Independent Record, Helena, Mont.
HELENA, Mont. — Lewis and Clark County Public Health is joining with St. Peter’s Health and the Helena Police Department to increase behavioral health and crisis intervention services through the Mobile Crisis Response Team Community Coalition and recently received a $549,976 from the Bureau of Justice Assistance.
One key goal is to expand response to northern areas of Lewis and Clark County and collaborate with and plan for how to expand into neighboring Jefferson and Broadwater counties in a sustainable way, organizers said in a news release.
Other coalition members include the Lewis and Clark County Sheriff’s Office, Helena and East Helena public schools, Many Rivers Whole Health, 911 Dispatch Office and agencies from Jefferson and Broadwater counties.
The coalition said a coordinated mobile crisis response is a best practice in rural Montana, aiding law enforcement and behavioral health professionals in reducing emergency room visits, diverting people from detention centers and jails, reducing trauma for those already in crisis, and ensuring the safety of both police officers and citizens.
“Communities in our neighboring counties have a well-known shortage of behavioral health crisis and continuum of care services and workforce,” said Kari Koehler, chief nursing officer at St. Peter’s Health.
Though LCPH is the grant applicant and funding recipient, St. Peter’s Health has been selected to contract with LCPH over the next three years to receive funding allocations totaling over $477,000 for MCRT planning, data collection and program implementation.
“Expanding mobile crisis response services means increased safety for individuals, for law enforcement officers, and for our community at-large,” Chief of Police Brett Petty said. “Everybody wins.”
Since its inception in late 2022, St. Peter’s Health behavioral health professionals and local law enforcement have teamed together to provide mobile crisis support for over 775 people experiencing a mental health crisis in their homes, at school, in shelters, in businesses, and on the street. As a result, over 600 emergency room visits were averted and over 500 incarcerations were not required.
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