Bozeman Health expands behavioral health services

Town Crier “Briefs from the Region” (2) – 2/18/21

Now, those in a state of immediate mental crisis can be admitted not to the Emergency Room, as is common, but to a room at Bozeman Deaconess Hospital that specializes in behavioral health emergencies. Thanks to $300,000 in CARES Act pandemic relief funds allocated by the city of Bozeman, Bozeman Health now has two established rooms intended for treating those in a behavioral health crisis, an urgent need identified in a recent community health assessment conducted by the hospital. Once a patient is admitted, staff will rule out medical issues, then stabilize the patient in one of the rooms. They’ll have the opportunity to speak with a peer specialist—someone who has experienced a similar situation—and establish a treatment plan until their next appointment. “Our goal is to really stabilize the crisis and get them to that next level of care,” Maureen Womack told the Bozeman Daily Chronicle.