Montana Nonprofits Supportive of State’s Recommendations to Behavioral Health Commission
The commission met to give and hear feedback on proposed recommendations presented by the state health department on improving behavioral health case management, expanding services and workforce recruitment and retention
By Nicole Girten, Daily Montanan
Montana behavioral health nonprofits largely supported recommendations presented Tuesday to the state’s behavioral health commission, which is advising the governor on how to spend $300 million allocated to bolster mental health resources in the state.
Gov. Greg Gianforte has already approved some allocations of the funds like $7.5 million for providers to conduct court-ordered forensic fitness exams to address the backlog in the state, as well as $600,000 in grants for certification and training for professionals working with Montanans with intellectual and developmental disabilities, among other initiatives.
The commission met to give and hear feedback on proposed recommendations presented by the state health department on improving behavioral health case management, expanding services and workforce recruitment and retention. Recommendations also include expanding access to services for the developmentally disabled, for a total of 21 proposed suggestions.
One of the outstanding questions, however, is how to pay for long-term costs associated with keeping the suggested programs going.
Gianforte signed House Bill 872 into law last year, establishing the Behavioral Health System for Future Generations commission made up of legislators from both parties, bill sponsor Rep. Bob Keenan, R- Bigfork, and three Gianforte appointments, including Department of Public Health and Human Services Director Charlie Brereton.
Keenan opened the meeting Tuesday emphasizing the “Future Generations” part of the committee’s name.
“We’re not going to fix everything here today,” Keenan said. “But we’re going to do the best we can.”
The commission has held meetings across the state for months, hearing from stakeholders including nonprofits and advocates, which informed the recommendations. The commission also included input from the state health department and consulting firm Guidehouse, which drafted a report on alternative settings for mental health care outside state run facilities.
Behavioral health care has been a significant concern in Montana as the Montana State Hospital lost federal funding, vacancies persisted, and demand for care has overwhelmed the state.
This story originally appeared in the The Daily Montanan, which can be found online at dailymontanan.com.