Plans for eastern Montana mental health facility advance, location to be determined
Shaylee Ragar
Officials are moving forward with plans for a new state-run mental health facility in eastern Montana. The question is where.
The state health department is soliciting proposals from cities and towns wanting to host a 32-bed facility for mental health patients involved in the criminal justice system.
The state Legislature and Gov. Greg Gianforte approved more than $26 million for the project last spring.
Demand for forensic mental health services is outpacing capacity. People charged with or convicted of crimes who require mental health evaluations or services are sometimes stuck waiting in county jails. The waitlist for the Montana State Hospital in Warm Springs has at times surpassed 100 patients.
Billings has been identified as a front-running location for the facility. The state says it’s still eyeing Yellowstone County, but is open to bids from any municipality in eastern Montana.
Deer Lodge County proposes sites for new women's prison
Victoria Traxler
In September, the Montana Department of Corrections asked counties to notify them if they want a new women’s prison. Anaconda-Deer Lodge County Commissioners are saying yes.
This year state legislators allocated $250 million to expand the state prison system. That includes a new women’s facility. The Department of Corrections has struggled to identify where that facility should go.
In August, state officials said they were still considering a few locations. A few weeks later, the department asked counties to reach out if they were interested in the project.
On September 30, Anaconda Deer-Lodge County Commissioners proposed two sites for the prison - Galen and Warm Springs. Commissioners cited job development as a primary reason for their interest.
All counties have until October 15 to respond to the state’s request for information.
Idaho man charged with defrauding elderly Montanans
Austin Amestoy
An Idaho man has been charged with running a Ponzi scheme in Missoula county. The Montana State Auditor says the scheme allegedly defrauded several elderly Montanans.
The Missoula County Attorney this month charged Shawn Cutting with operating a pyramid scheme that allegedly obtained more than a million dollars in payments from investors.
Charging documents allege Cutting’s scheme started in late 2018. Prosecutors say Cutting and two unnamed co-conspirators recruited at least six Montana residents to invest with their company, “Crypto Traders Management.” The funds were never invested.
Cutting did not disclose to investors he and his company were not registered with the state, according to court records.
The victims of the alleged scheme listed in documents range in age from 61 to 76. Prosecutors say Cutting spent their payments on groceries, sporting goods, clothing, meals, home improvements and Ponzi payments to previous investors.
Cutting faces 11 felony counts, including operating a Ponzi scheme, securities fraud and exploiting vulnerable people. If convicted, he could pay tens of thousands of dollars in fines and serve years in prison.
