Encouraged by a vision of living in a community that is welcoming, aware and supportive of mental illnesses, a Mental Health Local Advisory Committee (LAC) has formed and is dedicated to “making a difference across Sanders County for our communities’ mental health.”

In celebration of May’s designation, “Mental Health Month,” the committee has been hard at work preparing “Strong Communities, Strong Sanders County,” their premier presentation addressing overall mental health, awareness, issues, gaps, needs and support systems within our community. The event is free and will take place Wednesday, May 9 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Rex Theatre in Thompson Falls.

Guest speakers will present several topics and how they relate to, or affect, mental health conditions. General mental health will be discussed as well as suicide prevention, tobacco and substance abuse, internet safety and cyber bullying.

Aria Mangan, LAC Co-Treasurer and Clark Fork Valley Hospital (CFVH) Community Health Improvement Specialist, said the presenters will be “hitting on the high notes of each topic and address how people can get involved and what needs should be addressed.”

LAC Co-Chair and Behaviors Specialist Vicky Croft stated, “The group thought organizing events like these would bring concerns to light and pool ideas from people in the county to do a needs assessment, finding gaps in services within the community.” She added one goal of the LAC is “to get mental health consumers in and find needs that need to be addressed.”

Mangan added, “We want to be promoting healthy behaviors and addressing why there is a need in the community. The opportunity to join LAC will make our community more functional as a whole.”

The LAC is hoping to have more members join their team who are “concerned and interested in how persons with mental illness are helped within our community by assessing, planning and strengthening behavioral health services in Sanders County.” They encourage participation from “behavioral health professionals, individuals and families who live with mental health challenges, professionals from community organizations, human service agencies, and public service and community members simply interested in helping;” which covers just about everyone.

Montana is home to five Regional Mental Health LACs. Although they share the same goal of “examining and identifying gaps in child and adult services and collaborating with local stakeholders to improve mental health services in the community,” each LAC is allowed flexibility to cater to specific location mores. Sanders County LAC tasks include identifying gaps in services, recommending community services and/or adjustments, assisting in service accessibility, improving local service through project implementation and educating the public on behavior health issues.

Meetings are held at CFVH, 10 Kruger Road, Plains, 9-10 a.m. the last Wednesday of every month in Training Center Building 2. The public is welcome to attend and share ideas, experiences, concerns and input on ways to improve behavioral health in the community. For more information on the local LAC, contact Mangan at (406) 826-4669.