BOZEMAN — Gallatin County recently grabbed national attention after a CDC report labeled it the “drunkest county in America.” But while the headline may sound lighthearted to some, the reality unfolding behind the scenes paints a far more serious picture.
Dr. Jessie Holton, a veteran, former law enforcement officer, and now a licensed addiction counselor at Cedar Creek Integrated Health, knows the reality all too well. He’s been sober for 14 and a half years and now helps others navigate the same fight.
WATCH: Gallatin County Grapples with Reputation as 'Drunkest County in America'
“It’s a far worse problem than I think people realize,” Holton said.
As first reported in January, the CDC found that 26.8 percent of Gallatin County residents drink excessively, giving it the highest rate of heavy drinking in the nation. Holton says that numbers don’t just reflect lifestyle; they reflect culture.
“How many breweries do we have? How many coffee shops do we have? We are a culture, a community that is thriving off of chemical dependency,” Holton says.
Holton says that while Gallatin Valley offers mountain views, outdoor recreation, and a high quality of life, he says that comes at a steep price for many. Also known as a paradise paradox.
“The minute we create a culture that uses chemical dependency as a coping mechanism, you’ve already created the disease,” Holton said. “Now, when we have people that are affected by it, you have to help them and treat them, and we have to change the culture. The area we live in is beautiful, but we are a sick community. We really are.”
And the numbers back him up.
According to the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services,alcohol-related deaths have nearly doubled over the past decade, rising from 1,563 deaths between 2009 and 2013 to 2,941 between 2019 and 2023.
In 2023 alone, hospitals across the state billed over $220 million for alcohol-related hospitalizations and emergency department visits. And in 2024, 66.7 percent of Montanans in treatment for substance use disorders reported alcohol as their primary substance of misuse.
Bozeman Police Chief Jim Veltkamp says the numbers are felt daily by first responders.
“I can tell you when patrol officers are out on patrol, most calls they go to involve alcohol in some way, shape, or form,” Veltkamp said.
He added that one troubling sign of alcohol misuse is the high level of tolerance officers often encounter.
“We routinely see people at a very high alcohol concentration who seem to be functioning pretty decently — and that is an indication that it’s very common for them to be consuming very large amounts of alcoholic beverages,” he said.
Dr. Holton says that reflects a broader change in the substances people are using — and how strong those substances have become.
“The substances we are using are getting higher in concentration,” Holton said. “You are going to end up with a quicker dependency, you’re going to have more health problems, and more criminal justice interactions.”
He says 90 percent of the clients at Cedar Creek have had some involvement with the criminal justice system, and while the clinic runs intensive outpatient
programs, resources are stretched thin.
With the closure of facilities like the Hope House in Bozeman and federal funding freezes looming, Holton says his staff is already seeing the impact.
“We are starting to see the influx of clients coming in and the people that need help,” he said. “We are in need of more funding because it doesn't exist.”
Despite the challenges, Holton says he and his team remain committed to the work because, without them, many people would have nowhere to turn.
“They are long days. But it is what we have to do in this community to be able to make it viable. If not, our doors would be closed. And then what do we have?”
Resources: https://dphhs.mt.gov/BHDD/SubstanceAbuse/index
https://www.cedarcreekintegratedhealth.org/
