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AuSable Valley Community Mental Health reports $93 million in unreleased state funds; urges Medicaid changes for incarcerated people
Summary
AuSable Valley Community Mental Health Authority presented its 2023 report to the Oscoda County Board, noting $93 million in unreleased state funds, a rebranding effort, and a request that state lawmakers allow Medicaid coverage for incarcerated individuals and children.
AuSable Valley Community Mental Health Authority (AVCMHA) presented its 2023 annual report to the Oscoda County Board of Commissioners on Sept. 10, with CEO Diane Pelts saying the agency "continues to provide state mandated services and continues to do so with no increase in County support based on agreement, which has not changed since 1998."
Pelts told the board that funding and state reimbursement rates remain pending and that AVCMHA is aware of "$93 million in unreleased funds" at the state level. The narrative report she reviewed includes recipient rights complaint data, counts of consumers served, discharge-survey results, staff training offerings and performance indicators. AVCMHA is also undertaking a rebranding, Pelts said, including a new “doing business as” name and logo intended to reflect integrated, whole-person care and partnerships across its three-county service area.
Pelts described a policy issue the agency is pursuing with state lawmakers: an "exclusion to Medicaid for incarcerated individuals" that currently suspends Medicaid when a person is taken into custody. She said the State is asking senators to allow Medicaid coverage for inmates and for children; Pelts noted that 11 states have already made such changes and that other states are considering similar moves.
Sheriff Kevin Grace responded to the presentation by saying services "have improved over the years," thanking EMS Director Robert Stankiewicz and his team for support, and adding that any expansion of Medicaid coverage for inmates could "lessen the burden on the County" by reducing county costs associated with inmate care.
Why this matters: County and law-enforcement officials said changes in Medicaid policy could affect where inmates receive care and the county's costs for housing and treatment. The report also provides current performance metrics and staffing information that county leaders may use in budget and service-planning discussions.
The board took no formal vote on policy changes; the report was presented for information and discussion. The next regular Board of Commissioners meeting is Sept. 24, 2024.
