A bill to extend some services at the Montana Developmental Center for up to two years has been introduced in the Montana House. House Bill 387 was referred to the House Human Services Committee on Friday, February 3. The bill calls for continued efforts to place all MDC clients into community residential services but would allow continued services in Boulder for up to 12 clients who are referred to an “intensive behavior center” through the court. Clients placed in the intensive behavior center would be “individuals with a developmental disability who are in need of intensive treatment because of continuous or repeated behaviors that pose an imminent risk of serious harm to self or others.” The bill sets a June 30, 2019 closure date for the MDC, two years beyond the June 30, 2017 date set in SB 411 adopted in the 2015 Legislative Session. Montana City Republican Kirk Wagoner is the sponsor of the bill and chairs the House Human Services Committee. To track the progress of the bill online, visit leg.mt.gov, click on 2017 Laws, click the link to Look Up Bill Information, and then enter the bill number.
