Lawmakers Grapple with Solutions to Montana's Youth Mental Health Crisis

The bell rang once to signal members of the Montana House of Representatives to punch in their votes, and the result was a dead heat: 50 for “yes,” 50 for “no.”

That was enough to kill House Bill 27, the first in a stream of bills working to address gaps in support for Montana students’ mental health. Sponsored by Rep. Moffie Funk, D-Helena, the bill would have permitted schools to implement “handle with care” programs -- allowing law enforcement to contact a child’s school and alert staff to handle the student with extra care because of a potentially traumatic experience.

Funk, a former middl...