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DPBH proposes converting internal contractor roles to state positions for grant management and moving suicide‑prevention staff to crisis budget
Summary
The Division of Public and Behavioral Health proposed 17 federally funded state positions to replace internal contract administrators of substance‑use and suicide‑prevention grants and asked to transfer most Office of Suicide Prevention roles into the crisis response budget account.
The Division of Public and Behavioral Health (DPBH) is proposing a set of position changes in the Behavioral Health Wellness and Prevention budget that would convert existing internal contract positions into state classified positions to manage major federal grants and would move most Office of Suicide Prevention staff into the crisis‑response budget account.
Agency presentation and rationale: Administrator Cody Finney told the subcommittee the 17 positions requested in budget account 3170 would replace temporary contract staff who currently manage grant mechanics and technical assistance. Finney and grant staff said the change is intended to increase the state’s capacity to oversee grants such as the State Opioid Response (SAMHSA), Partnership for Success, the Garrett Lee Smith youth suicide prevention award, and other federal discretionary and block grants; the department emphasized that most of the program dollars will continue to be subawarded to local partners and school districts.
Assemblymember Brown‑May and others asked why the department was creating state positions rather than continuing individual contract roles. Grant staff clarified the current arrangement uses individual contracts placed inside the agency to administer awards; the proposed change would convert those internal contract duties to permanent state positions while keeping the majority of service dollars flowing to community subawardees.
Suicide prevention office transfer: The agency seeks to transfer three Office of Suicide Prevention positions from 3170 to the crisis response budget account (3165) so those staff align with 988/crisis infrastructure work. One statewide suicide prevention coordinator position, funded with general fund, would remain in 3170. Finney said the transfer aims to better align program administration with crisis‑response operations while preserving the general‑funded coordinator in the prevention budget.
Sustainability and risk: Committee members raised concerns about sustainability if federal grants expire. Senator Dondero Loop and others asked how many individuals receive services from expiring ARPA‑funded items (decision units E490/E491/E492) and how reductions would affect community recipients. Finney said the ARPA‑specific additions are sunsetting, and the department expects to use Medicaid and other revenue where feasible to sustain certain services; he and grant managers agreed to provide detailed counts and a spend‑down schedule for ARPA additions and other grants.
Why it matters: The proposal affects how the state manages large federal awards, the internal mix of contract versus state positions, and the administrative capacity to supervise subawards that fund local prevention, treatment and crisis programs. Several community coalition leaders testified that state subawards to local coalitions are an important vehicle for prevention and that shifting administrative roles should not disrupt community subawards.
Next steps: DPBH staff committed to provide the committee with additional details on the number of individuals served by expiring federal programs, timing of ARPA spend‑down, and plans to maximize Medicaid and other federal reimbursement where available.
(Reported from DPBH presentation, committee Q&A and public comment.)
