Following months of very public discord and disagreements regarding Yellowstone County’s funding of mental health services and what that should entail in the future, Yellowstone County Commissioners seem to have decided that that they will be issuing a “request for proposals” from health service providers for plans on how best to provide services. The proposals will be considered for county budget planning for next year.
Commissioners seemed to fall back to that approach, following a meeting last Thursday, during which Commissioner Denis Pitman presented a draft letter for the consideration of the other county commissioners, which recommended directions to mental health agencies, including the HUB, the Crisis Center and the Mental Health Center. Pitman represents the county commissioners on the Mental Health Center board and has been its chairman.
Commissioner John Ostlund said that he thought the Mental Health board should be making recommendations to the commissioners. The purpose of most boards, with which the county deals, are to make recommendations to the commissioners, he pointed out.
