Montana VA Peer Support Event
Join Montana VA’s Peer Support team on Thursday, May 27th from 5:30-6:15 p.m. to hear stories of mental health challenges and successes from veterans.
Veterans will present their stories of strength and recovery at this live stream event. Hear more about ways to connect to local mental health resources and ask questions
Veterans can join the event by:
(1) Calling in at 1-872-701-0185 and entering 611906822#
(2) Or by livestreaming the event on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/VAMontana/live
Housing News, Both Happy and Sad
There were two articles this past week about housing for people with mental illness in the state. We are delighted about one of the announcements and saddened by the other.
Reliable housing is a critical part of securing recovery from mental health conditions. We are working with stakeholders in both cases are hopeful that we’ll have more good news to announce about housing in the future.
Center for Mental Health opens new group home in Helena
By: Alexie Aguayo for KTVH
HELENA — After three years of planning and building, the Center for Mental Health has officially opened their newest mental health group home in Helena.
Staff and the Helena Chamber of Commerce celebrated the opening of the Sleeping Giant Group Home, a new facility to help individuals that may be suffering from mental health issues or recovering and need a place to stay to fully get back on their feet.
Read the full article at this link.
Mental health clinic plans to sell affordable apartments
By: Associated Press
MISSOULA, Mont. — The Western Montana Mental Health Center is selling two apartment buildings in Missoula that provide affordable housing for people living with mental illness or whose only income is disability payments.
The center’s top executive says the center needs to focus on clinical programs instead of managing real estate.
The center’s former housing and development director told the Missoulian newspaper that construction of the 20-unit apartment building was paid for mostly with grant money and that a four-unit building was built with a low-interest loan from the Montana Board of Housing.
The grant requirements that the buildings be rented to low-income residents have lapsed.
Read the full article here.
Rimrock Foundation opens new mental health center in Billings
By: Mitch Lagge for Q2Billings
BILLINGS — Staff with the Rimrock Foundation cut the ribbon on a new location for its community mental health services clinic at 1601 Lewis Ave. in Billings Tuesday.
“We’ve been space sparse for a long time, and we knew we had to expand to provide the services this community demands of us,” said Lenette Kosovich, Rimrock CEO to a small crowd at the ribbon-cutting.
The new clinic will be home to seven counselors who will offer individual counseling, group counseling, family counseling, parent/child interaction therapy and dialectical behavioral therapy. The clinic will be open to all needing mental health services.
Read the full article at this link.
Advocacy Opportunity: Ask the Board of Regents to Expand Clinical Psychology Education Opportunities in the State
The Montana Board of Regents is meeting this week. Advocating for this group is a great way to improve Montana’s mental health treatment system by expanding our mental health workforce.
Please consider sending them a public comment email message at aunsworth@montana.edu to ask them to transition the Montana State University Psychology PhD program into a Clinical Psychology PhD program.
This would be a great opportunity to potentially double the number of clinical psychologists being trained by MUS with little to no additional investment in staff. While arguably this move would be duplicative, this is an incredible shortage of psychologists in Montana.
We deeply need clinical psychology degree programs at both the University of Montana and Montana State University.
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Thank you and have a wonderful Memorial Day.
Please take some time to remember those who servicemembers and their families who have given the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.
Sincerely,
Matt Kuntz
Executive Director
NAMI Montana
