Montana Governor Allocates $700,000 for Family Peer Support Services Expansion

HELENA, Mont. – Today, Governor Greg Gianforte announced a $700,000 investment aimed at expanding family peer support services to assist families and caregivers of youth with serious emotional disturbance (SED). This initiative is part of a broader effort following the Governor’s $300 million commitment to overhaul Montana’s behavioral health and developmental disabilities systems.

Four organizations, AWARE, Inc., Mental Health America of Montana, Montana Rescue Mission, and St. John’s United, have been selected to receive grants to expand their services. Collectively, these grants will fund six new family peer supporters who will manage caseloads of 20-30 families each.

“Family peer support services provide crucial backing to caretakers and allow them to remain mentally, physically, and spiritually healthy,” said DPHHS Director Charlie Brereton. “The ability to leverage the experience and guidance of a peer with lived experience can significantly benefit caretakers and their families.”

A study by Montana’s Peer Network showed that 94% of families receiving such support noted an improved quality of life, while 87% reported enhanced care quality for their children.

Morgan Hove, a family peer support specialist at Montana Rescue Mission, shared her personal experiences: “I didn’t have a strong support system when my son was younger, and I had to navigate resources alone. One of my goals for this grant is to help families build confidence and connection. It can be very lonely navigating resources alone when you have a child with high needs.”

The initiative, propelled by the passage of House Bill 872 in May 2023, reflects a significant investment in intensive and community-based services to benefit Montana’s families dealing with behavioral health challenges and developmental disabilities.