With a significant grant to Stillwater Therapeutic Services in Kalispell, Gov. Steve Bullock and the Montana Legislature took a stand for youth mental health services.

Splitting $1 million among five Montana communities, the state government hoped to start (or continue) several pilot programs to divert youths with mental health emergencies away from emergency rooms or hospitals far from home.

Sheila Smith, executive director of Stillwater Therapeutic Services, said the $200,000 from the state’s general fund was a serious investment in Montana’s youth.

“We’ll get these kids to someone right away,” Smith said. “Within 24 hours. Now, sometimes they will have to wait for a week just to get an appointment and parents can’t handle that when your child is out of control.”

The state funding will provide immediate services for children in Flathead County, including a crisis coordinator and crisis care planning meant to keep children in their home counties as close to family as possible.

“When a child has a mental health emergency in Kalispell, they will end up in the emergency room and then, if they are over 12, in Pathways. If they are younger they will be flown to Shodair Children’s Hospital in Helena,” Smith said.

The collaborative applicants for the grant make up just about every organization in the Flathead invested in child mental health, including Stillwater, Western Montana Mental Health Center, Kalispell Regional Healthcare, Flathead Youth Home, Youth Dynamics, Intermountain, Aware Inc., Community Health Center, Flathead City-County Health Department, Youth Court and Montana SOARS.

“We were the lead agency, but we have a huge group of people who wanted this to go through,” Smith said. “We all wanted help so kids don’t have to leave their communities.”

Before these pilot programs, the only places qualified to deal with youth mental health emergencies in the state were in Helena, Butte and Billings.

Montana Rep. Carolyn Pease-Lopez wrote House Bill 47 that provided money to expand youth mental health services. It passed with massive support in the state House and Senate.

“That bipartisanship was a huge deal,” Smith said. “No matter their party, the legislators knew they were getting a good deal. We got a ton of support from our local legislators.”

Gov. Bullock said that the Montana investments in mental health were a step in the right direction.

“Too many Montana children don’t have the access to the mental health services they need to be safe,” he said. “Montana must continue strengthening programs that keep Montana kids closer to their families who can support them in their time of need.”

Other facilities receiving the $200,000 grants are the Center for Mental Health in Great Falls, Youth Homes in Helena and Missoula and Montana Community Services in Billings.

Smith said the recipients in two years will have to demonstrate to the Legislature the effectiveness of the pilot programs. She said that was a small price to pay for the support.

“It’s really exciting for me,” Smith said. “It’s such a missing piece in the children’s mental health arena. The beauty of this is it is from the general fund and not Medicaid dollars. Mental health emergencies don’t come from just one demographic.”

Stillwater Therapeutic Services hopes to get the pilot program running as soon as mid-October.

Reporter Ryan Murray may be reached at 758-4436 or by email at rmurray@dailyinterlake.com.