2025 Big Sky GeoCon - Mapping the Future: Innovations in Geospatial Technology

In fall 2024 Brian applied for, and was offered a grant by the Children's Environmental Health Initiative to participate in a training called the "Advanced GIS Training". As part of that award, CEHI asked awardees to produce a series of maps to address chronic disease priorities in their respective agencies. Brian met with staff about what maps could be created. He decided to look at CR access for American Indian / Alaska Native populations in Montana. Brian created a map series that looks at drive time access compared to an indigenous population density surface using a method called kernel density. 

Montana is the fourth largest state by area with nearly half of its population living in rural areas. These residents often face challenges in accessing childcare services and a recent survey revealed that this drawback impacts their workforce participation.

Using data from public datasets and geostatistical techniques, we assessed the relationship between population density, land use, and authorized licensed childcare in Montana. This methodology identified areas with service deficiencies and provided a comprehensive understanding of the spatial distribution of these parameters. This finding is critical for optimizing the allocation of services and overcoming these childcare capacity deficiencies impacting rural populations.