Community Action Team

In early 2014, after a third youth died by suicide over the span of five weeks, the Community Action Team (CAT) was formed to prevent suicide. Through a tremendous partnership with Butte School District No. 1, CAT has evolved into a healthy community coalition. Some accomplishments to date: 

• 527 adults have been trained in Youth Mental Health First Aid. YMHFA trainings have resulted in 475 referrals to mental health services. Of the adults trained, 94.9 percent say that they strongly agree in their ability to now identify youth with behavioral, emotional or mental health needs. Additionally, 50 to 75 high school juniors and seniors are annually being trained in YMHFA 
• Funding has been secured to have 2 Butte people trained in Adult Mental Health First Aid 
• 1,200 students are being trained annually in the Signs of Suicide program 
• Over the past three years, youth suicide attempts have been reduced from 17.4 percent to 12.6 percent 
• CAT has become an affiliate of Elevate Montana, with 11 people trained to present on Adverse Childhood Experiences 
• An electronic consented referral system, CONNECT Butte, is being rolled out so that referrals between agencies can be smoother
• A multi-tiered system of support has been developed within the School District, with students receiving Tier 2 supports increasing from 1.5 percent to 21.3 percent 
• A “Let’s Talk” app has been developed for youth 
• A six-month radio campaign was conducted to address stigma related to mental illness 
• A Mental Health Local Advisory Council was formulated, with 12 of its 23 members having the lived experience of mental illness 
• A majority of Butte-Silver Bow Law Enforcement Division officers have been trained by Western Montana Mental Health Center in crisis intervention