WYOMING — As of Tuesday, July 2, the Wyoming Department of Health (WDH) has restructured funding for state mental health services, narrowing who is eligible for state assistance.
In 2021, the Wyoming Legislature passed House Bill 56, known as the Behavioral Health Redesign, which changes how the state funds mental health centers. WDH spokesperson Kim Deti said: Back rail The state’s new funding process will prioritize people earning less than 200% of the federal poverty level and those with acute mental illnesses, including adults with mental illness, criminal justice-involved clients and children and families in need of assistance.
Before the new law took effect, the state provided a block of funding to the center and required a sliding fee scale for all Wyoming residents seeking mental health services, according to Deidre Ashley, executive director of Mental Health & Recovery Services in Jackson Hole. Only priority recipients will continue to receive the sliding fee scale, she explained.
Now, individual patients must submit an application through Wyoming Medicaid to see if they qualify for state funding and can pay for services on a sliding scale. Wyoming Medicaid is part of the Wyoming Department of Health, which uses the application process to verify patients’ eligibility and administer payments to community mental health centers, the Wyoming Department of Health said. Applicants must be able to prove citizenship, residency and income level.
“One thing you will notice is that all residents seeking state-paid behavioral health services must submit an application through Wyoming Medicaid,” Franz Fuchs, senior policy analyst at WDH, said in the release. “This does not mean you must be eligible for Medicaid to receive assistance, but this step checks for potential sources of payment outside of the state’s general fund and verifies income, citizenship and residency.”
Ashley said Back rail She worries that this added step of applying for Wyoming Medicaid will be an additional barrier for people receiving treatment. Additionally, she says many people who need mental health services in Teton County don’t live in Wyoming or don’t have U.S. citizenship. Looking forward, Ashley says this will be a year of study for mental health service providers and the state to evaluate funding procedures.
“We are thrilled to be working with such a diverse and inclusive community,” said Chris Mohr, Teton Youth and Family Services Community Programs Director. Back rail The reorganization gave priority to people with severe and chronic mental illnesses, people coming out of prison, families suspected or at risk of child abuse, and children being released from treatment centers.
Moles said it’s too early to know how the restructuring will affect mental health facilities. Teton Youth and Family Services is strategically planning for an increase in caseloads.
“When our caseload fills up with priority recipients, we don’t have room to take on other referrals,” Moles said.
Jackson mental health organizations rely on grant funding from the town and county to provide continuity of services.
“There will be no changes to how we provide services,” Ashley said, “and we will continue to provide services on a sliding scale for those who are not eligible for state funding.”
Staff at Mental Health and Recovery Services of Jackson Hole can help you with the Medicaid application process. At the state level, organizations such as Enroll Wyoming can help you complete the necessary application process.
For people who no longer qualify for state support services from the Community Mental Health Center Network, WDH said subsidized coverage may be available through the federal marketplace.
Look at how state behavioral health restructuring will impact local mental health organizations..
