
Integrated Behavioral Health
Caring for patients’ physical, behavioral, and mental health needs under one roof.
Our Work Behavioral Health
Addressing behavioral health issues, like mental illness and substance use disorders, is a top priority for Montana communities. In surveys of health needs carried out by Montana’s local health departments and hospitals, behavioral health issues rank as the most important health challenges in many Montana communities.
Historically, there has been a severe shortage of prevention specialty treatment options, especially in remote rural areas. The statistics that show how the lack of prevention and treatment options has impacted Montanans are grim: Montana consistently has among the highest rates of mortality due to drugs, alcohol, and suicide in the nation.
Primary care plays a central role in screening for, diagnosing, and treating mental illness and substance use disorders in Montana and nationally. We focus on integrating behavioral health into primary and prenatal care to ensure these practices have the resources to provide team-based care and meet the needs of their communities. We also support a range of prevention and specialty behavioral health treatment initiatives.
Since 2015, we have increased the availability of prevention and treatment options by funding 242 projects with $16 million.
We have also leveraged our resources to help secure $49 million in federal and private grants.
Caring for patients’ physical, behavioral, and mental health needs under one roof.
Integrating prenatal care and behavioral health to improve maternal and neonatal outcomes.
Strengthening prevention, early diagnosis, and prompt access to effective behavioral health treatment.