One Billings city official says plans for a new state mental hospital could be finalized by the end of this month, but state officials have not confirmed those plans.
As reported on Monday, state, county and city leaders have started looking at possible locations for the $26.5 million project as of Monday night.
Watch Mayor Bill Cole and other local officials talk about the hospital story here:
Some in the Legislature say a state hospital would be a big benefit to Billings.
“I've been surprised by the number of people that say I have a cousin in the state hospital or I have my dad in the state hospital,” said state Sen. Dennis Lenz, R-Billings.
This year, the Montana Legislature approved Senate Bill 5, which directed funding for the proposed new mental hospital, which must be started in 2026. In the last week, officials in Yellowstone County received notices that Billings was one of five sites considered for the project. The potential Billings site was on Skyway Drive between High Sierra Boulevard and Alkali Creek Road.
Lenz is the chair of the Senate Public Health Committee and says Yellowstone County sends the second most patients, behind Missoula County, to Warm Springs, the site of the state's only mental hospital.
He says the process to build a state mental hospital in eastern Montana is in the early stages.
“Ultimately, we weren't trying to surprise anybody or say this is what it's going to be, now choke it down,” Lenz said. “Because we want Billings to understand why this is so important.”
“In defense of the state, I'm not sure that they have that detailed plan,” said Mayor Bill Cole. “It's not that anybody's withholding anything.”
Cole says he has not been in on any of the communications and has not made any formal requests.
He emphasizes the important point is that the state has not yet made a decision.
“What I would like to see is a detailed written analysis of what's being proposed and what the impacts would be on whatever community, including Billings,” Cole said. “And then second, I'd like to see a clear, enforceable plan whereby the city would mitigate any impacts on a community.”
Lenz says the greater supply of workers, treatment facilities, and other state programs dealing with prisoners are some of the reasons he supports putting an eastern Montana hospital in Billings.
And he expects more information in the next couple of weeks, on a location and what could be built.
“That's a real possibility for coming up with some plans,” Lenz said. “Once people see what it is, understand what it's going to do, see how we fit into for helping out the people of the state, I think that will over well.”
“My understanding is that Billings is on the short list of locations,” Cole said. “But is not the only place on that list.”
