Tim Leeds Havre Daily News tleeds@havredailynews.com
A timely donation by the local railway company has put a local mental health service well on its way to performing some greatly needed work on the aging and damaged roof of it’s facility. The Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway Foundation has donated $5,000 for work on the Center for Mental Health in Havre. A reception, “Raising the Roof for Beautiful Minds,” will be held Friday at 12:15 p.m. at the Havre facility, at 312 Third Street, to celebrate the donation and the launching of the roofing project, a release from the Center for Mental Health said. Joe Uhl, director of rural services for the Center, said the BNSF donation is very timely and helpful. The Center has a three-year-old estimate of the project cost that puts it to at least $15,000, and he said it could run as high as $30,000. “That’s about a sixth of what we planned to put into reserves next year,” Uhl said. “It’s a pretty good chunk.” The leakage was severe in one office, peeling off wallpaper and exposing black mold beneath it, he said. There is some damage in other offices as well, but less extensive, consisting mainly of stained tiles. While the project has been on a to-do list for several years, the winter snows and heavy rains this spring has made the project more urgent, he said. Craig Roberts, the Center’s business manager in Great Falls, said that while the Center receives government money, that money cannot be used for projects like roofing. “People need to be aware that federal and state funds pay for the Center’s programs but not for bricks and mortar,” he said. “We have to raise funds for new buildings or roof replacements. We will have to use funds from our reserves to complete the project. “We would welcome any additional help,” Roberts added. The Center for Mental Health sees any adult or child who is suffering symptoms of mental illness, and accepts private insurance, Medicaid, Medicare and the Montana State Health Plan for payment. The Center for Mental Health, formerly known as Golden Triangle Center for Mental Health, originally opened its Havre outpatient clinic in 1974, housed in the Northern Montana Hospital facilities. In 1992, the clinic was moved to the Atrium Mall, then in 1999 the center bought and remodeled its current building. The public is welcome to attend Friday’s reception. Donations will be accepted and welcomed to help pay for the project, Roberts said. Donations can be made to: Center for Mental Health, and dropped off at the Havre clinic or made online at www.center4mh.org
