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Lawmakers debate SUD voucher expansion, jail mental‑health payments and youth crisis pilots as HHS requests multiple program increases
Summary
Lawmakers debated multiple behavioral‑health program requests — a $2.5 million SUD voucher expansion, $500,000 for IMD medical expenses, a proposed jail mental‑health reimbursement stream, and a youth crisis stabilization pilot — and asked HHS for more detail before committing funds.
Bismarck — The Appropriations — Human Resources Division debated several behavioral‑health program requests Friday, including expansions to the state’s substance‑use disorder (SUD) voucher program, a proposal to reimburse medical expenses at institutions for mental disease (IMDs), pilot funding for jail‑based mental‑health services, and a proposed youth crisis stabilization pilot.
SUD voucher expansion and IMD medical expenses
Department testimony said utilization of the SUD voucher program has grown and that an additional $2.5 million of general fund support would keep reimbursement rates aligned with Medicaid and meet increasing demand. The department described how the voucher program reimburses treatment providers and said earlier biennia had seen the program run out of funds mid‑biennium.
On IMD medical expenses, the House had not included funding. The Senate discussion flagged a $500,000 request that would reimburse certain medical costs incurred while a person…
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