, making access to excellent health care possible for every family on the Hi-Line. We also have a voucher system that may be used to offset some healthcare costs.

It is a Medicine Wheel. - The medicine wheel, originating from Native American traditions, is also referred to as Sacred Hoop. The medicine wheel represents the sacred circle of life, its basic four directions, and the elements, fire, earth, water & air.

At its most fundamental level, the Medicine Wheel teaches that in order to live a good life, we must show up and engage in it. We must be mindful of how we treat each other, Mother Earth, as well as being responsible and accountable in all our commitments. Mindfulness, which means staying in the present and acting in non-judgmental ways, creates an entrance to our souls, where our life's journey starts on a path of seeking the truth of our existence. Medicine Wheel equation: Courage + Mindfulness + Hope + Accountability = Physical, Spiritual, Emotional + Mental Resilience! (Shannon Thunderbird, M.A.)

Bullhook Health Center originated in September 2005 as a section of the Hill County Health Department, funded by a federal Healthy Communities Access Planning Grant. This grant allowed the Health Departments Bullhook Clinic to offer medical and care management services to the community with a sliding fee scale. Patients were able to access coordinated and holistic care with other providers in the community.

The Bullhook Health Center originated in September of 2005, as a section of the Hill County Health Department, funded by a Federal Healthy Communities Access Planning (HCAP) Grant. This grant allowed the Health Departments Bullhook Clinic to offer medical and care management services to the community with a sliding fee scale. In addition, the clinic was able to offer medical, dental, vision, mental health, and travel vouchers and education to Hill County residents.

The Bullhook Clinic was founded by an active consortium. The consortium members included health and social service providers, faith based representatives, educational consultants, and members of the Hutterite community. Governance was transferred to a consumer representative board at the time the clinic was established. The consortium is still actively involved in the administration of Hill Countys health care future.

In January of 2006 the Bullhook Clinic received notification that the HCAP grant funding, for their second year of operation, would be cut from the Federal Budget. The budget cut forced the Bullhook Clinic to reorganize internally - reducing the number of non-medical staff. The Federal Budget changes required the Bullhook Clinic to cut six staff members and the outreach program, reduce wages, and increase job duties in order to keep providing services. The clinical section and care management section were able to keep operating.

Even in the face of adversity, the Bullhook Clinic staff and Board of Directors were determined to continue providing quality low cost health care services to the residents of Hill County, Montana. In December of 2006 the Bullhook Clinic staff applied for a Federal New Access Community Health Center Grant as a free-standing clinic.

In July of 2007, the Bullhook Clinic became the Bullhook Community Health Center when a Federal Community Health Center Grant, authorized under section 330 of the Public Health Service Act, was awarded. The Community Health Center grant came at just the right time because of the previous funding cuts the clinic was almost to the point of having to turn people away and help them find other health-care providers. The grant award helped solidify the clinics position.

The New Access Community Health Center Grant award allowed the organization to become a free-standing, non-profit entity, under the governance of a patient majority board of directors. At its new location, the Bullhook Community Health Center has expanded its services to the community with the addition of two Family Nurse Practitioners. Primary Care, health and wellness exams for infants through seniors, sports physicals, and assistance with management of chronic illnesses like diabetes and high blood pressure are offered at the clinic.

Beyond medical care, the clinics care managers help patients develop life-long self-care plans. Care managers also help patients navigate the care system of medical and social services based on each patients needs. As a result of the care managers work, patients can prevent illness or progression of illness and avoid the physical, emotional, and financial hardships linked to illness.

Kyndra graduated from Montana State University Northern with a Bachelors degree in Business Technology with Accounting and Small Business Managements minors in 2000. She went on to receive her Masters in Business Administration Accounting from the University of Phoenix in 2007. She is an Enrolled Agent with the Internal Revenue Service.

Prior to starting at Bullhook she was an accountant with Anderson ZurMuehlen/Hamilton Consulting Group for the past 15 years. She is very involved in the community as the board chair of the Boys and Girls Club, North Central Montana Relay for Life and the Hi-Line Chapter of ABATE. She is also actively involved with the Havre Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors committee.

Marie graduated from MSU-Bozeman in 1998 with a Bachelor of Science in Business, then then went on to earn her degree of Master of Professional Accountancy in 1999 from MSU-Bozeman. In September of 1999, she started as a staff accountant with Galusha, Higgins, & Galusha, PC (now WIPFLI). In 2005 she moved to be the Accountant at Bear Paw Credit Union. In 2009 she was promoted to Vice President of Finance at the Credit Union. She has extensive knowledge in audit, financial statement preparation, and management.

Katie started her nursing career 6 years ago as an Internal Medicine RN at the Cleveland Clinic, located in Cleveland, Ohio. She completed her Family Nurse Practitioner degree at Malone University in Ohio. She is certified as a FNP through the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. She has a special interest in mental health nursing and has complete her PMHNP degree from The University of Michigan-Flint. This is her first time in Montana and she is excited to see all that Montana has to offer and looking forward to becoming involved in the community.

Megan Evans, MD graduated with a B.S. in biochemistry with the highest honors from Montana State University Bozeman. She earned her M.D. from the University of Colorado, Denver School of Medicine and completed her training as Chief Resident at Montana Family Medicine. Dr. Evans is committed to rural and underserved health care.

Dr. Dee Althouse grew up in Ohio, and attended Medical School and completed her Residency in Combined Internal Medicine and Pediatrics at the Ohio State University (and she will be an OSU Buckeye fan for life!). She moved to Montana in 2000, and worked at the Chippewa Cree Health Center on the Rocky Boys Reservation for the next 15 years. She enjoys seeing a broad range of patients, of all ages, with special interests in Pediatric development and health, and chronic disease management of children and adults. Outside of medicine, she enjoys spending time with her husband and 2 young children, reading, and enjoying the beautiful outdoors of Montana.

Michaela Whitmore, PA-C, grew up in Augusta, MT on her familys ranch. She received a B.S. of Biology from MSUN, and then attended the University of Washington MEDEX program for her Masters in Clinical Health Science in Physician Assistant Studies. She has lived in Havre since 2018, and enjoys rural medicine and assisting with the medical needs of the community. She enjoys the small town feel of Havre, and the community has been very welcoming to her and her husband. When she is not working, she enjoys spending time shed hunting, hiking and anything outdoors with her husband and two rambunctious dogs.

William Harvey, FNP-BC, graduated from MSU-Northern in 2000 with an Associates Degree in Nursing and in 2007 with his BSN. William is also a veteran of the US Armed Forces, serving in the US Navy as a hospital corpsman and the US Army Reserve as an Army Nurse. He continued his education and graduated from Walden University as a Family Nurse Practitioner in 2020. With over 20 years experience in the Nursing field in the areas of Emergency Department and Public Health and his military background, he is committed to serving the community in which he lives. William has 4 children and a young grandson and enjoys spending time with his family hunting, fishing, camping and working with their horses.

Jeri Graduated nursing school in may of 2011 at Flathead Valley Community College. She is currently the School Nurse for Havre Public Schools and has worked in family practice as well as internal medicine. She received her certified asthma educator license in May of 2017.

Elizabeth is certified in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Anesthesia and X-Ray, and earned her Associates Degree in Medical Assisting from the University of Montana in 2006. She has training in chronic pain management and more than eight years of experience in the dental field. Elizabeth is currently the Dental Coordinator for our dental facility, responsible for coordination of care for threefull-time dentists.

Sandy Derry, LAC, M.Ed., has been living in the Havre community for the past 20+ years. She obtained her Licensed Addiction Counselor (LAC) license in December of 2019. Sandy currently provides Moral Reconation Therapy (MRT), Domestic Violence Moral Reconation Therapy (DV-MRT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) and works with a wide range of addiction clients. She earned her Masters degree in Counselor of Education from MSU-Northern in 2013, a Bachelors degree in Communications and a Bachelors degree in Community Service at MSU-Northern in 2005. Sandy has experience as a victim witness advocate, crisis line volunteer and 3 years in AmeriCorps. When graduating in 2005, Sandy provided school based mental health in the Havre and Box Elder communities and provided outpatient therapy to children and adults through the Center for Mental Health. Her experience also includes Circle of Security (COS) techniques and treating a wide range of mental health disorders.

Lindsey is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a background in adult, children and family therapy. She earned her Bachelors degree in Social Work from Salish Kootenai College in 2008 and her Masters degree in Social Work from Walla Walla University in 2009.

Lindsey has been in the Havre community for 5 years. During this time she has been providing school based mental health in the Rocky Boy Community, as well as providing adult groups and psychotherapy. Her experience includes treating clients with co-occurring disorders, history of trauma and relationship concerns.

Katie started her nursing career 6 years ago as an Internal Medicine RN at the Cleveland Clinic, located in Cleveland, Ohio. She completed her Family Nurse Practitioner degree at Malone University in Ohio. She is certified as a FNP through the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. She has a special interest in mental health nursing and has completed her PMHNP degree from The University of Michigan-Flint. This is her first time in Montana and she is excited to see all that Montana has to offer and looking forward to becoming involved in the community.

Terry is a licensed clinical professional counselor. She earned her masters degree in counseling at Montana State University-Northern in 1995 and completed an internship in family based services in Havre. She has experience providing outpatient counseling for mental health concerns across the lifespan.

Havre is located on the hi-line in north central Montana. We have an abundance of wheat fields and sprawling prairies. However, just a short distance away is a majestic and awe inspiring national park commonly referred to as Glacier National Park. Glacier has many crystal clear lakes and majestic mountains that have an abundance of wildlife. The foliage is quite the site to behold particularly in the autumn when the leaves turn. Then there is the mirror like reflections of the mountains on one of the many beautiful lakes. There are trails for biking or hiking. If you are more into a scenic drive one can take the Going to the Sun road or just take a short trip through the Sweet grass prairie. Fisherman can be seen throughout the area amongst the rivers floating and having a glorious time. Or if you wish you can drive east to Fort Peck Reservoir where the Northern Pike are in true abundance.

A person can take a trip through the past by going Beneath the Streets and viewing what used to be Bullhook Bottoms. The Native American culture still exists in the Big Sky Country. Pow Wows can be seen or you may want to take a basket weaving or beading class. There are interests for all. You may even get a chance to see the Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis as it is known.