[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6353155,"mediaKeyId","2221696-155d49d1aa256b2a3814d20e20b2d827","parentId",2221696,"title","Behavioral Health Commission asks Legislature for range of funding to shore up crisis care, hospital capacity and peer supports","audioSeconds",1003,"startMs",2702000,"endMs",3705000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2221696-155d49d1aa256b2a3814d20e20b2d827&start=2702&end=3705","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2221696-155d49d1aa256b2a3814d20e20b2d827/thumbnail_2702000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6353155/Utah/Behavioral-Health-Commission-asks-Legislature-for-range-of-funding-to-shore-up-crisis-care-hospital-capacity-and-peer-supports","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6353155-1b4c8578d25fb452f5641460e419df44/orig.mp4?Expires=1771137113&Signature=HayjmZK0c~SmcYBf47owyanCihKmcuIFi1OdCENXlthGrau-h9LquhYXEF~2QaChG27wjWMyFfnmITap9qBCHnHKSKe5KY3c~mR85q947cGA2dSxj2dedq8CFoWpIS7jF9gkdvmRTIfIQDFfi7voZrSN4qzTrhVrGjPFuQN0eDpAmrnrEJd4K5dXatbMfBXHTi2twuUXLS9mI5geLbgvqXJmZhOmYW7DjE6PUQBWNWNB0nCF9Lo4NgYU9MrvecIdSxuY8V2GTGvLrtk2dvRIavzUttXCH8W2dGRmUxT9Zu~vZXxzqPec~QZ1882U3-Ecbpq-oGJNpOapAWLFtqtQWg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Utah State Legislature","date","2025-02-04T00:00:00Z","article","Representative Brady Eliason, a member of the legislative oversight board for the Behavioral Health Commission, told the Social Services Appropriations Subcommittee that the commission submitted a set of funding recommendations aimed at gaps in Utah's behavioral health system.

The commission recommended increases and one-time investments across crisis services, peer supports and state hospital capacity to reduce pressure on emergency departments and jails and to improve continuity of care, Eliason said.

The package calls for a small ongoing boost to peer support Medicaid rates (just under $24,000 in the commission's request) to reduce churn among workers who provide lived-experience supports; continuation of a 5% pandemic-era Medicaid increase for behavioral providers that expires June 30, 2025; a 26% raise for Mobile Crisis Outreach Team (MCOT) reimbursement; funding for one additional MCOT; a $600,000 one-time pilot to test humane, non-law-enforcement transports in rural areas; and money for one additional rural behavioral health receiving center in the Uinta Basin.

\"Peers are a critical extender in our workforce,\" Eliason said, describing peer staff who work on MCOTs and at receiving centers. \"Peer support reduces rehospitalization, emergency-department visits and increases treatment adherence.\" Mia Nafsiger, staff for the Behavioral Health Commission, joined Eliason for the presentation.

Committee members heard that MCOT usage is rising (Salt Lake County visits doubled in the previous 12 months), but reimbursement rates have not been adjusted in nearly eight years. Eliason said the increase would be a relatively small budget item with a large operational effect, helping sustain 24/7 coverage that has been recently achieved.

The commission also asked for $89 million one-time to add roughly 60 lower-acuity beds at the Utah State Hospital to relieve pressure created by rising forensic (court-ordered) admissions and to free higher-acuity beds for short-term treatment. The request included $1.2 million ongoing for operational costs. \"We are 30 beds below 2008 levels,\" Eliason said, describing long-term capacity shortfalls that have worsened as forensic admissions have grown.

On correctional health, Eliason repeated a prior interim recommendation: the department and Utah Department of Corrections must replace a non-billing electronic medical record (Fusion) with a system that supports Medicaid billing and discharge planning tied to the federal Justice-Involved Medicaid waiver. The commission requested $10 million one-time from a Medicaid restricted account for an RFP and implementation; the intent is that county jails and state corrections can bill Medicaid for eligible inmates up to 90 days before release and support reentry.

Separately, the commission proposed maintaining state hospital operations with $3.8 million ongoing and $1 million supplemental to avoid future bed closures, citing higher staffing and operating costs since the pandemic.

The committee did not take on any of the commission's line-item funding decisions at the hearing; speakers were given three minutes each and members were asked to take questions offline. The commission's requests will be part of the subcommittee's budget prioritization in subsequent meetings.

Ending: If the subcommittee supports any of the commission's items, staff and sponsors said they will bring specific intent language and statutory changes back to the committee for implementation and fiscal detail.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Social Services Appropriations Subcommittee - February 04, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Representative Brady Eliason, a legislative oversight member of the Behavioral Health Commission, presented the panel's funding recommendations to the Social Services Appropriations Subcommittee aimed at expanding crisis response, sustaining peer supports and preventing further bed closures at the Utah State Hospital.","taxTitle","2025 Utah Legislature, Utah Legislature, Utah Legislative Branch, Utah","taxId",78171,"location","Utah","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6353146,"Lawmakers present two separate requests to reduce Utah's DSPD wait list for services",590,470000,1060000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2221696-155d49d1aa256b2a3814d20e20b2d827&start=470&end=1060","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2221696-155d49d1aa256b2a3814d20e20b2d827/thumbnail_470000.jpg","/articles/6353146/Utah/Lawmakers-present-two-separate-requests-to-reduce-Utahs-DSPD-wait-list-for-services","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6353146-05da5500f40ad22164eb1754ebf2fc5e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771137113&Signature=jbjc45wrTz8VQPnc4JMMrcsKPnux4bwlpBhlA69B7jEYuXF3J3k82m5NwaRvqZT~D3Ldebf2UdVGQf9gl-u-ke8X-wpodZBHhZeNxMEB3WYWtPbHZ3ih94~KiYEV7W2rbOrDO2KZ3H0TmjxLhV7BXGe-6~FeknKtif5KpfF2cggxfB-5JvhhcFSxckPH-bYo5y6DfBU-tZiELUqqZZI6r5sBrsKvZ-CDFjbwWxl3n1kN1UpoujPWi6uEJSIPPdkBeMRq87Yy1eVHQLENVCaT6JrJzdwxIlcj6hJlgZJlIIW17ees4wTBR7jzrGoUIVs2bV3dxHBmjIBGq6QsZ2yrbQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Two separate lawmakers asked the Social Services Appropriations Subcommittee for funding aimed at moving eligible Utahns off the Division of Services for People with Disabilities (DSPD) wait list.

Representative Lisonbee presented a request for $5 million ongoing from the income tax fund to provide services for individuals on the DSPD wait list who also have an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or a 504 plan. Lisonbee said each state dollar would be matched by federal funds at about a 63% match rate.

\"This is an innovative approach to take money from the income tax fund and apply it here for this particular nexus of individuals,\" Lisonbee said, acknowledging time constraints.

Representative K. Daley Provost separately requested $10 million from the general fund to increase the number of patients moved off the DSPD wait list and into services. Daley Provost and presenters from DSPD emphasized long waits: \"There are people that have been on the wait list for over 20 years,\" she said, and noted that $10 million would not end the wait list but could measurably help hundreds of families by funding services such as respite care.

Both presenters provided handouts for committee review and said they would take questions offline because the hearing limited speakers to three minutes.

Ending: Both requests will be included on the committee's funding lists for prioritization; no vote was taken at the hearing.","Representatives asked the Social Services Appropriations Subcommittee for two appropriations targeting the Division of Services for People with Disabilities (DSPD) wait list: a $5 million ongoing request focused on children with IEPs and a $10 million general-fund request intended to reduce the overall backlog.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6353151,"Nursing homes, home health and private-duty nursing seek rate increases to avoid closures and institutionalization",200,1396000,1596000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2221696-155d49d1aa256b2a3814d20e20b2d827&start=1396&end=1596","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2221696-155d49d1aa256b2a3814d20e20b2d827/thumbnail_1396000.jpg","/articles/6353151/Utah/Nursing-homes-home-health-and-private-duty-nursing-seek-rate-increases-to-avoid-closures-and-institutionalization","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6353151-39038990187291b6d96c570b55540c64/orig.mp4?Expires=1771137113&Signature=i7VzdX8Y-UU3dr8R0gVYH~L25ki83BaWCz-ddiTY~C0npuANsT9IxBO~Ry1CP4MIOS5VtASZqsFArhxOBrFCDn0mLkEcA4~QYaBJjBxrI7KwpYCUDPpbvUUMg4mOZ~L8PYLpANHeSwIT5iFTV~kEQzJzDCCfRc1ZYPIkwJu5213WARChx12fw3A3Z6hEMOVfy78OAADAlJGXk6cGkAMlkqEMmP965rxquZbkDudu0fxp36veFTeE5Os81qJ-Jjt~GS8YZ3gR5qWU9TNOXitKSxahoGreg9qHTZrW95GDmHUq5soVHckeRPt4NowaKH9WLEE-L55O-5R07tdpxBY9fA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senators and provider representatives told the Social Services Appropriations Subcommittee that Utah's Medicaid rates for long-term care and home-based supports lag costs and are driving access problems.

Lisonbee Spangler of the Utah Health Care Association and Senator Escamilla combined two related requests and asked for $5 million for nursing-home rate increases and about $292,000 for intermediate care facilities for individuals with intellectual disabilities (ICF/ID). They said Medicaid rates leave nursing homes operating with about a $100-per-day shortfall and that closures are possible without relief.

\"Now really is the time to invest in long term care,\" Spangler said, citing an 18% projected growth in Utah's older population over two years.

Representative Ward and industry witnesses described private duty nursing (PDN) and home health reimbursement shortfalls. Matt Hanson, executive director of the Home and Hospice Association, said PDN reimbursements cover only about 56% of provider costs and are 46% lower than neighboring-state averages for RN PDN rates; LPN rates are about 31% lower. The association requested $1.926 million ongoing from general funds for PDN.

Ward presented home health and personal-care rate increases that would be matched by federal funds and said these services prevent more expensive institutional care. Witnesses described exodus of waiver providers (aging waiver and New Choices waiver) and noted the state has lost over 60% of some provider capacity in three years for those waivers.

Home and hospice testimony emphasized that PDN averts hospital stays and institution placement for medically complex children and adults; the average PDN cost cited was $424 per day versus a hospital cost of roughly $3,500 per day if nursing care is not available.

Separately, Senator Owens and staff proposed a broader provider cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) approach that would standardize a 2% COLA across multiple rate categories and reduce the need for repeated individual requests. Owens's plan estimated $8 million state funds would bring $60 million in federal match and cover many provider requests aggregated in the committee packet.

The committee did not take a final vote on any of these funding requests at the hearing. Sponsors asked members to take questions offline and to consider the items in prioritization as the subcommittee develops its final budget recommendations.

Ending: Providers emphasized workforce and access risks if rates remain unchanged and asked for ongoing funding that would leverage federal matches to sustain home- and community-based services.","Industry groups and legislators told the Social Services Appropriations Subcommittee that Medicaid reimbursement rates for nursing homes, ICF/ID facilities, home health and private-duty nursing are substantially below cost and need increases to retain workers and prevent more hospital or institutional placements.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Behavioral Health Commission asks Legislature for range of funding to shore up crisis care, hospital capacity and peer supports

Lawmakers present two separate requests to reduce Utah's DSPD wait list for services

Nursing homes, home health and private-duty nursing seek rate increases to avoid closures and institutionalization