House Representative Ron Ehli is the sponsor of House Bills 33, 34 and 35. The intent of all three is to intervene early and try to keep people in their communities.
"People with mental illness do not belong in jail," said Ehli. "They do not belong in our local hospitals. And they do not belong in prison. We can fix this. This is the way to do it. Our communities have been crying for help."
The Republican from Hamilton from offered amendments to ensure state funding is ongoing for his three bills. Under House Bill 33 funding is provided for new or expanded mental health crisis intervention. House Bill 34 provides funding for additional secure psychiatric detention beds. Finally House Bill 35 has funding for short-term, voluntary mental health treatment to intervene when there’s a case of a probable involuntary commitment to the Montana State Hospital or to the state prison. Representative Casey Schreiner is a Democrat from Great Falls. He supports all these bills and says House Bill 34 will keep people out of jail.
"If these beds do not exist they end up in jail," said Schreiner. "I’m sorry right now a room with a metal toilet and metal bars is not a safe place for folks who are in a mental health crisis."
All of the amendments to these three bills and the bills as amended received unanimous support. The bills face a third and final vote before being sent to the Senate for consideration. There are two other mental health bills as part of the package that are still awaiting action on the House Floor.
