Area Local Advisory Council working to rebuild other LACs

The Hill County Behavioral Health Local Advisory Council met Monday and provided updates on its members activities, as well as the group’s upcoming efforts to rebuild the Western Service Area Authority and the LACs under it.

LAC member National Alliance on Mental Illness Havre President Crystal Laufer said the Western Service Area Authority, the governing body of LACs in western Montana, has had many members leave recently and people from the Central Service Area Authority, which governs the Hill County LAC, is going to try to help them rebuild.

LAC Chair Andi Daniel said the reason for the sudden departure of so many is because it recently came to light that many people in the authority were misappropriating funds, and the organization has had to expel those responsible, leading to a significant reduction in its membership, requiring the organization to all but start over again.

“It’s pretty bad, you guys,” Laufer said.

Daniel and Laufer said it’s a complicated situation, but CSAA is going to try to help rebuild the organization and the LACs under it, as well as some of the LACs under their own authority.

During the meeting the group also discussed their own frustrations with their operation.

LAC Vice Chair Amber Spring said there is a perception that the organization meets and talks a lot but does little else, and she’d like to change that.

Spring said she agrees and LACs like this one need to be given more explicit responsibilities and guidance, which would go a long way to change that.

Laufer suggested the group focus its efforts on addressing issues among youth, who are increasingly falling through the cracks of the mental and behavioral health care system.

Laufer and Spring said one of the big frustrations is the lack of engagement from elected officials, who are supposed to be involved with LACs and the service area authorities, but rarely show up or pay attention to what they do.

The group also welcomed a new member in Hannah Bailey, a probation officer, an addition Daniel said she’s excited for, since it’s been a long time since someone from the justice system was a member of the council.

The council also discussed the departure of two other members, Curts Smeby and Darlene Sellars, and how they would be replaced.

Daniel said the council will also elect new officers in September of this year and nomination forms are being drawn up.

The group also gave updates on their individual activities.

Spring said the Suicide Awarness Coalition recently held a very productive conference that she would like to make an annual event focusing on whatever topics are most timely each year.

NAMI Havre, Vice President Cindy Fitzpatrick said they are collecting donations for their upcoming walk as well as other events like the children’s walk in October and Mom and Me Tea next month.

Fitzpatrick also said the organization has finished up its latest peer-to-peer class and is thinking about doing another one this fall.

The group also discussed progress on their mental and behavioral health PSAs, which Daniel said should be finished soon.