Laurel chosen as site for new $26.5M state mental-health hospital – KTVQ

New State Mental Health Facility in Laurel, Montana to Advance Sustainable Development Goals

1.0 Executive Summary

This report details the decision by Montana state officials to establish a new 32-bed state mental health facility in Laurel. This initiative directly supports the achievement of several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), primarily SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being, by expanding access to critical mental healthcare services in eastern Montana. The project also aligns with SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth and SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.

2.0 Project Overview and Alignment with SDG 3

The Montana Department of Health and Human Services (DPHHS) has approved the construction of a new mental health facility, a significant step towards ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all, as outlined in SDG 3. The project addresses a major service gap, as Montana currently operates only one state mental-health hospital in Warm Springs.

• Facility Capacity: 32 beds
• Allocated Budget: $26.5 million
• Legislative Mandate: Approved by the 2025 Montana Legislature
• Primary Objective: To enhance mental healthcare provision for eastern Montana, reducing regional health inequalities and ensuring equitable access to care, a key target of SDG 3.

3.0 Site Selection and Rationale

The selection of Laurel was the result of a comprehensive evaluation process conducted by the Montana Office of Budget and Program Planning and the Board of Investments. The decision was based on criteria that support long-term sustainability and community well-being.

3.1 Strategic Advantages of Laurel

1. Contribution to SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth): As noted by DPHHS Director Charlie Brereton, Laurel provides access to a critical healthcare workforce. This is essential for the facility’s operational success and contributes to creating stable, high-quality employment opportunities in the region.
2. Alignment with SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities): The city’s geographic location is considered ideal for creating inclusive and resilient infrastructure. It improves transportation logistics for patients, families, staff, and law enforcement, enhancing access to essential services for communities across central and eastern Montana.
3. Support for SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being): The strategic placement reduces travel burdens for patients and their families, promoting better health outcomes and ensuring equitable access to universal health coverage.

3.2 Review of Alternative Locations

Other communities were considered to ensure a thorough and equitable selection process, reflecting a commitment to balanced regional development.

• Billings: The proposal was met with opposition by city leaders.
• Miles City and Hardin: Both submitted formal proposals and hosted site tours for state officials.

4.0 Future Implementation

While the final site within Laurel has not been officially announced, several locations have been under consideration, demonstrating a planned approach to integrating the new facility into the community’s existing infrastructure in line with sustainable urban planning principles.

• A property on Old Highway 10.
• Land near the Laurel Airport.

The development of this facility represents a significant state investment in public health infrastructure, directly contributing to Montana’s progress towards achieving global sustainable development targets.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

  This is the primary goal addressed, as the article is entirely focused on the construction of a new state mental health facility. The project’s stated purpose is to “boost care for the eastern part of the state,” directly contributing to the promotion of mental health and well-being.

• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

  The article discusses the plan to “build a new 32-bed state mental health facility.” This represents the development of new, quality, and reliable public infrastructure specifically for healthcare, which is a core component of SDG 9.

• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

  The decision to build the facility in eastern Montana is explicitly aimed at correcting a geographical imbalance in healthcare access. The article notes that Montana’s only other state mental-health hospital is in Warm Springs (western Montana), and the new facility is “ideally situated for improving access and transportation logistics for patients and their families… across central and eastern Montana.” This directly addresses inequality in access to essential services based on geographic location.

• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

  The project enhances the capacity of communities in eastern Montana to provide essential services to their residents. By building a new hospital, the state is ensuring that citizens in and around Laurel, Miles City, and Hardin have better access to basic mental healthcare services, which is crucial for creating inclusive and sustainable communities.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 3.4: Promote mental health and well-being

   This target aims to “reduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being.” The construction of a dedicated mental health facility is a direct action to provide treatment and promote the mental well-being of the population in an underserved region.

2. Target 3.8: Achieve universal health coverage

   This target focuses on achieving “access to quality essential health-care services.” The article highlights that the new hospital will “boost care for the eastern part of the state,” thereby expanding the coverage of essential mental health services to a population that previously had limited access.

3. Target 9.1: Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure

   This target calls for developing infrastructure to support “human well-being, with a focus on affordable and equitable access for all.” The new $26.5 million hospital is a piece of social infrastructure designed to provide equitable access to healthcare for residents of eastern Montana, improving their well-being.

4. Target 11.1: Ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services

   A mental health hospital is a fundamental basic service. The article details the state’s effort to establish this service in a location that improves “access and transportation logistics for patients and their families,” thereby ensuring communities in eastern Montana have better access to this essential service.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Investment in health infrastructure

  The article explicitly states the facility’s cost is “$26.5 million,” which serves as a direct financial indicator of the investment being made to develop new health infrastructure.

• Increased capacity of health facilities

  The article specifies that it will be a “new 32-bed state mental health facility.” The number of beds is a direct indicator of the increased capacity for inpatient mental healthcare in the region.

• Improved geographical coverage of health services

  The entire premise of the article is the selection of a location in “eastern Montana” to serve a region where access was previously difficult. The establishment of the facility itself serves as an indicator of improved geographical distribution of essential health services, reducing the disparity between the eastern and western parts of the state.

• Availability of healthcare workforce

  An implied indicator is the presence of a skilled workforce. The article notes that Laurel was chosen because it “provides access to a critical health care workforce,” suggesting that the number of available or employed healthcare professionals is a key metric for the facility’s success and sustainability.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: ktvq.com