Approved BHSFG Commission Initiatives
Court-Ordered Evaluations and Stabilization Documents
COE NTI Process Overview Notification Form Attestation Form MMIS Enrollment Summary Billing Summary Provider List
Near-Term Initiatives (NTIs) reflect common sense, actionable ideas to address largely known and worsening gaps in Montana’s behavioral health and developmental disabilities systems. Upon Commission recommendation and approval by the Governor, DPHHS can begin implementing these NTIs now while the Commission continues development of its final report.
Near-Term Initiatives (NTIs) Selection Criteria
- Focus on solving specific, largely unknown and worsening problems in the Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities systems.
- Deploy targeted funding to address those problems while identifying a path towards sustainability.
- Be achievable within the current resource constraints of DPHHS.
- Build upon existing DPHHS programs or infrastructure where and when possible.
- Consider a wide range of inputs, including responses to the Commission's RFIs.
Five initiatives have been approved by Governor Gianforte to date:
| Date Approved by Commission | 10/13/23 |
| Date Approved by Governor | 12/19/23 |
| Funding Level | $7.5M |
Community-Based Court-Ordered Evaluation and Stabilization Near-Term Initiative Documents
A total of $7.5 million in state funds is now available to incentivize community-based COEs and stabilization and restoration services to address a longstanding backlog in evaluations at the Montana State Hospital Forensic Mental Health Facility (FMHF, also known as Galen). These community-based COEs can occur in jails, the provider’s office, in private hospitals, other community-settings, or via telehealth.
- Recommendation for Grants to Incentivize Community-Based Court Ordered Evaluations (mt.gov)
- Governor Gianforte Invests $17.5 Million To Boost Community-Based Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities Care (mt.gov)
- DPHHS Launches $7.5M Program to Address Court-Ordered Forensic Fitness Evaluation Backlog
| Date Approved by Commission | 10/13/23 |
| Date Approved by Governor | 12/19/23 |
| Funding Level | $10M |
BHSFG Grant Proposal Submissions
This initiative will provide up to $10 million to increase residential bed capacity. Funding will be used to provide one-time grants to congregate community living providers who primarily serve individuals with a serious mental health or developmental disability diagnosis. The goal of the grants is to stabilize or increase residential service provision as needed across the state and build sustainable capacity. Allowable uses of the grant funds include the cost of new facility purchase/build, existing facility upgrades/maintenance, hiring and training staff, and revenue supplementation due to low volume/lack of economies of scale through startup.
| Date Approved by Commission | 11/30/23 |
| Date Approved by Governor | 01/22/24 |
| Funding Level | $7.5M |
This initiative will provide one-time grants to existing Mobile Crisis Response and new Crisis Receiving and Stabilization providers. The goal of the funding is to stabilize and sustain Mobile Crisis Response programs and increase Crisis Receiving Stabilization service capacity across Montana.
| Date Approved by Commission | 12/01/23 |
| Date Approved by Governor | 01/22/24 |
| Funding Level | $500k |
This initiative calls on DPHHS to contract with a vendor experienced in curriculum development to develop and host a Crisis Worker Certification Course that will be available for providers delivering crisis services. The certification course will ensure trainees understand specific knowledge areas such as basic suicidology, intervention strategies, and community resources. The selected vendor will collaborate with crisis provider stakeholders and DPHHS throughout the project term.
| Date Approved by Commission | 01/11/24 |
| Date Approved by Governor | 01/30/24 |
| Funding Level | $600k |
DD Workforce Capacity Grant Submissions
The initiative will provide up to $350,000 to pilot a Direct Support Professionals (DSP) credentialing structure to test best practice approaches to stabilizing the DSP workforce by establishing career ladders. Additionally, $200,000 of funding is allocated through this NTI to enhance training opportunities for healthcare professionals to support individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) seeking medical and behavioral healthcare by sponsoring 500 “seats” in the Curriculum in IDD Healthcare eLearn course.