When kids in Montana experience a mental health crisis, it can be hard to find a facility that can help them. That’s because many facilities that offered crisis care for kids have closed.
Youth Homes Montana runs several group homes in Missoula. Its new facility is expected to serve about 100 kids per year.
That’s a big deal, because in recent years, the nonprofit had to close some of its group homes, including one that specialized in crisis care. Those facilities closed in part because payments from Medicaid and the state weren’t keeping up with costs.
CEO of Youth Homes Montana Amy Schaer says her staff received at least 150 requests to care for kids in crisis since then. Schaer says when crisis care isn’t available, kids can remain in unsafe living situations or go to the ER.
“Sometimes, kids are sleeping on the floor of a social worker’s office because there’s no alternative," Schaer says.
The state will also send kids to out-of-state facilities if group home beds are full. Nearly 70 children were sent out of state over a 12-month period, according to the latest state data.
Schaer hopes her new group home can help reduce that number.
