Temporary Provider Keeps Our Place Services Open in Helena

Lewis and Clark County officials moved quickly at the start of January to ensure the Our Place drop-in center in Helena remained open after Western Montana Mental Health Center declined to continue under the county’s updated contract terms. Good Samaritan Ministries began operating the center on Dec. 30, 2025, and county leaders worked Jan. 2, 2026, to formalize a temporary contract that will run through Feb. 29, 2026, for up to $12,291 per month or until a permanent provider is selected.

The temporary arrangement placed two peer support specialists on-site at Our Place immediately and set up coordinated weekend coverage with Instar Community Services to maintain continuous access for people seeking support. County commissioners were expected to give final approval to the temporary contract after making final adjustments to contract language, allowing the interim operations to continue without a service gap.

County officials also issued a request for proposals seeking a permanent provider to operate both the Our Place drop-in center and the Journey Home crisis stabilization unit. Proposals are being accepted through the end of January, with county leaders hoping to select a long-term provider by mid-February. The schedule is designed so a permanent contract could be in place when Good Samaritan’s temporary agreement ends on Feb. 29.

In parallel with the provider transition, commissioners approved additional funding to hire three behavioral health specialists to serve in the county detention center. Those hires are intended to expand behavioral health resources available to people in custody and to strengthen connections between detention, community services, and crisis care.

For Lewis and Clark County residents, the immediate importance of the actions is continuity of services. Our Place functions as a low-barrier drop-in site where people experiencing behavioral health needs or crisis can get support, and the temporary staffing and weekend coverage help avoid interruptions that could leave people without a local option for stabilization or referrals. The RFP process will determine who runs both the drop-in center and the Journey Home crisis stabilization unit after mid-February, shaping how crisis services are delivered in the county going forward.

Officials expect the RFP timeline and the temporary contract terms to align so that services remain available while the county evaluates long-term providers and expands behavioral health staffing in the detention facility.