Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Health Interlocal topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
County approves Bear River interlocal agreement and appoints behavioral‑health director under contract
Summary
Box Elder County commissioners approved an updated multi‑county interlocal agreement that clarifies public‑health and behavioral‑health duties, adds nonvoting ex‑officio seats, and delegated authority to Bear River Health Department to sign certain Medicaid‑match contracts. The commission also appointed Trevor Cook as behavioral‑health director under contract, adopting companion Resolution 26‑20.
Box Elder County commissioners voted to approve a revised interlocal agreement formalizing Bear River Health Department as the region’s multi‑county, united local health department and adopted a companion resolution to appoint a behavioral‑health director under contract.
Jordan Mathis, who presented the draft agreement, told commissioners the changes include clearer delineation of duties between public health and behavioral health, and the addition of nonvoting ex‑officio seats — for example, a Cache County executive and a representative from Utah State University. Mathis said the edits also explicitly authorize Bear River to sign Medicaid‑match contracts on behalf of the counties. "It just authorizes us to sign that contract so it doesn't have to come to you," Mathis said, describing the delegation that will allow Bear River to execute certain contracts directly.
Mathis described other technical changes pulled from state code and said the update makes Box Elder consistent with neighboring counties. He told the commission the county attorney had reviewed the agreement and that a parallel resolution (for interlocal adoption) was required. Commissioner Perry moved to approve the agreement (Interlocal Agreement 26‑27) as presented; Commissioner Bingham seconded and the motion passed by voice vote.
The commission then considered the appointment of a behavioral‑health director under contract: Mathis presented Trevor Cook, executive director of Bear River Mental Health, as the proposed contract‑appointed director and described contract language that would allow an individual to serve until the contract or employment ended. "The contract language," Mathis said, "would say that that he would serve, in that position until he ends employment or until the contract ends." Perry moved to appoint Cook and to adopt Resolution 26‑20 (the companion resolution); Bingham seconded and the motions passed by voice vote.
Why it matters: the interlocal agreement changes who can execute Medicaid‑match contracts and clarifies responsibilities between public‑health and behavioral‑health duties for the three counties participating in Bear River Health Department. Supporters at the meeting framed the change as bringing Box Elder into alignment with statewide practice and reducing administrative duplication; some members of the public later raised concerns about how the transition would affect provider choice for Medicaid recipients.
What’s next: commissioners adopted the agreement and companion resolution. Staff and Bear River will proceed with contract execution and the county will work with Bear River and other counties to implement operational details, including how single‑case agreements for clients will be handled.
