County approves contract with mental health facility

The Lincoln County Commissioners on Wednesday unanimously approved the terms of its contract with Pathways Treatment Center in Kalispell for the 2016-2017 year.

The approved contract will allow the county to send people to the Pathways, an inpatient center for Montana clients who have mental health or substance abuse issues. The center is located in Kalispell, while Warm Springs, the state-controlled psychiatric hospital, is located near Deer Lodge, approximately 288 miles away.

The contract between Pathways and the county agrees to a rate of $772 per each day of evaluation and then another $525 for each day of evaluation and treatment with the patient in place, according to County Clerk and Recorder Robin Benson. The rates in the agreement are the same dollar amounts as the past year’s contract, she said.

But at Wednesday’s county commissioner meeting, Benson also warned commissioners that a rate hike is impending for 2017-2018 year, if the commissioners choose to continue their contract.

The increase may make a larger dent in county budget, but only if the county attorney’s office finds several offenders in need of visiting Pathways. Benson said the county’s annual bill has not exactly been linear in past years, having leapt from $21,594 in the 2012-2013 year to about $79,917 the year after. Then, another fiscal year later, the year-long expense totaled $6,369.

County Commissioners Greg Larson, Mark Peck and Mike Cole unanimously approved the contract.

Reporter Seaborn Larson may be reached at 758-4441 or by email at slarson@dailyinterlake.com.