Thursday, the Montana Legislature will hear abill funding new and expanded intervention for mental health crises. Republican Representative Ron Ehli of Hamilton is carrying the bill, and has spent some time working with the subject.
He not only heads the committee hearing hundreds of pleas for continued funding for mental health programs, but also studied these issues months before the session. He says this session, he hopes to give more aid to community-based services.
“My objective is to move that pendulum more towards the continuum of care, more towards community-based care. For the people of Montana, the communities of Montana, that’s where the people are crying for help more than anything.”
Opposition is expected from those who want more funding for institutions like Montana State Hospital’s nursing center rather than community care programs.