HELENA, Mont. — Montana is planning on spending $300 million to improve the behavioral health system.

The funds were allocated through recently passed House Bill 872, and a commission has been created to recommend to the governor how to use the funds.

The commission has already come up with two recommendations. The first is to use $7.5 million to deal with the bottleneck when it comes to court-ordered mental health evaluations by hiring physicians to provide these fitness to proceed examinations.

“It’s a real breakthrough, I think. It’s gonna go through the process of approval. But it’s an initiative that’s percolating from talking to people in the community. They are saying it’s what’s important,” said State Rep. Mike Yakawich during a Child, Family, Health and Human Services Committee meeting on Thursday.

The other proposed initiative is to provide $10 million to help group homes hire staff.

The HB 872 committee will next meet on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1 in Kalispell, with developmental disabilities being a key topic.