Episode 93: The Scapegoat strategy and how not to use it.

Montana's Crisis: State Hospital Failures and Highway Patrol Turnover

Welcome to Episode 93 of the Montana Values Podcast. Today, we're peeling back the
layers on some serious issues affecting our state. These aren’t just stories to skim
over—they're crises that impact all of us. From the crumbling state of Montana’s only
psychiatric hospital to the leadership failures in our Highway Patrol, the stakes couldn’t be higher. You deserve to know how your tax dollars are being mismanaged and why it matters for the safety and wellbeing of our communities.
In this post, I’m going to break down what’s really happening, why it’s important, and
most importantly, what you can do about it. We’re not just talking about
problems—we’re talking about real solutions. Let’s dive in.

The Ongoing Crisis at the Montana State Hospital

The Montana State Hospital at Warm Springs has been in serious trouble for a while
now, but things have gone from bad to catastrophic. A few years back, Medicare and
Medicaid yanked their funding. Why? Because the care was so bad that it wasn’t just
failing to meet federal standards—it was dangerous. Patients were dying, getting
injured, or worse, being assaulted. When a hospital loses Medicare and Medicaid
funding, it’s because the problems are beyond repair. That’s the grim reality we’re
facing.

Why It Should Matter to You

This crisis isn’t just affecting the patients—though, let’s be clear, these are some of
Montana’s most vulnerable citizens. It’s also hitting taxpayers right in the wallet. Without Medicare and Medicaid, we’re picking up the tab, paying millions in state taxes to cover the costs. And for what? A hospital that isn’t even safe. The most vulnerable are left to fend for themselves in a system that is falling apart.

How Did We Get Here?

Here’s where things get frustrating. Instead of turning to local experts who understand the complexities of Montana’s healthcare needs, the Gianforte administration outsourced the problem to out-of-state consultants. Millions have been spent on these so-called experts; and after cycling through five administrators in two years, nothing has improved. We’re paying them to fail.

The Secret Contract and Lack of Transparency

If that wasn’t bad enough, the administration recently tried to sneak through a shady
contract, this time to a Connecticut company. The plan? To ship off “difficult to place” psychiatric patients—people with severe mental illness who can’t find care anywhere else in the state. These folks have been discharged from Warm Springs or even prison, but no facility in Montana will take them. The kicker? This contract was made behind closed doors. If it weren’t for local media exposing it, we wouldn’t have known. And instead of consulting with mental health advocates, the administration just tried to push it through quietly, giving a mere 10 days for other companies to submit bids once the press got wind of it.

Montana’s Highway Patrol: Turnover and Leadership

Failures
While the state hospital’s crisis is terrifying, it’s not the only place where leadership is failing us. Our Montana Highway Patrol is also in deep trouble. Troopers who have
served 15, 20 years are now opting to self-demote. They’re so fed up with the poor
leadership and unsafe working conditions that they’d rather step down the career ladder than stick it out.

What’s Happening on the Ground

Imagine being a veteran trooper, out on a dark Montana highway at night, and your
backup is someone fresh out of the academy with five months of experience. That’s the reality our troopers are facing. The turnover rate in the Highway Patrol is the highest of any law enforcement branch in the state. We’re losing not just officers, but years of experience, professionalism, and know-how. And when troopers are left without proper backup or leadership, it’s not just their safety on the line—it’s ours too.

Why Are Troopers Walking Away?

This isn’t about pay. Troopers are walking away because they feel unsupported,
unappreciated, and unsafe. The leadership at the top, led by Attorney General Austin
Knudsen, has failed them. We’ve seen this in the results of a damning culture survey
initiated by Colonel Steve Lavin, who was later forced to resign by Knudsen after the
results revealed just how bad morale was under his watch. Lavin is now suing for
wrongful termination, and other troopers, like Alicia Bragg, have followed suit, fighting against a system that punishes them for speaking out.

What Can We Do? Practical Steps for Change

These issues at both the state hospital and the Highway Patrol aren’t unsolvable, but it’s going to take real action to turn things around. Here’s what needs to happen—and how you can help:

1. Demand Better Leadership and Accountability
Montana needs leadership that prioritizes transparency, accountability, and solutions that actually work. We can’t keep letting out-of-state consultants drain our tax dollars while failing to fix the problems. We need local experts, people who know Montana and care about Montanans, to step in and take charge.

What You Can Do:

Reach out to your local representatives. Let them know you care about what’s
happening at the state hospital and in the Highway Patrol. Demand transparency and
better leadership. Hold them accountable for making changes that improve the safety and well-being of Montanans.

2. Advocate for Improved Working Conditions for Troopers
It’s not enough to just hire more troopers—we need to retain the ones we have by
creating a better, safer work environment. That means providing them with the
resources, training, and mental health support they need to do their jobs effectively.

What You Can Do:

Stay informed and spread the word. Talk to your friends, family, and neighbors about
these issues. Share this episode with them. The more people who know, the more
pressure we can put on our leaders to make changes.

3. Support Your Local Troopers
Montana troopers put their lives on the line for us every day, but they need our support too. Reach out to your local Highway Patrol office and ask how you can help. Whether it’s through donations, community events, or simply letting them know you appreciate their service, every bit helps.

4. Push for Legislation that Prioritizes Health and Safety
Montana needs smarter policies, not just more money thrown at the problem. We need to pass legislation that improves working conditions for troopers, supports mental health initiatives for both law enforcement and vulnerable citizens, and ensures that tax dollars are being spent wisely.

What You Can Do:

Advocate for policies that make sense. Write to your legislators, attend town halls, and push for real reforms that will address these issues head-on.

The Road Ahead

Montana’s Highway Patrol and State Hospital are both at critical junctures. The longer we let these issues slide, the worse things will get. Our troopers and vulnerable citizens deserve better, and frankly, so do we. The safety of our communities depends on having well-supported, well-trained, and well-led law enforcement teams, as well as properly managed healthcare institutions.

In this episode, we’ve uncovered the truth behind the dysfunction, but now it’s up to all of us to demand change. Don’t just sit on this information—act on it. Reach out to your representatives, support your local troopers, and keep the pressure on for better leadership and accountability. Because at the end of the day, Montana values are about standing up for what’s right—and that includes standing up for the people who protect us and care for our most vulnerable.