Jim Hajny | Montana's Peer Network

An Avoidable Tragedy in Montana

When I first got involved with mental health advocacy in 2009, we were urging the legislature to address the broken mental health system. In 2025 advocates are still urging the legislature to address the broken mental health system in Montana. Back then we had funding for a community-based crisis system. We had twice as many crisis beds available, and we had a psychiatric hospital that encouraged and promoted mental health recovery. Today we do not have sustainable funding for statewide crisis services, we have less crisis beds, and we do not follow national standards for Montana State Hospital or for crisis response in Montana. In 2022 Montana lost its federal funding for Montana State Hospital because it repeatedly failed to meet minimum federal standards for health and safety. I would also include the increase in unhoused individuals in nearly every community in our state, many of whom have a mental health diagnosis.

Societal Issues Affecting Mental Health

It is hard to not see suffering on a daily basis around the world, in the United States and here in Montana. When I tune in for my daily dose of news, I am often struck by the lack of awareness around mental health related issues. For example, in Texas where the extreme flooding occurred there is virtually no reporting on mental health counseling, or peer support for the massive amount of grief and loss that is taking place. In the nearly weekly reporting of mass shootings at places of work, schools and in our communities across the nation, we fail to address mental health needs.

Snapshot – Challenges in the CBHPSS Workforce

The certified behavioral health peer support specialist workforce has faced many challenges since its inception 8 years ago. We fought to establish ourselves in the behavioral health system, we have had to educate and inform the public, and we have had to grow the workforce. MPN has been training peer supporters since 2015 long before certification went into effect in 2018. The basis for the training then and now is the National Practice Standards from SAMHSA. We have trained more than one thousand peer supporters during the last ten years which has provided us with a unique perspective on the workforce. We are not new to the game as are some of the other trainers. Nor are we from out of state here to get wealthy, then disappear after we get a check. We want to see a strong behavioral health peer support workforce now and into the future. In order to do that there needs to be a platform for identifying and addressing the issues. Montana lacks that platform. One that is free from outside influence. At MPN, we have tried many times over the years to participate in such an effort only for it to get corrupted, forcing us to step away. In this article I have broken down the most notable challenges in the behavioral health peer support workforce and some possible solutions.

Mental Health Services Uncertain

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. At least for now. I say that because with all of the federal changes one never knows. What the Department of Government Efficiency will deem inefficient is anyone’s guess. May was first established as mental health awareness month in 1949 by Mental Health America (https://mhanational.org/) the oldest mental health advocacy organization in the United States. You can take a number of mental health screenings for free on their website. They also have resources for further support. Now more than ever mental health advocates need to work to bring awareness to the importance of mental wellbeing.

The role of peer support in crisis response

This is one topic I am very familiar with and have spent years advocating in Montana. Our website has specific information on various demonstration projects MPN have operated over the years. It is one of the most asked questions I get when it comes to the implementation of peer supporters. This article will attempt to provide resources, and the “how to” for implementation of peer supporters into your crisis program.

CBHPSS Workforce Development

At the time of this article there are 210 certified behavioral health peer support specialists in Montana. Since the first peer supporter was certified by the board of behavioral health in September of 2018, there have been a total of 400 peer supporters certified. Roughly half or 50% are still working today. The other way to look at it is 50% or half are not. Losing half of its workforce in just over 5 years is not a sign of a healthy workforce. Historically MPN trains around 100 peer supporters a year, half of those who complete Peer Support 101 will not go onto get certified. Which is a topic for another article. Half of those who do complete training and are certified will not be for long. The CBHPSS workforce in Montana needs additional support.

Homelessness is Now a Crime?

About a month ago the US Supreme Court ruled communities can cite and fine homeless individuals for sleeping outside. This ruling empowers city and county commissioners in Montana to implement a ban on sleeping outside such as in a tent, in a park or on the street. The ruling was 6-3 so it was not unanimous. This ruling overturns the 9th Circuit Court which rules over the following states, Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon and Washington. All these states all have high housing prices, a lack of services and tend to lean towards anti homelessness. In Montana we have seen a number of communities such as Kalispell and Lewistown become very vocal when nonprofits have attempted to implement services or temporary shelters for homeless individuals, with a, “Not in my town!” attitude. This of course begs the question. If not in your town, then where? Where exactly should individuals go if they cannot afford housing? This is a complex issue for sure. It seems to me that our leaders lack insight into that complexity. We can’t just move people down the road. The road only leads to another town. Where is issue starts all over again.

About Clifford Beers

May is Mental Health Awareness month. Once upon a time that meant something. May is now arthritis, walking, women’s health care month, better sleep month, Asian Pacific Islander, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and brain tumor awareness month. Those are all important issues to recognize. But mental health awareness month was started in 1949 by Clifford Beers of Mental Health America. MHA is the country’s oldest mental health advocacy organization. Clifford Beers (March 30, 1876 – July 9, 1943) was the founder of the American mental hygiene movement. (Wikipedia.com) He was a peer. He was the original peer supporter and advocate in the recovery movement. Clifford Beers was a ground breaker. Laying the foundation for organizations like Montana’s Peer Network.

Reality Check

by Jim Hajny, Executive DirectorApril 9, 2024Idaho legislature set to pass bill on electroconvulsive therapy for 12 year olds.This came across my desk from the national coalition on mental health recovery. I had to read it a couple of times to make sure I understood what it said. If you click on the link below…
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Emotional Support is Enough

Over the years MPN has led several pilot projects where we provide peer support to a particular population or in a particular community. We collect data directly from the participants through small surveys after every peer support encounter. The survey is anonymous and is offered to the individuals who are receiving the services. We ask a limited number of questions to not be burdensome but not too few to be incomplete. Data collect drives the pilot project and assists us in creating the model for peer support in crisis teams, family settings, support groups, etc. We have been doing this for more than ten years. In every one of the pilot projects the data says the same thing. Emotional support is the number one benefit. Yes, other boxes get checked but emotional support is consistently the most common. In our recent Family Peer Support Project 77% of the peer support encounters were for emotional support while second was social support at 23%.

Depression Awareness and Screening Month

Depression was the first diagnosis that I received from a counselor. It was nearly three decades ago but it was the first. I would receive others over the years, but you never forget your first.

Volunteering

When we are not well, we don’t have the opportunity to get to know ourselves. We are consumed by our own darkness. Once we begin the journey of recovery the light begins to find its way in and we often begin to ask, who am I. What do I like? What do I want to do with my time, my life? We may find we need to let go of friends we hung out with. We may find we have lots of extra time to fill but unsure how to fill it. This is where I encourage the idea of volunteerism.

Supporting the Supporter

Keeping your CBHPSS supported in their recovery is vital for retaining your employee long term. By the very definition, “Behavioral health peer support” means the use of a peer support specialist’s personal experience with a behavioral health disorder to provide support, mentoring, guidance, and advocacy and to offer hope to individuals with behavioral health disorders.” Your employee is a person who is in recovery. This means they are actively working on themselves, which may include peer support groups, medication, counseling, meditation, a regiment of diet and exercise, journaling and the list goes on and on. As their employer you may be thinking, “Where do I fit in?”

Hiring Peer Support Staff

Candidates often put on their best self, can embellish their credentials, and say what we want to hear. This provides us with false knowledge about a candidate and ultimately a decision which will cost the organization time, energy and dollars. Hiring the wrong person can lead to hours of retraining, coaching, and documenting an employee who will eventually be let go only to restart the process again. Then there is the shrinking workforce nationally. There simply are not as many people to fill healthcare related jobs. Getting it right the first time is important for any organization.

Author: Jim Hajny