Near-Term Initiatives (NTIs) reflect common sense, actionable ideas to address largely known and worsening gaps in Montana’s behavioral health and developmental disabilities systems.

Governor Gianforte has approved 11 NTIs. The information for each NTI below is current as of February 2026. Unless otherwise indicated, contracts for most NTIs conclude in SFY27.

Upon Commission recommendation and approval by the Governor, DPHHS began implementing these NTIs in 2023 ahead of the completion of the Commission’s final report in 2024 (PDF).

The NTI’s were selected based on the following criteria, with goals of:

  1. Focusing on solving specific, largely unknown and worsening problems in the Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities systems.
  2. Deploying targeted funding to address those problems while identifying a path towards sustainability.
  3. Being achievable within the current resource constraints of DPHHS.
  4. Building upon existing DPHHS programs or infrastructure where and when possible.
  5. Considering a wide range of inputs, including responses to the Commission's RFIs.

Eleven initiatives were approved by Governor Gianforte:

Initiative #1 Milestones:
Approvals Date
Approved by Commission 10/13/23
Approved by Governor 12/19/23
Initiative #1 Funding:
Category Amount
Funding Level $7.5M
Amount Obligated $7.5M
Funding Spent to Date $497,470

A total of $7.5 million in state funds is available to incentivize community-based court-ordered evaluations (COEs) and stabilization services. The goal is to reduce the backlog of evaluations at the Montana State Hospital Forensic Mental Health Facility (also known as Galen). These services can be provided in various community settings, including jails, private offices, hospitals, or via telehealth.

Update as of June 2026: Since July 2024, DPHHS has paid for 169 community-based court-ordered evaluations (COEs) and related activities. These have been conducted in 23 Montana counties, with nine providers regularly performing the evaluations. The counties utilizing this service are among those with the highest need for fitness evaluations.

The Department has drafted an RFP for the Stabilization Services Pilot Grant Program, a $6.5 million initiative funded by HB 863. By expanding community-based stabilization services, the program aims to provide local care and divert individuals from the FMHF waitlist. These funds are available to Montana counties and municipalities ready to strengthen their local mental health infrastructure. The RFP is currently undergoing internal reviews prior to opening for bids, with an expected launch date in fall 2026.

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Background information

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

DPHHS has prepared a detailed summary (PDF) 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.

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.

Resources:

Initiative #2 Milestones:
Approvals Date
Approved by Commission 10/13/23
Approved by Governor 12/19/23
Amended Request Approved by Commission 6/20/24
Amended Request Approved by Governor 6/24/24
Initiative #2 Funding:
Category Amount
Funding Level $15.8M
Amount Obligated $15.7M
Funding Spent to Date $13,443,973

Grants of up to $15.8 million will be awarded to community living providers to increase residential bed capacity for people with serious mental health or developmental disabilities. The grants, which can be used for new facilities, upgrades, staffing, and startup costs, aim to stabilize and grow residential services statewide.

Update as of June 2026: Since Sept. 16, 2024, the Residential Bed Capacity Grant has disbursed nearly $13 million across more than 340 invoices. This funding has completed 81 projects in 18 counties, creating or reopening 206 beds and maintaining 479 others.

The Department projects this grant will support 990 beds statewide, including 241 new, 94 reopened, and 655 maintained. While funding was scheduled to sunset in March 2026, the Department has facilitated one-time, six-month extensions for providers to ensure full fund utilization and the successful completion of NTI goals.

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Initiative #3 Milestones:
Approvals Date
Approved by Commission 11/30/23
Approved by Governor 01/22/24
Initiative #3 Funding:
Category Amount
Funding Level $7.5M
Amount Obligated $7.5M
Funding Spent to Date $3,921,210

This initiative provides one-time grants to new and existing Mobile Crisis Response and Crisis Receiving and Stabilization providers. The goal is to sustain mobile crisis programs and increase statewide capacity for crisis receiving and stabilization services.

Mobile Crisis Response

Update as of June 2026: A total of $3.5 million has been awarded to support Mobile Crisis Response (MCR) programs, with funds expiring in June 2026. Connections, in partnership with Gallatin County, will receive a contract extension.

Operational Programs: Flathead, Gallatin, Lewis and Clark, and Missoula Counties have operational MCR programs currently utilizing the funds.

Crisis Receiving and Stabilization Services: Cascade, Flathead, Gallatin and Lewis and Clark Counties have received Crisis Receiving and Stabilization Services funding through the Crisis Diversion Grant (CDG). Carbon County did receive an award, but will be releasing their awarded funds. The three-year contracts support infrastructure for new or reopened crisis receiving and stabilization facilities, aiming to divert individuals from higher levels of care, such as the Montana State Hospital. 

Update as of June 2026:

  • Gallatin County: HRDC and Gallatin County have an agreement in place that HRDC will reserve space in their warming center facility for crisis receiving once renovations are complete and they have obtained a service provider.
  • Cascade County: Facility mitigation is currently underway. Once that is complete, renovations will begin with a tentative completion date of June 30, 2027.
  • Lewis and Clark County: Journey Home, operated by Many Rivers Whole Health, opened in May 2026.
  • Flathead County: Glacier House will open once AWARE has hired staff.

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Initiative #4 Milestones:
Approvals Date
Approved by Commission 12/01/23
Approved by Governor 01/22/24
Initiative #4 Funding:
Category Amount
Funding Level $500K
Amount Obligated $439K
Funding Spent to Date $343,555

For this initiative, DPHHS contracted with a vendor to create and host a Crisis Worker Certification Course. This course intends to train crisis service providers in key areas like suicidology, intervention strategies, and community resources. The vendor is currently working with DPHHS and crisis providers to develop the curriculum.

Update as of June 2026: DPHHS and the University of Montana (UM) have launched a comprehensive training course for behavioral health crisis workers, including 988 operators, mobile responders, and crisis facility staff. After a rigorous two-tier review by Department and field experts, the curriculum is officially active. The first cohort is currently completing the training, while DPHHS and UM continue to evaluate and improve the course.

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Initiative #5 Milestones:
Approvals Date
Approved by Commission 01/11/24
Approved by Governor 01/30/24
Initiative #5 Funding:
Category Amount
Funding Level $600K
Amount Obligated $572K
Funding Spent to Date $461,329

This initiative provides up to $350,000 to pilot a credentialing structure for Direct Support Professionals (DSP), creating career advancement opportunities to help stabilize the workforce. An additional $200,000 will be used to enhance training for health care professionals on how to support individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) by sponsoring 500 spots in an IDD Health care e-learning course.

Update as of June 2026: As of May 2026, 95 DSPs have been enrolled and 127 certifications have been issued, and 142 individuals enrolled in the e-learning course.

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Initiative #6 Milestones:
Approvals Date
Approved by Commission 04/23/23
Approved by Governor 06/12/24
Initiative #6 Funding:
Category Amount
Funding Level $700K
Amount Obligated $675K
Funding Spent to Date $461,329

This initiative awarded $700,000 in one-time grants to AWARE, Inc., Mental Health American of Montana, Montana Rescue Mission, and St. John’s United to create a family peer support pilot program. The goal is to give Montana families and caretakers access to a cost-effective support solution.

Update as of June 2026:  In the second year of their pilot, three existing family peer support sites continue to make an impact, serving 72 Montana families in the first quarter of this year alone. Because one grantee exited the program early, the remaining sites now have access to an additional grant opportunity that will run through May 2027.

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Initiative #7 Milestones:
Approvals Date
Approved by Commission 05/20/24
Approved by Governor 07/17/24
Initiative #7 Funding:
Category Amount
Funding Level $6.5M
Amount Obligated $6.5M
Funding Spent to Date $2,527,703

This initiative provides up to $6.5 million in one-time grants to Tribal nations and Urban Indian Health Organizations (UIHOs) to support and improve behavioral health services in Native American communities. The funding can be used for facility improvements, mobile crisis response teams, and transportation to culturally relevant behavioral health facilities.

Update as of June 2026: Each tribe and UIHO in Montana has been awarded approximately $500,000 in one-time grants to support and improve behavioral health services. All 13 awardees are implementing unique projects, such as building renovations, vehicle purchases, and client transportation. Ten of the 13 awardees have already invoiced the Department, with the remaining three expected to follow in the coming months. Three awardees have completed their projects, which have included renovations of behavioral health spaces, purchase of new spaces for behavioral health activities, and building cultural healing spaces. The grant funds, originally set to expire in June 2026, will have some agreements extended until April 2027 to give awardees more time to complete their funded projects. All awardees are on track to spend their full award by April 30, 2027.

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Initiative #8 Milestones:
Approvals Date
Approved by Commission 05/20/24
Approved by Governor 07/31/24
Initiative #8 Funding:
Category Amount
Funding Level $1M
Amount Obligated $316K
Funding Spent to Date $316K

This initiative allocated up to $1,000,000 for a statewide study to determine the necessary funding to supplement housing costs for low-income Montanans in the behavioral health system. DPHHS and the Department of Commerce partnered to complete the study, which collected data on current rental rates in order to secure critical funding from HUD for Montana housing vouchers. Econometrica, Inc. and M. Davis and Company, Inc. conducted the research. Completed on time and under budget, the study secured over $20 million in HUD funding for Montana housing vouchers, significantly supporting affordable housing efforts.

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Initiative #9 Milestones:
Approvals Date
Approved by Commission 05/20/24
Approved by Governor 08/16/24
Initiative #9 Funding:
Category Amount
Funding Level $400K

This initiative will provide up to $400,000 to combat the fentanyl and opioid crisis. The one-time funding will be used to install Wellness Kiosks statewide, dispensing life-saving resources like fentanyl testing strips and naloxone. These kiosks will be strategically placed in community-based programs, such as homeless assistance and drop-in centers, to ensure low-barrier access to these resources.

Update as of June 2026: The Department closed its RFP on March 5 for the statewide development and maintenance of Wellness Kiosks. Details on the awarded vendor and contract will be announced in the coming months.

Initiative #10 Milestones:
Approvals Date
Approved by Commission 05/20/24
Approved by Governor 09/19/24
Initiative #10 Funding:
Category Amount
Funding Level $4M
Amount Obligated $4M
Funding Spent to Date  $1,864,121

In January 2025, the University of Montana (UM) and Carroll College were awarded $4 million to help launch new medical programs.

Update as of June 2026: To address Montana's critical health care shortages, UM and Carroll College are launching new Physician Assistant (PA) and Occupational Therapy (OT) programs. Supported by $3.5 million, UM is remodeling facilities and hiring staff to produce 25 PA and 30 OT graduates annually starting in 2028. Concurrently, Carroll College is finalizing its PA curriculum and securing rural clinical rotations for an anticipated 34 students in May 2028. Both institutions are making steady progress toward adding dozens of essential professionals to the state's workforce.

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Initiative #11 Milestones:
Approvals Date
Approved by Commission 06/28/24
Approved by Governor 09/26/24
Initiative #11 Funding:
Category Amount
Funding Level $2.5M
Amount Obligated $2.5M
Funding Spent to Date $1,066,962

The program awarded 10 two-year grants of up to $250,000 to rural and frontier Montana communities to expand behavioral health support across two tracks:

  • System-Level Innovation: Seven awardees (the Chippewa Cree Tribe, and Teton, Dawson, Pondera, Beaverhead, Jefferson, and Richland counties) are partnering with the Montana Public Health Institute. They are using specialized public health toolkits to guide system changes and support dedicated local change leaders.
  • Local-Based Community Health Workers (CHWs): Three awardees (the Little Shell Chippewa Tribe, and Garfield and Fallon counties) are partnering with Catalyst for Change. This partnership provides the training, clinical supervision, and telehealth access necessary for newly hired CHWs to effectively respond to crises and connect residents to care.

Update as of June 2026: Implementation is actively underway, with communities completing assessments, strategic planning, and stakeholder engagement while collaborating regularly with the Department and partners. All System-Level Innovation awardees have successfully hired Dedicated Change Leaders, and two of the three CHW track awardees now have active Community Health Workers providing behavioral health services.

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