State outlines plan for 32‑bed forensic mental health facility near Laurel; officials pledge transparency
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Summary
DPHHS and the Montana Board of Investments briefed the Laurel City Council on a proposed 32‑bed forensic restoration facility near Laurel, saying no land purchases have been made, that the statewide waitlist is 103, and that state officials will notify the council before any property agreements.
Charlie Brereton, director of the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, told the Laurel City Council on Dec. 9 that the state is proposing a forensic restoration facility near Laurel to serve people in the justice system with serious mental illness.
Brereton said Montana currently has a statewide waitlist of 103 individuals for forensic restoration services and described the planned facility as a temporary, court‑mandated treatment site intended to evaluate and restore competency to proceed to trial. "Patients admitted to this facility in the future...will ultimately be there on a temporary basis, receiving court‑mandated evaluation and restoration services to determine their fitness to proceed to trial," Brereton said.
He described the facility's security features, including continuous interior and exterior live video monitoring, double‑layer perimeter fencing for outdoor areas, 'sally port' doors to control access, and an always‑staffed central command station to manage movement. "It may surprise you that this facility is part of a closed loop system for forensic patients," Brereton said, explaining that patients would be transported under court order and return to county detention, the Montana State Hospital, or state prisons as appropriate and would not leave the campus in normal operations.
Brereton said DPHHS recognizes community concerns and committed to working with Laurel leaders and residents on transparency and shared benefits, directing the public to hb5.mt.gov and a DPHHS FAQ for further information.
Dan Villa, executive director of the Montana Board of Investments, said BOI is serving as the state's real estate development partner for the proposed project but that "no land has been purchased. No offers have been made to any property owner." He said BOI is conducting preliminary discussions about potential sites and assessing feasibility and infrastructure compatibility for a 32‑bed facility.
"When—and if—BOI enters into a contingent Buy/Sell agreement with a property owner, the City Council will hear about it first," Villa said, promising the council would be notified in a public meeting rather than via press release. Villa also pledged that BOI will follow the city's existing resolutions, ordinances, and land‑use procedures, and said annexation or zoning processes would be pursued through proper channels if required.
Neither official announced a site, and both emphasized procedural steps and public engagement. The discussion in the council minutes records the presentations and the officials' commitments; no formal council action or vote on the facility or site selection was recorded at this meeting.