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LAC continues work to reduce stigma on mental health issues

The Hill County Behavioral Health Local Advisory Council met Monday and discussed progress on their mental health PSAs, possible partnerships at the Central Service Area Authority and a recent meeting with a representative of Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont.

LAC Chair Andi Daniel said contracts for the PSAs, which seek to normalize and encourage people to seek help dealing with their mental health struggles by letting local people tell stories about their own experiences, have been drawn up and include the filming of 10 interviews, the creation of five videos, and the production of raw footage to be used for future videos.

These videos, or audio versions of them, could be played on local television, in local businesses and on radio in the county and could be switched out every few weeks to keep them fresh in peoples’ minds.

Daniel said it was determined that instead of having interviewees be filmed in a studio that they pick the place most comfortable for them and film there if possible, which involves more work but will add visual variety and help make participants more comfortable.

Anyone interested in participating can get in touch with her by email at [email protected], and find more info at http://hillcountylac.com .

LAC Member Matt Erdel thanked Daniel and everyone else who helped get the organization’s COVID-19 funds spent by the assigned deadlines, which required a significant amount of work in a relatively short time.

LAC members also discussed possibly having a presence at this year’s Great Northern Fair later this week by working with the Hill County Health Department, which usually has a booth there.

They also discussed possible uses for a mini-grant including hiring local artists to paint willing businesses’ windows with messages about mental health.

They also discussed the future of a Health/Health Career Fair that they tried to set up for this year.

LAC Vice-Chair Amber Spring said there is certainly interest in such a thing, but the event just couldn’t get set up in time to work for this year.

She said money from a mini-grant could be used, but suggested that the fair would serve it’s purpose best in the spring, which would require a different funding source.

LAC Member Curtis Smeby also provided an update on his activities working with the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services’ Addiction and Mental Disorders Division and the Central Service Area Authority that Hill County’s LAC is part of.

Smeby said they’re discussing a partnership with the Montana Office of Rural Health and Area Health Education Center in Bozeman, which offers classes in things like management of aggressive behaviors, mental health first aid, youth mental health first aid, applied suicide intervention skills training, Question Prevent Refer, safe talk and secondary trauma.

He said he’s also meeting with a working group devoted to increasing mental health first aid among county employees in Montana.

He said he’s been trying to work with the Hill County Commission to find out what is preventing them from being able to offer mental health first aid training to all employees.

He said someone he’s working with is putting together an estimate of what unaddressed mental health issues cost the county in unexpected leave, potential use-of-force lawsuits against law enforcement and other effects compared to what it would cost to offer the training.

“What would be the down side of that?” Smeby asked. “Why wouldn’t we want to do that?”

He said mental health first aid should be as common as regular first aid and CPR and he believes Hill County could be a leader in the state by offering training.

Smeby also talked about the Central Service Area Authority working with the area’s tribes to possibly create their own LACs.

He said the pitch was made to the Chippewa Cree Wellness Coalition and they seemed interested in using a mini-grant to fund the set up of such an organization.

He said there are still some logistical questions about how tribal LACs would work, but the matter is being looked into.

It was suggested during the meeting that the Hill County LAC meet with the coalition to discuss the issue further and Smeby said they could do that in the coming months.

Daniel also told the LAC about her and Bullhook Community Health Center Behavioral Health Manager and LAC Secretary Deidre Reiter’s recent meeting with a representative from Daines’ office.

She said they mostly just explained what the local issues are and what LAC does but made a point to talk about how vital the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid Expansion have been for people seeking mental health treatment.

“If Daines is going to support mental health there has to be funding that goes along with that and the ACA and Medicaid Expansion have opened up resources and ways for people to pay for those services,” Daniel said.

 

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