Big Sky Strategic Planning Feedback

Thank you for providing valuable feedback to our strategic planning process! Please help us prioritize potential action items and solutions generated through our community conversation series to address the needs of each of our communities. We ask that you rank the listed ideas and provide additional qualitative feedback on what you believe we should be focusing on for each individual need identified in Big Sky.

For a deeper dive into the needs identified in Big Sky, please see our 2019 Community Needs Assessment.

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* 1. What is your connection to HRDC?

I am a customer.

I am a staff member at HRDC.

I am a stakeholder/partner.

I am a volunteer.

Other (please specify)

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* 2. Housing surfaced as the #1 need for Big Sky in our Community Needs Assessment Survey with 54% of survey takers indicating so. 93% feel that Big Sky lacks affordable places to rent. Similarly, 89% feel that Big Sky lacks home ownership opportunities. According to the Big Sky Community Housing assessment, 41% of Big Sky households are renters. Because Big Sky is a tourism centric community, many homes have been converted into VRBO/Airbnb rentals, displacing many individuals renting and living in the area. Additionally, many out of state residents are building multi-million dollar homes in Big Sky, driving up the housing stock. Many employees of Big Sky are forced to live elsewhere and commute to the area for work. Lastly, the community has experienced one of the largest market rate increases since the onset of COVID-19.

Below is a list of potential action items to address the need of housing in Big Sky, please rank them.

Preservation of existing housing

N/A

Developing affordable housing - for those with fixed incomes and those in workforce

N/A

Affordable home ownership

N/A

Affordable rentals

N/A

Continue to inform local policy to address affordability

N/A

Promoting awareness of housing crisis and shortage to community and leaders

N/A

Creative emergency shelter for seasonal workers

N/A

Continue building relationship with Big Sky Community Housing Trust

N/A

Advocate for employer offered affordable housing

N/A

Advocate for policy at state level - 1% for housing in resort tax communities

N/A

Employer offered HRDC service bundle when onboarding new employees

N/A

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* 3. Please build on the above list and provide additional feedback. What other policy, promoting, partnerships, and programs should we be considering to have a positive impact in the arena of housing in Big Sky?

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* 4. Healthcare surfaced as the #2 need in Big Sky in our Community Needs Assessment Survey with 44% of survey takers indicating so. Over half of survey takers feel that Big Sky lacks readily accessible and high quality healthcare that is affordable for all income levels. Many feel that they are forced to chose between prioritizing healthcare over childcare or housing costs.

Below is a list of potential action items to address the need of healthcare in Big Sky, please rank them.

Service navigation, connecting community members to available healthcare resources and providers

N/A

Help promote policy that aids in access and affordability

N/A

Continuing our partnerships with local healthcare providers

N/A

Assist community members in the technological barriers that may exist when trying to make appointments or sign up for health insurance

N/A

Promote programs that help with language barriers that exist in the healthcare system - Discovery Academy

N/A

Promote SHIP program

N/A

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* 5. Please build on the above list and provide additional feedback. What other policy, promoting, partnerships, and programs should we be considering to have a positive impact in the arena of healthcare in Big Sky?

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* 6. Food and Nutrition surfaced as the #3 need in Big Sky in our Community Needs Assessment Survey, with 31% of survey takers indicating so. 65% of respondents indicated that they feel Big Sky lacks affordable places to buy healthy food. Many survey takers also report issues with paying for groceries and meals.

Below is a list of potential action items to address the need of food and nutrition in Big Sky, please rank them.

Promote Big Sky Community Food Bank

N/A

Continue Food Bank pick up model, more anonymity

N/A

Explore subsidized grocery program

N/A

Educate community on destigmatizing food bank and food bank assistance

N/A

Employer offered HRDC service bundle when onboarding new employees

N/A

Help offset housing costs by assisting with grocery bill

N/A

Create food assistance voucher program

N/A

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* 7. Please build on the above list and provide additional feedback. What other policy, promoting, partnerships, and programs should we be considering to have a positive impact in the arena of food and nutrition in Big Sky?

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* 8. Mental Healthcare surfaced as the #4 need in Big Sky in our Community Needs Assessment Survey, with 21% of survey takers indicating so. 44% of survey respondents indicated that they felt Big Sky lacks adequate resources for the mental health needs of adults. Similarly, 37% of survey respondents indicated that they feel Big Sky lacks resources for the mental health needs of youth. Big Sky has formed the Big Sky Behavioral Health Coalition which brings together multiple organizations in town to tackle mental health needs. Findings from the Big Sky Behavioral Health Initiative have so far revealed a lack of services, access issues, and a universal understanding that Big Sky is missing a clear structure to its system of care.

Below is a list of potential action items to address the need of mental healthcare in Big Sky, please rank them.

Help inform local and state policy that prioritizes accessibility and affordability of mental healthcare services to all individuals

N/A

Leverage our existing programs through the financial opportunity center to reduce stresses to income and finances that may impact mental health

N/A

Leverage our existing programs to help reduce stresses to housing that may impact mental health

N/A

Promote community awareness, reducing stigma

N/A

Support family access to mental health care services by providing scholarships

N/A

Support increased access to telehealth services

N/A

Promote inclusion of mental health care services in primary care

N/A

Support the funding of a mental health service coordinator

N/A

Continue to support man-therapy opportunities

N/A

Continue our partnership with key players Bozeman Health, Western Montana Mental Health Center, Gallatin and Yellowstone Community Foundation, Big Sky Chamber of Commerce

N/A

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* 9. Please build on the above list and provide additional feedback. What other policy, promoting, partnerships, and programs should we be considering to have a positive impact in the arena of mental healthcare in Big Sky?

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* 10. Transportation surfaced as the #5 need in Big Sky in our Community Needs Assessment Survey with 16% of survey takers indicating so. 24% of respondents feel that Big Sky lacks adequate public transportation services. As housing prices continue to rise, more Big Sky employees are moving away from the community and thus are in search of affordable transit options to get to Big Sky for work. The Skyline Bus Service updated their evening route in response to COVID-19 closures.

Below is a list of potential action items to address the need of transportation in Big Sky, please rank them.

Service navigation, connecting community members to available transit resources

N/A

Help promote policy that increases transit funding in Montana

N/A

Extend transit services services to Big Sky, more night time shuttle options

N/A

Help promote policy that prioritizes multi modal transportation (sidewalks, bike lanes, etc)

N/A

Help local government and agencies apply for transportation grants and funding

N/A

Update bus route to connect employees to hotels

N/A

Promote park and ride

N/A

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* 11. Please build on the above list and provide additional feedback. What other policy, promoting, partnerships, and programs should we be considering to have a positive impact in the arena of transportation in Big Sky?