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Sponsor says splitting DPHHS will improve performance; providers warn of duplication and cost

2871607 · April 3, 2025
AI-Generated Content: All content on this page was generated by AI to highlight key points from the meeting. For complete details and context, we recommend watching the full video. so we can fix them.

Summary

House Bill 851 would split Montana's Department of Public Health and Human Services into two agencies; sponsor says reorganization will improve service delivery while provider groups warned it would create duplication and administrative cost.

Representative John Fitzpatrick introduced House Bill 851, which would split the Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) into two agencies: a reconstituted Department of Public Health and Human Services and a new Department of Health Services responsible for facilities and community behavioral health and developmental-disability programs.

Fitzpatrick said the bill is structural rather than programmatic: “When you go in and flip the pages inside, what you'll find is that the word department of public health and human services is crossed out and the word department of health services is inserted. There are no programmatic changes in any of the programs that are operated by the…

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