One Year After the Johnson Street Shelter Closed — and How to Reach Partnership Health Center

Montana Free Press published a detailed look at where Missoula stands one year after the Johnson Street emergency shelter closed. Reporter Katie Fairbanks spoke with city officials, service providers, and people living outside. You can read the full article here: montanafreepress.org/2026/09/15/johnson-street-shelter-closure-response

The 165-bed shelter closed in September 2025 after pandemic-era federal funding ran out. A year later, the Poverello Center is full more often than not, other organizations are stretched thin, and more people are sleeping outside while trying to navigate the city's camping rules. As Poverello executive director Jill Bonny told Montana Free Press, "Over the last year, we've gotten really good at managing scarcity."

We share this because the need did not go away when the beds did. Housing Stability Collective's peer-led work exists for exactly this gap — walking alongside neighbors while the system catches up.

Health care is one of the most important supports people lose when they lose housing. Partnership Health Center (PHC) in Missoula provides medical, dental, behavioral health, and pharmacy care to everyone, regardless of insurance or ability to pay. Below is how to reach them.

MAIN CLINIC — THE CREAMERY BUILDING 401 Railroad Street West, Missoula, MT 59802 Main line: (406) 610-8181 Medical and behavioral health hours: 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday; 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Tuesday. The main line also answers after hours and on weekends for urgent needs, and can connect you with an on-call provider.

PHONE MENU AT (406) 610-8181 Press 1 for medical, 2 for pharmacy, 3 for dental, 4 for behavioral health counseling, 6 for financial assistance or billing, 7 for medical records, and 8 for hours and locations.

PHC AT POVERELLO Inside the Poverello Center, 1110 West Broadway Street, Missoula, MT 59802 Phone: (406) 610-8162 A walk-in friendly clinic for guests of the Poverello Center and the wider community.

COMMUNITY CARE TEAM (STREET MEDICINE) Phone: (406) 317-3394 The Community Care Team brings medical care to people who are unsheltered — wound care, medication management, and follow-up after an emergency room visit. The team also includes Tenancy Support Specialists who help people find and keep housing, and Peer Support Specialists who help people navigate services. They visit the Poverello Center, local shelters, and camps around town.

SATURDAY CARE PHC at Lowell is open 8:00 a.m. to noon on Saturdays.

A NOTE ON EMERGENCIES Partnership Health Center is not an emergency facility. For a medical emergency, call 911. If you are in a mental health or substance use crisis, call or text 988 any time, day or night.

More information, including all PHC locations, is at partnershiphealthcenter.org