FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: March 19 2024
Contact: Jon Ebelt, Communications Director, DPHHS, (406) 444-0936, (406) 461-3757
jebelt@mt.gov
Governor Gianforte, DPHHS Host Event to Celebrate Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month
HELENA - Governor Greg Gianforte, Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) Director Charlie Brereton, Montana Statewide Independent Living Council advocate June Hermanson, Representative Bob Keenan, community member Kat McCormick, and several key stakeholders gathered Tuesday to celebrate Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month at the Capitol Rotunda.
“Montanans with intellectual and developmental disabilities are a key part of our communities,” Governor Gianforte said. “Over the past few years, we've made historic investments to support individuals with disabilities. While we continue to find new ways to support them, we should also recognize and celebrate the progress we've made.”
Dir. Brereton said this is a time to bring awareness to developmental disabilities and to showcase achievements.
“Our administration is making historic, systemic changes to the service delivery system in order to better support and serve Montanans with developmental disabilities,” Dir. Brereton said.
Of note, Dir. Brereton lauded the work of the BHSFG Commission to create both the long-term strategic plans that are being developed with stakeholder input, as well as the Near-Term Initiatives that are intended to improve access and quality to services right now. This includes both the Residential Grant program to increase residential bed capacity for behavioral health and/or developmental disability providers and funding to strengthen the Direct Support Professional workforce.
In addition, the Alternative Settings initiative has included a group of stakeholders to help inform recommendations that will be made to the BHSFG commission and will focus on alternative delivery methods to improve community-based services to reduce reliance on state institutional settings.
Additional efforts are underway to support individuals with developmental disabilities in the community, to include work stemming from HB 952 and HB 922. HB 952, sponsored by Representative Courtenay Sprunger, supports public/private partnerships that are focused on developing places for individuals with autism to live and receive services instead of having to seek those services out-of-state. DPHHS expects to begin awarding these grants this spring.
HB 922 is an important piece of legislation that directs DPHHS to develop a statewide Olmstead plan. This work will kick off next month.
The governor also signed a proclamation declaring the month of March to be Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month.