January 30, 2007

State Gets Grant to Provide Alternative Treatment
for Children with Serious Emotional Disturbances

Montana is one of only 10 states to receive a federal grant aimed at helping children with serious mental illness to get treatment in their homes and communities, rather than in residential treatment centers.

The state Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) will get $644,000 in the first year of the five-year grant, according to Mary Dalton, administrator of the Health Resources Division of DPHHS. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services awarded a total of $218 million to 10 state Medicaid programs.

“This grant is an important step forward for children’s mental health,” Dalton said. “We look forward to working with families to develop a more compassionate and family-oriented approach to meeting the needs of these troubled kids.”

The grant will enable the department to develop a comprehensive package of services for Medicaid-eligible youth who, with the proper support, could remain in their own homes and communities while receiving treatment. These services may include expanded respite care, family education, and 24-hour crisis intervention.

The Children’s Mental Health Bureau of DPHHS will implement the grant in Yellowstone County in the first year, with a goal of serving about 20 children. In the next four years, the department will expand the program to serve children and families in other counties.

Page last updated: 01/30/2007