July 2026 Newsletter
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
- Margaret Mead
Advocacy Update: Protecting Medicaid Coverage for Montanans Living with Mental Health Conditions
On July 3, NAMI Montana submitted a concept letter and proposal memorandum to the Montana Legislature’s Interim Children and Families Committee regarding the state's newly implemented Medicaid community engagement (work) requirement.
What We Are Asking
Presented by NAMI Montana's Colleen Rahn, our letter asks the Committee to exercise its administrative oversight authority to ensure the Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) adopts a data-first, "ex parte" verification process.
Instead of defaulting to mass paperwork demands and notices of noncompliance, DPHHS should automatically check state and federal data sources—such as Department of Labor & Industry wage records and existing SNAP/TANF benefit data—to verify who already meets the compliance threshold (such as earning $580/month or qualifying for an exclusion) before requesting documentation.
Why It Matters
For Montanans living with serious mental illness, complex paperwork and tight deadlines create significant functional barriers. Unstable housing, periods of crisis, or hospitalizations often lead to missed mail, putting eligible individuals at high risk of losing their Medicaid coverage for purely administrative reasons.
By urging DPHHS to build an automated verification system, we can:
Protect Vulnerable Montanans: Prevent dangerous disruptions in mental health treatment and medication.
Reduce Administrative Costs: Lower manual caseloads and administrative burdens for state staff.
Maintain Program Integrity: Verify compliance using objective, existing wage and benefit records.
NAMI Montana remains dedicated to ensuring that implementation choices prioritize continuous care and keep Montanans supported, housed, and out of crisis.
NAMIWalks | September 2026
Our annual NAMIWalks event is coming up this fall. The event is a 5K walk bringing together families, advocates, supporters, and community members to raise awareness and support for mental health across Montana.
Location: Memorial Park | 1203 N Last Chance Gulch, Helena, MT 59601
Date: Sunday, September 20, 2026
Time: Registration opens at 11 AM | Opening ceremony begins at 12:30 PM
Cost: Free
How to Get Involved: Join or form a team, fundraise, donate, or walk! Any way you choose to participate helps strengthen NAMI Montana’s life-changing programs, education, and support services.
Share Your Experience with Suicide Prevention Services
The Suicide Prevention in Electronic Records (SPiER) project, in partnership with JG Research & Evaluation, is seeking participants for brief research interviews about how electronic health records affect people's experiences with suicide prevention services. If you've received suicide prevention services or advocated for someone in a clinical setting, they'd like to hear from you. Interviews take 30–60 minutes, and participants receive a $30 Amazon gift card.
To schedule, contact Steven Fuller at steven@jgresearch.org (slots available Mon–Thu, 7 AM–4 PM Mountain Time, through July 31).
Questions? Reach out to SPiER Evaluator Molly Neu at molly@jgresearch.org.
Resources & Ways to Connect
Whether you’re looking for support, searching for local mental health resources, or hoping to get more involved, NAMI Montana is here to help.
Find Support
Our free, confidential peer-led support groups connect Montanans with others who understand what they’re going through.
Find Resources Near You
Explore NAMI Montana’s free county resource guides for local crisis lines, providers, support options, and other mental health resources.
Stay Connected
Follow NAMI Montana and your local affiliate on social media for resources, upcoming events, advocacy updates, and more.
Help Bring Support to Rural Montana
Thanks to a grant from Intermountain Healthcare, NAMI Montana is working to expand peer-led support groups into at least five new rural communities, giving more Montanans access to mental health support closer to home.
If you’d like to help start a NAMI support group in your community, we’d love to hear from you.
NAMI Montana can help you get started with facilitator training, resources, and connections to your nearest NAMI affiliate.
It only takes two people to start a NAMI support group.
If you live in a rural Montana community and have ever thought someone should start something like this here, we want to hear from you.
Contact us: colleen@namimt.org or 406-443-7871.
Support NAMI Montana
Your support helps keep programs, education, resources, and support groups free for Montanans who need them.
If you're in a position to give or are thinking about your legacy, we'd be honored to be part of it.