HELENA — Leaders of shelters across Montana say the demand for their services is higher than ever, which also shows the need for behavioral health services.
The state's Behavioral Health System for Future Generations Commission has been holding meetings across Montana since last summer as leaders invest millions of dollars in state funds to strengthen these services. We are considering methods. At a meeting in Havre on Thursday, they assembled a panel of shelter directors and staff to discuss how their approach to homelessness relates to these issues.
Leaders said demand for shelter services has skyrocketed dramatically, especially in recent years.
“These percentage increases are unprecedented,” said Chris Krager, executive director of Samaritan House in Kalispell.
The Montana Homelessness Coalition, which includes shelters, health care providers and faith leaders, shared data showing the spike. They say the number of people needing shelter in Kalispell, Butte, Helena, Great Falls and Bozeman increased by 46% to 218% from 2020 to 2022.
Sam Forstag, who heads the coalition, said at least 30% of the people the shelter serves report mental health or substance use issues. But data on homelessness is far from perfect and doesn't tell the whole story, he said. He said those who conducted the survey found that many people who did not report grappling with these issues also reported behaviors that suggested they were grappling with them. Stated.
“I think any shelter provider will tell you that the 30 percent who experience mental illness or substance use disorder is almost certainly an undercount,” Forstag said.
Some shelters say they are working to connect responders with case managers, peer support workers and other professionals to ensure they get the support and resources they need to stabilize their situations. . But in many cases, they are already under a lot of pressure.
Vanessa Bond, president of the Montana Rescue Mission in Billings, said she first came to the mission after becoming homeless in 2021. Although she had benefited from the services they provided, she said it was not easy for her to access them.
“There were over 100 people in the shelter and only one therapist, case manager, and peer support specialist, so it took two weeks after I arrived to get connected to these services, and another two weeks after that. “We were only able to meet every single day because of the high demand for our services,” she said.
The commission is tasked with making recommendations on how to spend $225 million set aside by the Montana Legislature in 2023 to support behavioral health services.
Forstag recommended that the coalition invest $9.5 million over three years to support the hiring of more than 30 case managers, peer support workers, housing support specialists and mental health clinicians. said that he had done so. This funding will also support the space needed to provide these services in shelters and centrally managed locations.
“To meet people where they are and make sure someone gets that kind of service, we don't tell them to wait a few weeks and buy a bus ticket or arrange transportation. “We don't have to do that,” Forstag said.
The goal is to use the funds to address start-up costs, training, and other initial needs, and then to enable the program to continue into the future, especially as it is expected to become eligible for Medicaid reimbursement in the near future. It's about being prepared. Forstag said the proposal is still in its early stages.
The committee will meet for a second day in Havre on Friday. They will hear from a panel discussing workforce planning and consider possible initiatives for children's mental health and carers.
