Community-Based Court-Ordered Evaluations and Stabilization Near-Term Initiative

COE NTI Process Overview Notification Form Attestation Form Provider List

The Community-Based Court-Ordered Evaluations and Stabilization Near-Term Initiative (NTI) launched on March 8, 2024 after receiving approval from Governor Greg Gianforte and the Behavioral Health System for Future Generations Commission (BHSFG).

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).

DPHHS has prepared a detailed summary that outlines the new process from the time a judge issues a COE to be conducted in the community to when a provider submits a claim for reimbursement.

Under this process, a County Attorney may request that a judge specify that a COE be completed locally. A court official will notify the County Attorney when an order granting their request for a community-based COE has been issued. The County Attorney’s office will then complete an online notification form apprising DPHHS of the court-ordered evaluation.

This notification form will allow the County Attorney’s office to select from a list of providers currently performing these services. This notification form also captures all the information that DPHHS will later need to ensure that the provider selected by the County Attorney’s office is compensated for conducting the COE.

These community-based COEs can occur in jails, the provider’s office, in private hospitals, other community-settings, or via telehealth. The County Attorney will complete an online attestation form once the COE is completed that allows the provider to bill DPHHS.

The services required to restore a defendant can vary significantly in scope. While many of these services require commitment to the FMHF, some reimbursable community-based stabilization and restoration services may be utilized in non-FMHF settings if the specific nature of a defendant’s needs can be met in the community.

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Need More Information?

Please contact DPHHS Project Specialist Brett Carter at brett.carter2@mt.gov or (406) 439-7526.