FOR YOUR INFORMATION
The Lewiston Tribune
Lewiston, Idaho
Friday Feb. 3, 2017
by William L. Spence
Page 1 of 2
Mental health lawsuit could be win-win
Services for children would increase but wouldn’t
have much impact on general fund
BOISE — A nearly 40-year-old lawsuit is driving major changes in Idaho’s child mental health services.
The effort, which is subject to legislative and federal approval, could more than triple the amount of
services available for children with severe emotional disturbances.
As an added bonus, the plan is expected to have minimal impact to the state’s general fund.
“We’re talking a transformation of the entire system over three years,” said Ross Edmunds, administrator
of the Department of Health and Welfare’s Division of Behavioral Health. “It will be a lot of work, but it’s really
good work. It will create one of the strongest mental health systems in the country.”
The proposal reflects a 2015 settlement agreement in the Jeff D class-action lawsuit. Initially filed in
1980, the lawsuit addressed abuses related to the commingling of children and adult mental health patients at
State Hospital South in Blackfoot. Most of the issues raised in the case have been resolved; the 2015 settlement
lists a final few requirements, such as expanding community-based treatment options.
“We have four years to implement (the settlement),” Edmunds said during a presentation to the joint
budget committee Thursday. “Then there will be two or three years of follow-up surveillance by the plaintiffs
before we submit a joint request for the lawsuit to be terminated.”
One of the first steps is to expand the number of kids who are eligible to receive state mental health
services. The state currently only provides services for kids who don’t qualify for Medicaid. However, Health and
Welfare wants to shift $1.18 million of children’s mental health funding from Edmunds’ division to the Division
of Medicaid in the fiscal 2018 budget (see related article). Once that happens, the state will be eligible for a nearly
three-to-one federal match, or $4.15 million in total funding.
“We want to use Medicaid as the backbone of the system,” Edmunds said.
A federal waiver will be needed so the Medicaid Division can serve kids whose families are below 300
percent of the poverty level, he said. Legislative approval also will be required to seek the federal waiver; that bill
will be introduced this session.
As part of the transformation, the number of services available to emotionally disturbed children also
would expand, from about eight to 36. Those changes will be rolled out over three years.
FOR YOUR INFORMATION
The Lewiston Tribune
Lewiston, Idaho
Friday Feb. 3, 2017
by William L. Spence
Page 2 of 2
“It’s going to be very exciting,” Edmunds said. “The opportunities we have, the changes we’ll make, are
really outstanding.”
###
Copyright 2017 The Lewiston Tribune