LCC Behavioral Health Local Advisory Council

General Meetings

The LCC Behavioral Health Local Advisory Council monthly meeting is held the 1st Tuesday of the month | 11:30am - 12:30pm
Zoom Remote Meetings

*December 5 , 2023 In-person Quarterly Meeting at Lewis and Clark Public Library!

See LAC Agendas and/or Minutes to verify meeting date, time, and location as changes may be made to accommodate holidays, special events. Thank you.

Please review LAC Agendas and Minutes to verify meeting date, time, and location as changes may be made to accommodate holidays, special events or other conflicts. Thank you.

What Is the LAC?

In 2011 the Lewis and Clark County Board of Commissioners passed Resolution 2011-174 authorizing the creation of the Behavioral Health Local Advisory Council (LAC). From this date forward, the LAC's specific objectives have maintained to include the following:

• Provide input and recommendations to the State of Montana's Behavioral Health Oversight Advisory Council (BHOAC) and the State of Montana's State Administering Agencies (SAA).
• Examine gaps in child and adult services and recommend solutions when gaps are identified.
• Identify potential additions to services within Lewis and Clark County for recommendation to the County Commissioners.
• When identified, analyze and discuss local problems experienced by Lewis and Clark County service providers, advocacy groups, public officials and the general public.
• Facilitate accurate and timely communications.
• Assess the effectiveness of Lewis and Clark County behavioral health services and suggest ways of making services more effective.
• When identified, serve as a catalyst and facilitator in solving Lewis and Clark County behavioral health service problems.
• Recommend strategies for organization and coordination of behavioral health services in Lewis and Clark County, when identified.
• Work with behavioral health providers to provide education to the Lewis and Clark County public on behavioral health issues.

LAC Workgroups

In order to better address the public behavioral health needs of Lewis and Clark County, the LAC formed four workgroups identified in the Strategic Planning for FY21-23. Each pillar identified has a focused workgroup through 2023.

• Workgroup 1 - Communication: Awareness/Education/Interaction 3-year Workplan
• Workgroup 2 - Improved Future Behavioral Health (BH) Crisis Response and Continuum of Care 3-year Workplan
• Workgroup 3 - Legislation and Policy with area expansion 3-year Workplan(PDF, 205KB)
• Workgroup 4 - Data and Common Dashboard 3-year Workplan(PDF, 139KB)

 (PDF, 139KB)

Mission Statement

The purpose of the LAC is to assist in the improvement of Lewis and Clark County Public Health Behavioral Health (Mental Illness and Substance Use Disorders) services and to review and make recommendations about behavioral health services to the Lewis and Clark Service Area Authorities (SAA).

Current board members in FY24: Kayleigh Verhelst-Brown, Chair, Jadin VanSteenvort, Vice Chair, Brandy Vail, Past Chair 

J. Jennings, BH System Improvement Specialist/LCC BH LAC Representative and LCPH Staff-contact: jjennings(at)lccountymt.gov

Behavioral Health Systems Improvement Leadership Team

Key county community stakeholders are leading the way to design and improve behavioral health crisis response and continuum of care in Lewis and Clark County. An integral partner collaboration with LCC BH Local Advisory Council.

Lewis and Clark Behavioral Health Crisis System Analysis 2021 

Lewis and Clark County and the Behavioral Health (BH) Systems Improvement Leadership Team, in conjunction with JG Research and Analysis, have completed the Lewis and Clark County Behavioral Health Crisis System Analysis in August, 2021. Thank you to all of the Lewis and Clark County (LCC) BH Local Advisory Council providers who contributed to the data mapping and data analysis sharing to support this initiative over the past year. We hope the attached LCC BH Crisis System Analysis will be a resource to your organization to support and advise your behavioral health work today and into the years ahead in addition to advising legislation and developing sustainable funding.

The BH Systems Improvement Leadership Team next step will be using this analysis to drive our planning of a Crisis Stabilization Facility model that meets the needs and capacity of the county. We hope this extensive data analysis on our LCC Behavioral Health Crisis System will help the county move forward with data driven decisions on addressing the gaps in service and the identified substance abuse and mental health needs within our community. 

J. Jennings, LCPH, Behavioral Health Systems Improvement Specialist

BHSI Leadership Team Meeting Reference

Next Meeting: Tuesday, December 12, 2023 via Zoom. Contact jjennings(at)lccountymt.gov for meeting information.

Key Meetings:

June 22, 2023 BHSI Leadership Team FY24 Strategic Planning

January 10, 2023 Agenda: BH Crisis System: Key Goals: Partner Funding Support -Mobile Crisis Response & Crisis Facility

December 15, 2022 Public Comments letter submit to DPHHS in response to 12.8.22 Public Hearing of new Medicaid MCRT draft Policy#452 and proposed structure and fee rates in 1.2023.  

August 2022- Crisis Receiving and Stabilization for a new Journey Home RFP opened. Proposals accepted through 9.27.22. Proposal review, interview process through December 2022. 

August 9, 2022 - Agenda and Crisis Facility Key Goals  Contact jjennings(at)lccountymt.gov for more information.

June 14, 2022 BHSI Leadership Team Crisis Planning Session Agenda

Behavioral Health and Crisis System Research, Planning and Resources

NEWLY Released! The Planning & Development of MT's Crisis System, Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE), September 2022. Prepared for MT DPHHS BHDD Division.

Planning for Crisis Receiving and Stabilization Facilities, Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE), August 2021 (A model planning report sponsored by AMDD in conjunction with MT Crisis Coordinators)

Special Report Presentation: LCC Behavioral Health Crisis System Report and Analysis by JG Research & Evaluation on Tuesday, June 8th @4pm on Zoom. https://zoom.us/j/95968763171?pwd=OG1SbFpFckpBTjlaMHgwMnVoeXozZz09

Lewis and Clark Analysis of the Behavioral Health Crisis System first draft Presentation 6.8.21

Mapping of Behavioral Health Crisis Systems and Pathways in Helena area 11.20 

View or Download Brochure(PDF, 9MB)

Lewis and Clark Behavioral Health Local Advisory Council Informational Brochure, 2021

Lewis and Clark County Mental Health Resource Guide, 2019

The Central Service Area Authority (CSAA) provided financial support to LAC for the development of:

NEW in 2022! LCC Behavioral Health LAC Informational Brochure 

Mental Health Resource Guide FY20. Visit MT211 or NAMI Montana for updated local and statewide resources.

Targeted Mini-Grant funding to LAC Members 

General Annual Funds 

Resilience Training

HeartMath Stress Resilience & Intelligent Energy Management Training was provided in FY21 at the height of the pandemic through a special SAMHSA COVID19 grant. Over 100 first responders in Lewis and Clark County received 4-hours each of this valuable resilience training! Thank you to our community partner, Dr. Chance Eaton of Big Sky Way, Helena MT.