Big Sky Times

Governor Greg Gianforte has received the final report from the Behavioral Health System for Future Generations (BHSFG) Commission, which contains recommendations to reform and improve Montana's behavioral health (BH) and developmental disabilities (DD) services systems.

"I commend the BHSFG Commission for their diligence over the past year and a half to develop and bring forward a thoughtful plan that is making immediate impacts and providing a clear vision for a path forward," said Governor Gianforte. "This is truly a historic day, and I congratulate all those who helped make it a reality."

Last year, Governor Gianforte signed House Bill 872 into law, sponsored by Rep. Bob Keenan, R-Bigfork. The bill established the BHSFG Commission and allocated $300 million to reform Montana’s BH and DD services systems.

Over 14 months, the Commission held 12 public meetings in various cities including Missoula, Kalispell, Billings, Havre, Helena, and Great Falls. These meetings were aimed at making recommendations for immediate investments of the allocated funding. So far, Governor Gianforte has approved 11 Near-Term Initiatives (NTIs) recommended by the Commission that target specific community needs.

During a meeting at the State Capitol, members of the Commission presented Governor Gianforte with 22 recommendations for long-term investments to improve Montana’s BH and DD services. These recommendations cover every aspect of care continuums and incorporate input from diverse stakeholders.

Some key recommendations aim to enhance case management and care coordination, expand service offerings across the continuum to better serve Montanans' needs, and improve recruitment and retention of healthcare workers. Other proposals include expanding access points to support families better, modernizing funding mechanisms to improve care while supporting providers, and aligning services with individuals' developmental disabilities needs.

The Commission highlighted one BH recommendation that would enhance targeted case management to facilitate successful transitions from higher levels of care to home-based settings. Another recommendation focuses on investing in school-based behavioral health initiatives including universal screening in schools to identify at-risk youth.

Rep. Keenan stated that serving on the Commission was an opportunity to make a significant difference in Montanans' lives: "We’ve waited a long time for this moment... There is more work to be done but now we have the blueprint for a path forward."

DPHHS Director Charlie Brereton expressed gratitude towards commission members: "DPHHS remains fully committed... No such roadmap has ever existed for Montana." He also emphasized discussions with legislators during the 2025 legislative session on securing sustainable funding for these foundational recommendations.

As part of Governor Gianforte's Budget for Montana Families initiative, this investment aims to expand intensive community-based BH and DD services across Montana.

A livestream of the meeting can be viewed on Facebook. More information about the Commission is available on its Future Generations Page.