Pondera County approves two‑year behavioral‑health consulting contract funded by NCI grant

The Pondera County Board of Commissioners approved a two‑year contract with the Montana Public Health Institute of Bozeman to provide consulting and technical assistance for a local behavioral‑health initiative, with payments to begin immediately and run through May 2027.

County staff described the agreement as providing support and consultation to a dedicated change leader on best practices for behavioral‑health assessment, planning and implementation. The contract is structured as quarterly payments starting at $7,812.50 per quarter. Staff said the county is executing this agreement as an outflow tied to a recently received NCI grant; the health department reportedly received a $4,000,000 NCI grant about a month earlier, and the county will pay the institute from those grant funds rather than from general county revenue.

Health department staff were not present to present the item because they were engaged in a measles response tabletop exercise, staff said. A commissioner noted the language of the contract—described in the agenda as relating to a “local innovations, near term initiative project”—was not immediately familiar and that health department staff would present additional context when available. A motion to approve the contract was moved, seconded and carried by voice vote.

The contract term was described as starting immediately and ending in May 2027. County staff did not provide the contract number or a total contract value beyond the per‑quarter figure in the meeting discussion, nor did the meeting record a roll‑call vote.