Montana Medicaid supports student success

We're mental health therapists who work directly with students in Montana elementary and middle schools. We love working with kids to support their well-being and academic success. In Montana, making sure kids have access to the resources and services they need to succeed isn't just the right thing to do, it's also critical for the future of our state.

One resource that many students need is help coping with stress, trauma, depression or anxiety. Sadly, many students struggle to access mental health services to address these needs due to barriers like lack of transportation or difficulty scheduling appointments. That's why Partnership Health Center teamed up with Missoula County Public Schools and placed Behavioral Health Clinicians like us directly in some of the schools where we can provide on-site, in-the-moment access.

This model of school-based care has been a game-changer. Bringing our services directly to kids, while minimizing time spent out of the classroom, allows us to provide consistent care and zero in on the specific issues that are getting in the way of academic success. We have seen clear evidence that our services help kids improve their grades, build healthy relationships, stay eligible for extracurricular activities like sports and many other benefits.

Unfortunately, despite our best efforts to innovate and increase access to critical mental health care, we are seeing a new barrier to access for some of our students: lack of health insurance coverage.

While we proudly support students from all backgrounds, many students we serve come from hard-working families who are juggling multiple jobs to pay for necessities like rent, groceries and gas. Further, despite their hard work to make ends meet, their jobs don't always provide health insurance. For families in this common scenario, fear of an unexpected bill often leads them to opt out of school-based mental health care for their child.

The good news? Montana Medicaid solves that problem. When our students have Montana Medicaid coverage, their families don't hesitate to say yes to our services and we are empowered to provide them with the care and support they need to thrive at school.

Montana Medicaid is a critical lifeline for students to access health care like the therapy we provide in schools. When kids have Montana Medicaid coverage, we can support them to succeed, and when kids have the support they need to succeed, more of them will graduate and go on to live healthy, productive lives.

In Montana, we know that when our kids succeed, everyone benefits. Let's make sure all students in Montana have what they need to succeed. Let's continue to support Montana Medicaid.

Kade Anderson and Rebecca Hamler are Licensed Clinical Professional Counselors at Partnership Health Center's School-Based Behavioral Health program. They provide Behavioral Health services and connections to other community resources to support students' health, academic success and overall well-being.