Major Provider Will End Mental Health Services in Lewis and Clark County

Western Montana Mental Health Center, a Missoula headquartered nonprofit, told county leaders on November 18 that it plans to end direct services in Lewis and Clark County after recent decisions by county officials changed the structure and scope of services. The provider said it had been invited into the county about five years ago and that a narrower contracting scope led Western leaders to conclude they could not fully execute their mission locally.

The decision affects several programs residents rely on. Western staff work inside the county detention center as behavioral health specialists. The organization also operates a crisis response team that provides mental health assistance intended to prevent 911 responses and other emergency situations from escalating. In addition, Western ran the Our Place drop in center and the Journey Home crisis stabilization unit. County officials said the crisis response team contract will expire at the end of December. The Journey Home agreement had already expired and the Our Place agreement runs through June 30.

County leaders had informed Western that they intended to hire behavioral health staff for the detention center directly rather than continuing to contract for those positions. The county also issued a request for proposals for the crisis response team contract. Western chose not to bid on the request for proposals and then reevaluated its entire operation in Lewis and Clark County, officials said.

The change will affect roughly 22 Western employees currently working in the county. Western and county leaders said they are working to find other positions for some staff either within the organization or with other local providers. County officials and Western also said they are coordinating with additional providers to maintain continuity of services during the transition.

For residents, the shift could mean changes in how and by whom crisis response and jail based behavioral health care are delivered. The crisis response team has been part of efforts to divert mental health emergencies away from law enforcement and emergency rooms. County leaders plan to reissue the request for proposals with a longer response period and to post job descriptions for the behavioral health positions the county will hire directly.

The timeline leaves a limited window to secure replacement providers and to staff newly county employed positions before some contracts end at year end. County officials and providers must balance continuity of care with the administrative work of contracting and hiring. Local health and criminal justice partners will be watching the transition closely, since gaps in crisis response or stabilization services could increase pressure on emergency services and the detention center.

Residents who rely on the Our Place drop in center or crisis stabilization services should monitor county announcements in the coming weeks for information about service continuity and any new providers that will take over operations.