Hubbard County mental health advisory council emphasizes transportation, housing and Medicaid supports

Kelsey Firehammer, Region 2 Adult Mental Health Initiative coordinator, and Emily Utuk, chair of the Local Advisory Council for Hubbard County, told the Board of Commissioners during a work session that the advisory council is working to raise awareness of local mental-health needs and to connect residents with state-supported services.

The presentation outlined the council’s role and immediate priorities. Firehammer said the council is a statutory requirement: "It is mandatory by statute, for each county to have a mental health advisory council, yes." The council is using state Adult Mental Health Initiative (AMHI) funds to support outreach and administrative work in Region 2, which covers Hubbard, Beltrami, Clearwater and Lake of the Woods counties.

The LAC reported several priorities that its members identified at the legislature-focused Mental Health Day on the Hill in February, including better transportation for rural residents to reach appointments, more genuinely affordable housing for people on fixed incomes, and clearer pathways to train legitimate service dogs. Emily Utuk said Medicaid is a critical payer for local mental-health care and described personal consequences of that coverage: "If it wasn't for the medical assistance paying for my mental health stuff, I can pretty much say I would not be here," Utuk said, attributing her ongoing care to medical assistance.

Firehammer described the LAC membership process and recruitment challenges, noting the council aims to include people with lived experience, family members of people with mental-health needs and service providers. She said the council is improving public documentation and will host member and meeting information on a forthcoming Region 2 AMHI website.

The group said 17 people from the region attended Mental Health Day on the Hill, 11 of them LAC consumers; the LAC organized priorities for legislators and met with Sen. Torrey Utke and Rep. Krista Knudsen. Firehammer and Utuk stressed rural transportation as a recurring barrier: local bus routes that once stopped in Nevis and Akeley are being considered for restoration, and volunteer driver capacity remains limited.

Housing concerns included eviction histories and landlords' screening practices that can prevent people with past crisis episodes from obtaining units. The council discussed supported‑housing models — with on-site case management and 24/7 staffing in some designs — as better suited to people with severe mental-health conditions, while acknowledging higher per-unit costs and the need for state involvement or subsidy. Firehammer said a portion of AMHI funds can be used for housing subsidy and that counties or the region could potentially partner on supportive-housing projects.

The LAC also raised obstacles to obtaining trained service dogs and the difference between service animals and emotional-support animals, and recommended clearer local resources for training and certification pathways.

The council reminded the board that LACs must conduct a needs assessment; Firehammer said the statute requires the assessment but that the frequency and format still need clarification from the state advisory board. The LAC said its small 2024 assessment helped confirm transportation and housing gaps.

Looking ahead, the council plans outreach for Mental Health Awareness Month in May under the Minnesota Department of Health theme "Turn awareness into action," sharing weekly messages about exploring mental health, nurturing well‑being, finding support in tough times and celebrating recovery.

Staff agreed to share an updated membership list with county administration, and the Region 2 AMHI coordinator said the website and other materials will make LAC membership and documents more accessible to taxpayers and county officials.