County mental health looking for support

Sanders County Mental Health Center (SCMHC) has been through a lot of changes the last couple of months. Some have been great; others are creating a stressful environment.

The good news is that SCMHC has been able to develop two new programs that collaborate with local schools and provide in home assistance. SCMHC replaced Altacare, who voided their contract with Thompson Falls School due to staffing difficulties, as mental health providers for children at school. Secondly, SCMHC developed an in-home program which allows treatment inclusive of the home environment. Abby Harnett, Director SCMHC of more than six years, stated that the importance of these programs is they allow therapy to be more comprehensive of realistic situations and timeframes.

Another positive for SCMHC is they have relocated to a more spacious and professional looking building on Preston Ave. in Thompson Falls. “The old building (Maiden Lane) was confining and we had to work on a tight schedule in order to have desk space, “said Abby Harnett. The original building was home to SCMHC for 40 years, where it all started with only three clients.

Currently SCMHC serves close to 300 unduplicated clients a year, and the need of mental health in the county continues to rise. With a caseload such as this, it is clear mental health services are needed in Sanders County. In addition, Montana ranks as having the second highest suicide rate in the U.S.

So why would anyone want to deny the fact that Sanders County, Mont. needs mental health professionals? This is where the stressful, potential change comes into play.

According to Harnett, Montana Department of Public Health (MDPH) plans on cutting funding which would be devastating to our community. Harnett is not exactly sure about how much is being cut (possibilities are ranging over 40%), because since July the numbers just keep showing more and more of a cut. She did clearly state, “Huge cuts are what I can say.”

Harnett made a strong statement that if these cuts do go through, SCMHC would see a huge impact on their case-management services and certainly affect SCMHC clients on Medicaid, which comprise about 85% of their clients. “This would be devastating to our services because we cannot sustain services with these cuts,” Harnett emphasized.

SCMHC already provides services on a sliding-scale. They never deny therapy to anyone, whether they can afford it or not. In instances when clients are unable to pay, SCMHC absorbs these costs for them. Taking that into account, and now a possible reduction in funding, it is clear to Harnett that all SCMHC services would be affected by this budget cut. She is unsure what the outcome would be for the community, but it is concerning.

For state-level budget cut reasons, Harnett had to make the hard choice to close the SCMHC office in Hot Springs. The office is now located in Plains, so Hot Springs clients need to drive there for services. Harnett did state that for those who cannot provide their own transportation, SCMHC does arrange for transportation to appointments in hopes of making the closure as accommodating as possible.

Harnett wants everyone to know they do have a voice in this matter. Public can e-mail and write letters to Gov. Bullock and local representatives and senators about concerns on these proposed budget cuts. “The last several months public has advocated and positive results are being seen as advocacy goes a long way,” Harnett commented. “With such a huge caseload, we need mental health services and the state needs to know we need this funding.

“We need to be doing something about mental health and clearly it needs to be addressed, funded and we all need to speak up!” Harnett accentuated. With social media pressures and worsening bullying behaviors, kids are dealing with more intense pressures in comparison to years past. There is a new level of need for help. SCMHC needs to have a strong presence in the community.

Within the first two weeks of Nov. Harnett expects an announcement to be made on what budget decisions have been made. In the meantime, she stated that it is difficult to plan ahead when you do not know what your future holds. One thing is for sure though; she is staying positive and continuing to implement programs to take care of community needs.

“I have a great staff that goes above and beyond,” said Harnett. She continued, “I know they are committed and passionate about their work.” She takes great pride in knowing that SCMHC personnel makes sure they are doing whatever they can for people.

Having close working relationships with the local law enforcement, hospital, county attorney and schools is encouraging also. Services are better when these organizations connect at the same level. Harnett is grateful that all entities are able to have exceptional working partnerships.

Harnett also expressed her concern about the stigma that goes along with mental health therapy. “It is OK to seek help here,” she said. “If you have diabetes you do see your doctor, if you have anxiety you come see us.” Harnett wants people to know there is nothing to be ashamed of in seeking mental health help. “It is no different than going to a doctor for any other health related reason.”

When getting back on the topic of budget constraints, Harnett closed by saying, “Think of what our community would look like without these services.”