Montana

University of Montana launches Montana’s first public occupational therapy program

Published

2 years ago

September 21, 2024

University of Montana launches Montana’s first public occupational therapy program

MISSOULA — Kim McKearnan grew up in Great Falls and dreamed of becoming an occupational therapist. But the program wasn’t offered in Montana, so she wound up leaving Big Sky Country for over 20 years to pursue her calling.

Now she’s back home as founding director of the new Occupational Therapy Doctorate Program at the University of Montana. It’s the first such program in state history offered at a public institution of higher learning.

The new OTD program was approved to become a candidate for accreditation in April. It started accepting applications this summer, and the first occupational therapy students will start at UM in fall semester 2025.

“We’re planning to have 25 students in our first cohort,” McKearnan said. “We are starting a bit smaller as we fine-tune our processes and curriculum. Our intention is to grow to have 35 to 40 spots in the coming years.”

Occupational therapy is a wide-ranging career field that helps patients of all ages overcome challenges completing everyday tasks or activities.

Occupational therapists often work with patients with cognitive, physical, developmental or psychosocial disabilities. They work in hospitals, clinics, schools, homes, assisted-living or long-term care facilities, and a variety of other settings such as community centers or shelters

“OTDs can work with premature babies all the way up to older adults recovering from a stroke,” McKearnan said. “We literally care for people from birth to death.”

Montana has a significant need for more OTDs. According to state data from 2022, 12 Montana counties had no licensed occupational therapists. Data from 2023 said seven OT positions at Montana schools had gone unfilled or faced severely limited candidate pools.

The 2022 Montana Post-Secondary Workforce Report suggests 33 additional occupational therapy graduates will be needed annually through 2030.

To help address this need, the state’s Behavioral Health System for Future Generations Commission supported a $3.2 million investment to launch public OTD and physician associate programs at UM. (The first PA students will start on campus in fall 2026.)

“There is just an incredible need for occupational therapy services in Montana right now,” McKearnan said. “We’ve heard here in Missoula and across the state of wait lists for kids of six months or longer because there aren’t enough therapists to go around. That’s a period of development that you can’t get back, so you need to be able to get in and get those interventions. If you can’t get services, you don’t get to make up time in that really critical period.”

According to U.S. News and World Report, occupational therapists earn about $93,000 on average nationally. UM’s clinical doctorate program will take three years to complete, with the first graduates hitting the job market in 2028. It’s a graduate program, so applicants need to have earned a bachelor’s degree.

The OTD program also requires select prerequisite courses such as human anatomy and physiology, abnormal psychology and medical terminology. UM has readied pre-OTD advising for undergraduates to prep for the graduate program.

Speaking from her office UM’s Skaggs Building, McKearnan seems to revel in the challenge of launching a new UM graduate offering from scratch. OTD will be part of UM’s College of Health — specifically its School of Speech, Language, Hearing and Occupational Sciences.

OTD currently has two employees: McKearnan and Janna Smith, an assistant professor who serves as the new unit’s academic fieldwork coordinator. They expect to hire two to three additional OTD faculty members before next fall.

Smith, who also was forced to leave the state for her occupational therapy training, said Montana now has some OTD offerings from private colleges. However, UM intends to offer a more competitive price and take advantage of being nested among a larger university’s established programs.

“We are very fortunate to be situated in the College of Health, where we can do a lot of interprofessional education and clinical experiences,” Smith said. “We have the advantage of working with physical therapy, speech-language pathology, athletic training, social work, psychology and pharmacy. Working with those other departments is already planned as part of our curriculum.”

She said the first two years of the OTD program are largely in the classroom with shorter clinical experiences. After that, Smith will help arrange six months of supervised clinical experiences for students and then they will participate in a capstone experience.

These final capstones are tailored to the individual and could include everything from working at a neonatal intensive care unit to research or an advocacy project.

Historically, one could become an occupational therapist with a bachelor’s degree, and many programs later upgraded that requirement to a master’s. Now the industry standard is a clinical doctorate.

McKearnan said UM already offers an online pathway for working OTs wishing to upgrade their current degree to a doctorate.

“In school districts, you often can earn a wage increase by obtaining additional education or higher degrees,” she said. “You also might want the doctorate if you want to work in academia.”

McKearnan said it’s a competitive process to earn a spot in the University’s first OT class, and the tentative deadline is Nov. 1 to apply for one of the coveted 25 spots. She’s heard again and again from students who have waited years for such an opportunity.

One of those is Jennifer Malotte, a 2020 UM graduate in health and human performance, who works at Desmet Public School in Missoula.

“I heard that starting a UM Occupational Therapy program might happen back in 2020, and I’ve been working since then to get everything as ready as possible to apply,” she said. “I had considered moving or going out of state but decided to stay in Missoula when I realized they were going to start a program here.”

Malotte said she feels a calling to the profession.

“I see many kids who would benefit from occupational therapy – there is a big need for this profession,” she said. “I’ve talked with OTs, and they tell me about their high caseloads. I’ve always wanted to pursue a fulfilling career where I get to help people. I believe occupational therapy can truly improve a person’s quality of life, and I am looking forward to applying and hope it becomes my future career.”

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Montana

‘Hannah Montana’ fans question Starbucks drink. ‘She hates raspberry’.

Published

2 hours ago

March 24, 2026

Press Room

‘Hannah Montana’ fans question Starbucks drink. ‘She hates raspberry’.

Hannah Montana once sang that “Nobody’s Perfect,” a sentiment fans are echoing regarding Starbucks’ new drink honoring the fictional pop star ahead of her iconic Disney TV show’s 20th anniversary special.

Thought to be a drink that Hannah Montana would order at Starbucks, the coffee chain launched the Secret Popstar Refresher on March 23 as a celebration ahead of the “Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special”, set to be released on Disney+ on March 24. The drink consists of a grande Strawberry Acai Refresher with raspberry cold foam, two pumps of raspberry syrup and no strawberry inclusions – the dried strawberries typically in the refresher, according to the Starbucks app.

However, fans were quick to point out that the beloved TV show’s main character, Miley Stewart (Miley Cyrus), who lives a double life as teen pop star Hannah Montana, notoriously hates raspberries. Her disdain for raspberries was established in Season 1 of the show.

Stewart’s disgust is rooted in a childhood experience, during which she got sick after eating too much raspberry pie. Her hate for the fruit is exacerbated when Hannah Montana has to advertise a raspberry-scented perfume.

Now, fans of the show have taken to social media to speculate on Starbucks’ inclusion of raspberry.

Fans react to the raspberry Hannah Montana drink

Fans on social media quickly caught the raspberry reference after the drink’s launch on March 23, which many felt was an oversight by Starbucks, as they seemingly did not take Hannah Montana’s past into account.

Multiple comments on Starbucks’ Instagram post announcing the drink question the product’s flavor, including messages like “Why raspberry tho…didn’t Miley/Hannah hate raspberry,” “but she hates raspberry,” and “brooo there’s an episode in Hannah Montana (the perfume ad) where she doesn’t like raspberry!!!!”

The post’s caption appears to poke fun at the episode, reading: “For the fans who remember the raspberry saga, this one’s for you.”

Other comments under the post from Disney accounts also seem to acknowledge the raspberry inclusion as intentional, with the official Disney+ account commenting, “This completes the circle,” and the official Disney Channel account commenting, “the raspberry lore lives on!”

How to order a Hannah Montana drink at Starbucks

The Secret Popstar Refresher will be available for order through the Starbucks mobile app until April 5, according to a Starbucks statement obtained by USA TODAY.

The drink is a “secret menu exclusive,” meaning it is not on the official Starbucks menu in stores or drive-thru. Customers who know the recipe or use the Starbucks mobile app can order the refresher variation.

However, like any drink variation at the coffee chain, the refresher can be ordered at any time, as long as Starbucks has the required ingredients.

How to watch ‘Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special’?

The “Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special” became available to stream on Disney+ on March 24.

Reflecting on the past two decades, the special is an intimate sit-down interview with Miley Cyrus and “Call Her Daddy” podcast host Alex Cooper. The interview was filmed in front of a live audience in a recreation of the iconic Stewart ranch-style home.

Contributing: Greta Cross, USA TODAY

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Now a true pop star, Miley Cyrus returns to her ‘Hannah Montana’ roots to fete anniversary special

Published

14 hours ago

March 24, 2026

Press Room

Now a true pop star, Miley Cyrus returns to her ‘Hannah Montana’ roots to fete anniversary special

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Sporting that “Hannah Montana” blonde hair and bangs, Miley Cyrus went back to her roots — celebrating 20 years of the TV show that launched the career of a real-life pop star.

Cyrus reunited with cast members of “Hannah Montana” in Los Angeles Monday evening for the premiere of the “Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special.”

Cyrus told The Associated Press that the milestone has given her a chance to see the character and series from “a new perspective.” Cyrus, who began the Disney Channel show at age 13, played Miley Stewart, a tween and middle-schooler hiding her secret life as a famous pop singer.

“Getting to be on the outside now, getting to be grown and be a part of it in a way that I couldn’t when I was in the middle of it before, and all the chaos and the schedule and the performing of it all,” Cyrus said, “now it just gets to be a celebration. So it is a new perspective. I love that.”

The anniversary special, which started streaming Tuesday on Disney+ and Hulu, celebrates 20 years since the show’s premiere. Filmed in front of a live audience, it features music, archival footage and an interview with Cyrus — now 33 and a genuine pop star — conducted by podcast host Alex Cooper.

Addressing the audience at the premiere, Cyrus paid tribute both to fellow cast members and fans. “Without you all, this show would have never been what it is, and I love saying what it is, not what it was,” she said.

“Tonight isn’t about looking back into the past, but it’s about what it means to us still tonight,” she said.

Jason Earles, who played Miley’s brother Jackson, told the AP that watching the show now highlights how much time has passed.

“I think if you go back and you watch the episodes, there’s enough dated references like old flip phones and stuff that you go, ‘Oh no, no, this show was a little while ago,’” he said.

Cody Linley, who played Miley’s on-and-off boyfriend Jake Ryan, reflected on the impact of portraying a teen heartthrob.

“It’s hard to believe that there were girls that had pictures of me with my shirt off in their locker and they would have me sign it,” Linley said. “And it’s hard not to let it go to your head, because you have to remember that it’s an image that they are seeing. It’s not you.”

Also attending the premiere was country singer Lainey Wilson, who recalled working as a “Hannah Montana” impersonator early in her career.

“From 8th grade to 12th grade, five years of my life, I would open up the show as Lainey Wilson, I would run behind a tree and put on my ‘Hannah Montana’ get-up,” the singer said. “I did birthday parties, fairs, festivals … I was hitting the roads.”

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Montana

New report shows Montana sees small drop in nonfatal workplace injuries

Published

1 day ago

March 23, 2026

Press Room

New numbers from the Department of Labor and Industry show a slight improvement in workplace safety across Montana.

The data indicates 13,200 nonfatal injuries and illnesses were reported in 2024. This is down slightly from the year before where it was 13,600.

The overall injury rate held steady with retail, manufacturing, and transportation seeing the highest rates.

State leaders say the data helps identify risks and improve safety efforts statewide.

The department says it’s also expanding training programs and keeping workers safe.

The data will continue to guide safety improvements in the years ahead.

The followng press release was sent out by the The Montana Department of Labor & Industry (DLI):

DLI Releases Latest Statistics on Workplace Injuries and Illness in Montana

HELENA, Mont. — The Montana Department of Labor & Industry (DLI) released today the 2024 Montana Occupational Injuries and Illnesses Report, providing an overview of workplace injury and illness trends across the state’s private industry sector.

“This report provides valuable insight into where workplace injuries and illnesses are occurring in Montana and helps guide efforts to improve safety across industries,” said Sarah Swanson, Commissioner of Labor and Industry. “By understanding these trends, employers and workers can take steps to reduce risks and build safer workplaces. This helps fulfill our mission to ensure every worker goes home safe after every shift.”

Key Findings from the 2024 Report

In 2024, employees of Montana businesses reported 13,200 OSHA-recordable nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses, resulting in an overall incidence rate of 3.4 cases per 100 full-time workers.

The 2024 injury count decreased slightly from 13,600 cases in 2023, while the overall incidence rate remained unchanged.

Industries with higher 2024 incidence rates included retail trade (4.6), manufacturing (4.6), and transportation and warehousing (4.5).

Industries with lower incidence rates included mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction (1.6), utilities (1.2), and finance and insurance (0.5).

The report reflects data collected during the 2024 calendar year* through the Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), a nationwide program conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics in partnership with state agencies. Each year, a sample of Montana employers submits workplace injury and illness data through the survey.

Focus on Prevention and Training

In addition to tracking workplace injuries and illnesses, DLI promotes safety through training and education. The department offers workplace safety training, including OSHA 10-hour courses that help workers recognize hazards and improve jobsite safety. DLI also provides Labor Law Training and Education on topics such as wage and hour laws, prevailing wage requirements, and collective bargaining in the public sector.

Programs such as SafetyFestMT provide free safety training opportunities for workers and employers statewide. The department also supports professional development through the Workers’ Compensation Claims Examiner Certification program, which strengthens expertise in managing workplace injury claims.

Supporting Long-Term Safety Improvements

Montana has participated in the Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses for more than 30 years. The data helps track long-term workplace safety trends and support efforts to reduce job-related injuries and illnesses.

The next survey cycle will collect data for the 2025 reference year, with results expected to be released in 2026.

The full 2024 Montana Occupational Injuries and Illnesses Report is available here.

*Because the survey relies on detailed employer reporting and data analysis, results are released after the survey year to allow time for collection, verification, and analysis.

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