HELENA, MT – Governor Greg Gianforte on Sep 30th, received the Behavioral Health System for Future Generations (BHSFG) Commission’s final report with recommendations to reform and improve Montana’s behavioral health (BH) and developmental disabilities (DD) services systems.

“I commend the BHSFG Commission for their diligence over the past year and a half to develop and bring forward a thoughtful plan that is making immediate impacts and providing a clear vision for a path forward,” Gov. Gianforte said. “This is truly a historic day, and I congratulate all those who helped make it a reality.”

Last year, Gov. Gianforte signed into law House Bill 872, sponsored by Rep. Bob Keenan, R-Bigfork, to establish the BHSFG Commission and make a $300 million generational investment to reform and improve Montana’s BH and DD services systems.

Over the last 14 months, the Commission held 12 public meetings in Missoula, Kalispell, Billings, Havre, Helena, and Great Falls, to make recommendations to the governor for immediate investments of the allocated funding.

To date, the governor has approved 11 Near-Term Initiatives (NTIs) as recommended by the Commission that target specific community needs and are in various stages of implementation.

During a meeting at the State Capitol, members of the Commission presented the governor with 22 recommendations for long-term investments to improve Montana’s BH and DD services.

The 22 recommendations cover every aspect of the BH and DD continuums of care, address the Commission’s stated priorities, incorporate input from a diverse range of stakeholders, and serve every population.

Some of the presented recommendations aim to improve case management and care coordination, expand the number and kinds of services offered across the continuum to better serve the needs of Montanans, and improve recruitment and retention of the health care workforce.

Other recommendations promote expanding access points to the service system to better support families, modernizing the funding of services to improve care while also supporting service providers, and expanding services available to better align with the needs of individuals with developmental disabilities.

During its presentation to the governor, the Commission highlighted a BH recommendation that would enhance targeted case management to bring forward the state’s long-term vision of care coordination, case management, and discharge planning to successfully transition individuals with BH and DD needs from higher levels of care to home and community-based settings.

Another BH recommendation would invest in school-based behavioral health initiatives, including additional support to schools for the expansion of universal screening to identify at-risk youth. This screening, combined with access and referral services, can improve youth mental health and reduce adverse outcomes.

Rep. Keenan, the BHSFG Commission Chair, said serving on the Commission has been a unique opportunity to truly make a difference in the lives of Montanans.

“We’ve waited a long time for this moment to create a plan that is already making a difference and will lay a strong foundation for the future to ensure every Montanan has access to, and benefits from, the care they need,” Rep. Keenan said. “There is more work to be done, but now we have the blueprint for a path forward, and that is exciting.”

“I want to thank all Commission members for their passion and expertise over the past year and a half,” DPHHS Director Charlie Brereton said. “DPHHS remains fully committed to further advancing and supporting approved NTIs, and we look forward to discussions with legislators during the 2025 legislative session on how best to secure long-term, sustainable funding for the foundational recommendations discussed with Governor Gianforte on Sep 30, 2024. No such roadmap has ever existed for Montana, and in many ways, we’re just getting started.”

As a central component of the governor’s Budget for Montana Families, this historic investment will expand intensive and community-based BH and DD services across Montana.

A livestream of the meeting may be viewed here, and more information on the Commission can be found here.