Spring 2021
Quarterly Newsletter
2021 Positive Culture Framework Virtual Training
August 3-5, 2021 
ONLY 5 SPOTS LEFT!
Catch our next Positive Culture Framework Training on August 3-5, virtually. Our usual 2.5-day, in-person training is now conducted over three days in two-hour virtual sessions. The training provides a foundation for efforts to improve health and safety that addresses a wide variety of complex social issues.

Training attendees will: 
  • Develop and refine skills in three critical areas: leadership, communication, and the integration of effective strategies 
  • Learn how culture influences behavior and how to cultivate cultural transformation 
  • Gain specific next steps for transforming culture in your community or organization 
 
Who should attend?  
Our training is designed for anyone working to improve health and safety including (but not limited to) substance misuse professionals, prevention specialists, violence prevention advocates, coalition members, traffic safety professionals, educators, government personnel, and law enforcement officers.
Can’t make the August training? We can provide virtual trainings on the Positive Culture Framework, communication (social norms), leadership, and integration skills for your community or organization. For more information on our training opportunities please visit our website at https://chsculture.org/training
Strengthening Montana’s Families and Keeping Children Safe From Abuse and Neglect While Raising Awareness of the Montana Children’s Trust Fund
The Center for Health and Safety Culture at Montana State University recently completed a project with the Montana Children’s Trust Fund based on efforts to strengthen families in Montana and keep children safe from abuse and neglect. The Center created resources and media to reach families, caregivers, and the public to promote safe, stable, and nurturing environments as well as specific strategies to reduce abusive head trauma of infants. Media was also created to raise awareness of the Children’s Trust Fund. 
 
The resources and media were developed based on the Center’s Positive Culture Framework. The project began with an assessment of beliefs and behaviors of families, caregivers, and the public in Montana. Beliefs about the Children’s Trust Fund and safe, stable, and nurturing relationships and about people’s knowledge of the Period of PURPLE Crying and other topics surrounding raising children were assessed in a survey sent to random households across Montana. The data gathered from the surveys informed the media and resources that were created. Video and radio ads were developed based on the Center’s experience in creating media campaigns scientifically designed to influence beliefs and behaviors. The media was positively framed and promoted growing positive behaviors among families and the public while challenging misperceptions that were revealed in the survey. 
The Center integrated language about safe, stable, and nurturing relationships into over 45 age-specific tools already housed on ParentingMontana.org. In addition, the Center developed an “Infant Crying” resource to guide parents and other caregivers with infants on how to develop a plan to manage frustration with an infant. A corresponding rack card on “Infant Crying” was also developed specifically for ParentingMontana.org. A second “Infant Crying” rack card was developed to coordinate with Montana Children’s Trust Fund’s Period of PURPLE Crying teaching booklet.

The Center hosted monthly project meetings with Montana Children’s Trust Fund to review the status of identified tasks and participated in additional informal meetings focused on the activities within the project. The Center participated in a board meeting with the Montana Children’s Trust Fund and hosted a final project webinar to review survey results, resources, and media developed for the project.

The Center is dedicated to applying research and developing sustainable solutions to complex problems. Working with organizations like the Montana Children’s Trust Fund to improve childhood wellness and reduce child maltreatment and violence provides opportunities for us to take what we have learned through our research, share it with others, and help put it into practice to improve health and safety. Our research is conducted in partnership with community, state, and national organizations seeking to create sustainable change. If you are interested in having a conversation about what is possible in your community, please connect with our researchers at mail@chsculture.org or (406) 994-7873.
Center Bulletin Board
Katie Dively, M.S., CHES, and Jay Otto, M.S., hosted two virtual rounds of our Positive Culture Framework Training in January and February. It was exciting to find great energy and participation even in the virtual format. We look forward to our next virtual training events!
Dr. Kari Finley hosted a training in March on, “The Science of Stigma: What We Know & What We Can Do to Address It.” Check our website for the next scheduled Stigma training.
Jay Otto, M.S., and Annmarie McMahill, M.S., hosted a webinar titled "Raising Safe Drivers – Parental Behaviors and Beliefs About Their Children Learning to Drive" and  Nicholas Ward, Ph.D., and Jay Otto, M.S., hosted a webinar on "Guidance for Evaluating Traffic Safety Culture Strategies."  

You can view all of our webinars on our YouTube channel.
Brandon Scott, Ph.D., with the Department of Psychology along with Nicholas Ward, Ph.D., Jay Otto, M.S., and Kari Finley, Ph.D., with the Center for Health and Safety Culture at Montana State University published the article, Modeling the System of Beliefs That Influence Willingness and Intention to Drive Under the Influence of Cannabis (DUIC) in Washington State” in the Accident Analysis and Prevention journal. The article explores the belief system associated with driving under the influence of cannabis.
Jay Otto, M.S., Nicholas Ward, Ph.D., and Kari Finley, Ph.D., with the Center for Health and Safety Culture at Montana State University along with Shelly Baldwin at the Washington Traffic Safety Commission and Darrin Grondel at the Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility published the article, “The Culture of Driving Under the Influence of Cannabis and Alcohol in Washington State” in the Journal of Applied Social Science. The article highlights a study exploring the behaviors and culture associated with driving under the influence of cannabis and alcohol in Washington state. The findings indicate that most people shared strong protective beliefs that prevent DUICA behavior.
Nicholas Ward, Ph.D., Jay Otto, M.S., and Kari Finley, Ph.D., with the Center for Health and Safety Culture along with David Kack, M.B.A., and Rebecca Gleason, PE, M.S., with the Western Transportation Institute at Montana State University and Taylor Lonsdale, PE, with the City of Bozeman published the article, “Traffic safety culture and prosocial driver behavior for safer vehicle-bicyclist interactions” in the Journal of Safety Research. The article highlights a study that examined the influence of traffic safety culture on driver behaviors that affect safe interactions with bicyclists. The intention of drivers to behave prosocially was related to their positive attitudes and perceived ability to engage in this behavior.
Services
The Center for Health and Safety Culture is an interdisciplinary center serving communities and organizations through research, training, and support services to cultivate healthy and safe cultures. We are dedicated to applying research to develop sustainable solutions to complex social problems. Our research focuses on understanding how culture impacts behavior – especially behavior associated with health and safety. Some of our services include:
  • Conducting, Exchanging, and Applying Research
  • Cultural Assessments, Surveys, and Evaluation

  • Brief Video Spotlights
  • Positive Culture Framework
  • Communication Skills – Social Norms Marketing
  • Leadership Skills
  • Integration Skills

  • Moving From Knowledge to Practice
For more information on all our services visit our website at www.CHSCulture.org.

Feel free to contact us if you are interested in our services. We are currently offering virtual trainings and hoping for onsite trainings to resume in the future.
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Center for Health and Safety Culture | www.CHSCulture.org