By Kirsten Smith, Heather Grenier, Mike Chavers, and Gallatin County Commissioners
Gallatin County’s youth are facing a mental health crisis. Fourteen percent of local teens reported attempting suicide last year, and 21% have seriously considered it. Yet many of these children have no local treatment options and are sent far from home to facilities designed for adults. This is a critical gap in care that we can address by supporting the development of a dedicated youth behavioral health campus near Bozeman.
HRDC, Gallatin County, and Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch (YBGR), are working to create a campus that will provide crisis and residential services for youth ages 11 to 18 in Gallatin, Park, and Madison counties. The first phase of the project will focus on crisis services which includes stabilizing youth in need, assessing their situations, and connecting them to appropriate resources. As the campus grows, we hope to eventually offer a full continuum of high-acuity therapeutic services to meet the complex needs of our children…