Behavioral Health System for Future Generations
Governor Greg Gianforte signed House Bill 872 into law on May 22, 2023, providing a generational investment to reform and improve Montana’s behavioral health and developmental disabilities service systems. A central component of the governor’s Budget for Montana Families, the $300 million investment will expand intensive and community-based behavioral health care and developmental disabilities services across Montana.
https://dphhs.mt.gov/FutureGenerations/Index
BHAM’s Request for Information can be read here.
Here are the general talking points for when you or board members are communicating with Commission members or legislators. Use any of these that are applicable to your organization and expand on them with specifics for your particular population:
– If the Commission’s goal is to create a continuum of care for future generations, they must address both the current behavioral health crisis and create prevention and early intervention programs that will allow future generations to get treatment before reaching a crisis.
– Increasing care coordination, targeted case management, home support services for at-risk families, and school-based and community-based programs will keep kids and adults out of more expensive acute care facilities.
– Building additional institutions is not cost-effective or quality treatment for people who can be treated in their communities, close to family and friends.
– The cost of prevention and early intervention programs is considerably lower than waiting until someone is in the court system, detention facility, or Montana State Hospital.
– Law enforcement should not have to shoulder the burden of treating behavioral health patients in the rural communities and community-based programs need to be expanded in the rural communities to be available to assist law enforcement.
– Reducing the administrative burden on providers by getting rid of redundant paperwork, pre-authorizations when possible, and bureaucratic rules allows providers to spend more time treating people.
– Medicaid Redetermination is an example of what will happen in Montana if Medicaid Expansion sunsets.
For more information and to request to speak at any of the meetings:
Contact:
Brett Carter
brett.carter2@mt.gov