Grants awarded to four Montana providers

HELENA, MT. – Governor Greg Gianforte on Mar 10th, announced a $700,000 investment to expand peer support services in Montana, specifically for families and caregivers of youth with serious emotional disturbance (SED).

“This investment addresses specific needs for Montana families who are raising a child with behavioral health challenges,” Gov. Gianforte said. “Families have expressed the importance of family peer support, and how it can make a difference in their lives.”

As recommended by the Behavioral Health System for Future Generations (BHSFG) Commission, the investment represents the next allocation of $300 million in funding secured by the governor to reform and improve Montana’s behavioral health (BH) and developmental disabilities (DD) services systems. 

The award recipients are AWARE, Inc., Mental Health American of Montana, Montana Rescue Mission, and St. John’s United. These organizations were awarded based on their experience providing family peer support. 

The funding adds six family peer supporters across these four providers. DPHHS estimates each full-time peer supporter will be responsible for managing a caseload of about 20-30 families.

Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) Director Charlie Brereton said the Commission heard from numerous families over the past year about the importance of this initiative. 

“Family peer support services provide crucial backing to caretakers and allow them to remain mentally, physically, and spiritually healthy,” Dir. Brereton said. “Being able to leverage the experience and guidance of a peer with lived experience can make all the difference for caretakers and their families in the best interest of the youth being served.”

A recent study conducted by Montana’s Peer Network showed that 94% of Montanans who received family peer support services reported an improved quality of life and 87% reported an increase in the quality of the care provided to a child.

“I didn’t have a strong support system when my son was younger, and I had to navigate resources alone,” said Morgan Hove, a Montana Rescue Mission family peer support specialist. “It was very difficult for me. One of my goals for this grant is to help families build confidence and connection. I have found it can be very lonely navigating resources alone when you have a child with high needs.”

The funding is designed to address the unmet needs of families raising children with SED, with the goal of improving health outcomes for youth, their families, and caregivers.

Family peer support services are provided by those who have lived experience raising a child with behavioral health challenges or special health care needs and are equipped to provide emotional support and resources to another family who is raising a child with similar needs. 

These individuals provide active listening, emotional support, help with navigating the health care system, and connecting families and caregivers with more resources.

The awardees are required to conduct pre- and post-surveys with each family to measure the impact of the program.

On May 22, 2023, Gov. Gianforte made a generational investment to reform and improve Montana’s BH and DD services systems by signing House Bill 872 into law. A central component of the governor’s Budget for Montana Families, the $300 million investment will expand intensive and community-based BH and DD services across Montana.

More information about the commission and its work may be found here.