Gov. Greg Gianforte was in Billings Wednesday, and residents fighting a proposed state forensic mental health facility near Laurel came away with nothing — or more precisely, with one word. When asked about the sustained community opposition to the project, the governor declined to engage, a response that opponents say only deepened their frustration with how the state has handled the process.
The facility, if built, would be located near Laurel and would serve as a forensic mental health unit — housing individuals who are involved in the criminal justice system and have significant psychiatric needs. Opponents have raised concerns about siting, community impact, and what they describe as a lack of meaningful public input before the project advanced.
For Helena readers, the fight in Laurel carries weight here too: decisions about where Montana places its behavioral health infrastructure are made at the state level, and the Gianforte administration's posture toward local objections in Laurel reflects the same decision-making process that would govern any similar proposal elsewhere in the state. The governor's office has not issued a detailed public response to the opposition's specific concerns.
The project remains planned, and community opposition in Laurel shows no sign of softening after Wednesday's exchange. Opponents say they intend to continue pressing state officials for a more substantive conversation about whether the current site is appropriate.