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For more than half a century, the Bozeman-based Help Center, Inc. has served as our community’s first and most trusted call for those facing a mental health crisis or actively considering suicide. Additionally, our humble organization has been our region’s most reliable partner in meeting the immediate and ongoing counseling and advocacy needs of survivors of sexual assault of all ages and providing supportive family visitation services. The members of our dedicated team represent — literally — the front line in what is clearly an unprecedented community crisis.
Gallatin County is among our nation’s fastest-growing communities and the number of our neighbors who turn to Help Center, Inc.'s services for high-quality, compassionate, and safe services has never been greater. Exacerbated by ongoing challenges created by the global pandemic, the rising regional cost of living, and increased awareness, the level of local need continues to grow in deeply concerning ways.
Help Center, Inc., with the full support of our Board of Directors, is prepared to expand our no-cost and confidential programs across our existing 13-county service area. However, doing so from our current headquarters — a small home built in 1925 — presents enormous challenges. Staff are working on top of each other. Counseling rooms and walk-in crisis spaces are limited relative to demand. Our current headquarters on Peach St. in Bozeman is compromising the focused and private care that our clients — our friends and loved ones — deserve.
Help Center, Inc. also owns a property that houses our Hearts & Homes Family Resource Center and Gallatin County Child Advocacy Center. While it meets the current needs of these two programs, it cannot accommodate the future expansion needed as our community and region continue to grow.
Help Center, Inc., with the full support of our Board of Directors, is prepared to expand our no-cost and confidential programs across our existing 13-county service area. However, doing so from our current headquarters — a small home built in 1925 — presents enormous challenges. Staff are working on top of each other. Counseling rooms and walk-in crisis spaces are limited relative to demand. Our current headquarters on Peach St. in Bozeman is compromising the focused and private care that our clients — our friends and loved ones — deserve.
Help Center, Inc. also owns a property that houses our Hearts & Homes Family Resource Center and Gallatin County Child Advocacy Center. While it meets the current needs of these two programs, it cannot accommodate the future expansion needed as our community and region continue to grow.
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Better serve our clients across 13 southwest Montana counties when they turn to us, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days each year. |
- Those in suicidal crisis, emotional distress, or concerned about a loved one will dial into an expanded call center and accommodate the increasing call volumes we anticipate as the nation continues to launch the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Today’s high call volumes are expected to increase by 30%.
- Those turning to the Sexual Assault Counseling Center and Gallatin County Child Advocacy Center for immediate, ongoing, and long-term free support following sexual assault/abuse will receive their compassionate care in spaces specifically designed to offer a sense of safety and comfort in the midst of trauma. In 2022 alone, survivors served through these two programs increased by 44%.
- Our neighbors who need trauma-based mental health and crisis support from our dedicated team will benefit from no-cost counseling sessions in a setting that demonstrates the quality, warmth, and professionalism they deserve, irrespective of financial status. Nearly 1,800 hours of free counseling were provided last year.
- Those we serve during crisis will have improved access to no-cost ongoing, trauma-informed counseling at a time when sustained mental health support can be extremely difficult to access.
- Children who have been removed from their birth parents will have a private, neutral, and home-like space to continue connection with their parents, paired with supportive coaching and education for the adults to improve parenting skills and better serve the needs of their children.
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Better support our team members, volunteers, and leaders who do such heroic work. |
- Our counselors-advocates will have specialized rooms designed to offer essential privacy and support them and their needs as they help sexual assault survivors and those in mental health crisis.
- Our crisis counselors, who provide profoundly challenging service often all night long, will have adequate and dedicated, ergonomic, and technically adapted call center stations and a comfortable bed and place to sleep when they are not serving those in crisis.
- Our volunteers and staff will be co-located and have well-designed collaborative workspaces, a true break area, access to gardens and dedicated and safe parking.
- For the first time in our 52+ year history, we’ll have a small suite of simple offices and conference rooms.
ARE YOU READY TO ANSWER THE CALL?
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Our family chose to be a part of this campaign because The Help Center is actively working to address the significant gap between mental healthcare needs and available services in our area. Their staff is available 24/7 for people experiencing mental health crises. They have stood by many of us in our times of greatest need for the past 53 years. Now it’s time for our community to stand by them in helping to build a better Help Center.”
— Kimmelin, Campaign Supporter |
About Our New Facility
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The Mental Health Campus at 699 Farmhouse Ln. in Bozeman sits on 5.1 fully improved acres and includes 5 buildings, each of which can be utilized to meet important mental health-related community needs.
Today, the campus is owned by Western Montana Mental Health Center (WMMH), which is no longer offering the expansive in-person services it once did in Gallatin County. After many months of collaborative conversations and trusting in our community’s willingness to provide the funding needed to do so, Help Center, Inc.’s Board of Directors and leadership have entered into an agreement to purchase the property from WMMH. |
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Purchasing already existing facilities and consolidating all Help Center, Inc. services at the Mental Health Campus offers what we believe is a better, faster, more collaborative, and more forward-looking alternative to building new facilities.
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About Our
Expanded Programs
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The trends are clear: an increasing number of our community members – children and adults alike – are experiencing depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, and additional mental health challenges.
At the same time, those served through Help Center, Inc’s Sexual Assault Counseling Center and Gallatin County Child Advocacy Center need increased by 44% last year alone. The vital, lifesaving programs of the Help Center are fundamentally people-led; this work is about one compassionate human serving another, often in some of the most difficult moments ever experienced by that client or their family member. As this trusted organization looks to the future, it seeks to bolster its programs in thoughtful and mission-driven ways. |
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Increase direct-service crisis counseling staff
Those experiencing a mental health crisis who typically present via the Help Center’s 24/7 call center will benefit from our ability to increase the number of team members available. Grow our Crisis Follow-Up program, including staffing and growth of services
Follow-up crisis care provides ongoing stabilization and connection for an individual in crisis and is an evidence-based method for improved outcomes over the long term. This program for our community members in crisis will be bolstered, allowing our team members to provide ongoing counseling, case management and other services to those who may not be able to access the sustained mental health care they need. Increase and retain Counselor-Advocate staff
We need to retain the talented staff we have, increase the number of trauma-informed team members in the future and ensure that all of them have access to essential high-quality education and training. As Help Center, Inc. serves the vulnerable community members needing care through its two programs addressing sexual assault and violence for all ages, experience matters. During those crucial hours following rape or other violence, it is essential that our team members understand trauma, can connect deeply with clients, and can work in close collaboration with medical personnel, law enforcement and the legal system. Beyond those initial hours, Counselor-Advocates provide ongoing, long-term, no-cost advocacy and counseling services and the volume and frequency of the clients needing this medical, legal and stabilization support continues to grow. Invest in key leadership positions, with an eye toward furthering organizational sustainability
Help Center, Inc. has always had a “clients-first” culture. While this is core to who the organization is, it is time to support its leadership staffing infrastructure to ensure a sustainable path forward as this organization continues to grow. Compensate, retain, & train staff
We will build a stronger organization by investing in increased compensation, benefits, and training for all staff to assist in retention and recruitment of employees who are trauma-informed and can build their expertise to best serve our clients. Taking on this leadership role as the owner of the Mental Health Campus and as a trusted community convener of partners will also require Help Center, Inc. to grow its talents. Employee compensation, inflation, cost of living, and limited access to affordable childcare are pressing issues. We need to take care of our people so that they can take care of our clients and community. |
Financial Overview &
Sustainability
A History of Growth Serving our Community
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While new philanthropy in support of our capital vision and our need to expand our program capabilities is important for our future, Help Center, Inc. has a long history of effectively managing its growth and financial resources.
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Today, the organization serves a 13-county region and operates on an annual budget of $1.65 million. Our key sources of annual funding include more than $600,000 in public-sector grants and contracts, $350,000 in charitable contributions, special event revenues and foundation grants, $100,000 in net support from our Sacks Thrift Retail Operation, and an additional $200,000 in service fees.
While the acquisition of the Mental Health Campus will bring known increased maintenance, support and professional services costs estimated at $190,000 per year, incremental philanthropy and rental revenues of nearly $150,000 from partners such as Community Health Partners (CHP), HRDC and others will offset the overwhelming majority of those costs, allowing for long-term financial durability. This increasingly well-diversified funding stream allows Help Center, Inc. to accommodate modest growth over time, with new fundraising intended to help us cover all costs associated with our building project and several years of increased program, staffing and important compensation investments. |
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Please Join Us in Supporting Those in Need in Our Community
From our earliest beginnings more than 52 years ago, the Help Center’s vital mental health programs, services for survivors of sexual assault, and supportive family services have been made possible only through our heroic team and the generosity of loyal partners, supporters, and friends. We have a bold vision to better meet our region’s unprecedented needs and to better care for those who care for our clients.
As Help Center, Inc. embarks on our next half-century of service across our existing 13-county southwest Montana region, we have summoned the courage to lean in and ask for what we need. We are confident in the positive impact we can and will have on our community as it grows. Humbly, we share that we believe we have what it takes to get this done, but only with the support of many.
As Help Center, Inc. embarks on our next half-century of service across our existing 13-county southwest Montana region, we have summoned the courage to lean in and ask for what we need. We are confident in the positive impact we can and will have on our community as it grows. Humbly, we share that we believe we have what it takes to get this done, but only with the support of many.
Organization Background
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Help Center, Inc. (HCI) is a 501c (3) non-profit organization founded in 1971. It is based in Bozeman, MT, and provides services that cover 13 counties in Southwest Montana. HCI provides crisis counseling, advocacy, information, outreach, support, and services to clientele in a safe, confidential environment. The intent is to assist clients in gaining insight, clarity, empowerment, client-centered solutions, and life improvement in the wake of life’s difficulties and in the aftermath of traumatic events.
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Ways that we serve the community
- Help Center: 24-hour mental health crisis response & suicide prevention services, connection to community and mental health resources. 24/7 Lines: 988, 211 and local 406-586-3333
- Sexual Assault Counseling Center: Supports adult survivors of sexual assault through trauma-informed counseling and advocacy.
- Gallatin County Child Advocacy Center: Serves children survivors of sexual and physical abuse through counseling, advocacy, and child-friendly forensic interviews.
- Hearts and Homes Family Resource Center: Safe and supervised home-like location for families to visit their children in foster, kinship, or dual care paired with coaching, parent education, and custody exchange services.
- Sacks Thrift Store: Provides financial support for Help Center, Inc. and vouchers for those in need of basic items.
We Served 8,000*
Community Members in 2022
Have questions or want to learn more? Please email Mandy, Help Center, Inc. Development & Communications Coordinator.
We ask that you please do not call any of our crisis lines if you have questions.
We ask that you please do not call any of our crisis lines if you have questions.
If you or someone you know needs support:
24-hour crisis, suicide & resource lines: 406-586-3333, 988 or 211
24-hour sexual assault support line: 406-586-3333
24-hour crisis, suicide & resource lines: 406-586-3333, 988 or 211
24-hour sexual assault support line: 406-586-3333
