FY 2016 Appropriation

The Community Mental Health Services program develops, coordinates, and evaluates mental health services.

Funding History

Funding Issues

Children's Mental Health Early Intervention for Children and Youth

Children's mental health promotion/mental illness prevention that was funded $1,500,000 one time during the 2014 General Session. This request is to make that funding ongoing. Counties are also asking that this funding be increased by an additional $1.5 million in order to serve more schools. Children, Youth and their Families who have Serious Emotional Disturbance (SED) or who are at Risk of developing SEDs are the population being served. In the past two years these community based efforts to intervene early, helped 9,744 children, youth, and their families; 3,983 in the first year of funding and 5,761 in the second year of funding. The subcommittee took action to reduce the request to $1.2 million and fund $300,000 one-time with TANF funds.
Appropriation Overview

During the 2015 General Session, the Legislature appropriated for Fiscal Year 2016, $13,368,500 from all sources for Community Mental Health Services. This is a 27.4 percent reduction from Fiscal Year 2015 revised estimated amounts from all sources. The total includes $7,075,300 from the General/Education Funds, a reduction of 17.1 percent from revised Fiscal Year 2015 estimates.

Appropriation Adjustments

In addition to statewide compensation and internal service fund cost increases, the following appropriation adjustments were made during the 2015 General Session:

DescriptionOngoingOne-Time Background Checks/HB 145 Vulnerable Adult Workers$29,800$0
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
$29,800$0General Fund
Human Services - Background Checks & HB 145 - Vulnerable Adult Worker Amendments - "to enable background checks of employees working with vulnerable adults."
Children's Mental Health Early Intervention for Children and Youth$1,500,000$0
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
$1,200,000$0General Fund
$300,000$0Federal Funds
Children's mental health promotion/mental illness prevention that was funded $1,500,000 one time during the 2014 General Session. This request is to make that funding ongoing. Counties are also asking that this funding be increased by an additional $1.5 million in order to serve more schools. Children, Youth and their Families who have Serious Emotional Disturbance (SED) or who are at Risk of developing SEDs are the population being served. In the past two years these community based efforts to intervene early, helped 9,744 children, youth, and their families; 3,983 in the first year of funding and 5,761 in the second year of funding. The subcommittee took action to reduce the request to $1.2 million and fund $300,000 one-time with TANF funds.
Employment Program for the Mentally Ill$0$120,000
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
$0$120,000Federal Funds
Funding is to assist individuals with a serious and persistent mental illness the opportunity to build self-confidence and self-esteem through reintregartion into their community through meaningful work, education, safe and affordable housing, and respectful relationships.
Expand Autism Classrooms$0$500,000
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
$0$500,000General Fund, One-time
Funding is meant to expand autism classrooms available throughout the state.
Suicide Prevention Amendments$191,000$210,000
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
$191,000$0General Fund
$0$210,000General Fund, One-time
No Description
Supplemental Federal Funds Adjustment - Human Services$0$3,002,700
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
$0$3,002,700Federal Funds
No Description
Staff Analysis

For the most recent completed fiscal year, the following information represents the purposes for which the money was used:

Community Mental Health Services Detailed Purposes

Number of competency/forensic evaluations

Number of homeless clients served

PASSR: Number of screenings

Regarding the positive trend greater than 5% in its PASSR screenings performance measure, the agency states, "PASRR evaluations aid in the treatment and review process for individuals with mental illness in Medicaid Certified nursing facilities and is mandated by the federal government as part of the Federal Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act. According to the US Census Bureau the population of people age 65 and older grew from 190,222 in 2000 to 249,462 in 2010, a 31% increase while the general population in Utah has increased 23% from 2000 to 2010.  This dramatic growth has had a significant impact on the PASRR program and the number of PASRR evaluations requested and completed.  DSAMH projects that need will continue to grow and additional funds will be needed to meet the increasing need in the future . . . PASRR evaluations aid in the treatment and review process for individuals with mental illness in Medicaid Certified nursing facilities and is mandated by the federal government as part of the Federal Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act. According to the US Census Bureau the population of people age 65 and older in Utah grew 31% between the 2000 and 2010 census while the general population in Utah increased 23% during the same time period. This dramatic growth (31%) has had a significant impact on the PASRR program and the number of PASRR evaluations requested and completed. The growth in evaluations is directly correlated with the increase in the aging population. DSAMH projects that as the population 65 and older continues to increase so will the need for PASRR funds and we assume additional funding will be needed in future years to meet future growth."

The program is funded with the following federal grants:

  • Homeless Mentally Ill: The division distributes this federal PATH grant to mental health centers for specialized services to the homeless mentally ill. This is an annual grant.
  • Mental Health Block Grant: This grant, most of which is passed through to the local mental health authorities on a formula basis, provides funding for the development of a statewide system of care for adults with serious mental illness and children with serious emotional disturbances.
  • Passages Grant: A new SAMHSA grant awarded to DSAMH on October 1, 2009 for the development of transition to adult living services for young adults with serious emotional disturbance in two of Utah's most rural counties - San Juan and Tooele. This grant expired September 30, 2014 but a new grant is pending.
  • System of Care Expansion Planning Grant: A new SAMHSA grant awarded to DSAMH on July 1, 2012 to develop a comprehensive strategic plan for improving and expanding services provided by systems of care for children and youth with serious emotional disturbances and their families.

The following state-funded programs are also budgeted in this program:

  • Competency Evaluations for Adults and Juveniles: The state is responsible for determining an individual's competency to stand trial for a crime. The Division contracts with forensic evaluators to perform the evaluations for children/youth and adults.
  • Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (OBRA) of 1987: This act requires the state to assess the appropriateness of placement for mentally ill persons residing in nursing facilities. This assessment is done using the Preadmission Screening and Resident Review (PASRR).
  • Pre-school Autism Program: This program provides funds to several areas of the state to develop and operate programs for pre-school children with autism.

Intent Language

HB0003: Item 89

Under Section 63J-1-603 of the Utah Code, the Legislature intends that any remaining funds provided by Item 38, Chapter 13, Laws of Utah 2014 for the Drug Courts program within the Department of Human Services' Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health line item not lapse at the close of Fiscal Year 2015. The use of any non-lapsing funds is limited to "other charges/pass through" expenditures consistent with the requirements found at UCA 63J-1-603(3)(b).

HB0003: Item 89

Under Section 63J-1-603 of the Utah Code, the Legislature intends that any remaining funds provided by Item 38, Chapter 13, Laws of Utah 2014 for State Substance Abuse Services and Local Substance Abuse Services within the Department of Human Services' Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health line item not lapse at the close of Fiscal Year 2015. The use of any non-lapsing funds is limited to "other charges/pass through" expenditures consistent with the requirements found at UCA 63J-1-603(3)(b).

HB0003: Item 89

Under Section 63J-1-603 of the Utah Code, the Legislature intends that up to $50,000 of appropriations provided for the Department of Human Services' Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health line item in Item 38, Chapter 13, Laws of Utah 2014 not lapse at the close of Fiscal Year 2015. These funds are to be used for the purchase of computer equipment and software, capital equipment or improvements, equipment, or supplies.

SB0002: Item 82

The Legislature intends the Department of Workforce Services and the Administrative Offices of the Courts provide a report to the Office of the Legislative Fiscal Analyst no later than September 1, 2015. The report shall include, at a minimum: 1) a summary of efforts to improve coordination between the Drug Court program and DWS' Workforce Development Division in order to improve Drug Court success, 2) data indicating the success of the efforts including the implementation and reporting on measures of post program recidivism, and 3) any identified savings or additional funding of drug court recipients as a result of improved coordination efforts.

SB0002: Item 82

The Legislature intends that the one-time General Fund appropriation of $6,400,000 to the Department of Human Services for Local Authority Mental Health Medicaid Match is provided to assist local mental health authorities for one year until they can find ways to provide their own matching funds in the future. The Legislature further intends the local mental health authorities report their plans to provide their own matching funds in the future to the Office of the Legislative Fiscal Analyst by September 1, 2015.

SB0002: Item 82

The Legislature intends that the $300,000 in federal funds appropriated for Children's Mental Health Early Intervention for Children and Youth in the Department of Human Services in the Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health line item is dependent upon the availability of and qualification for the Children's Mental Health Early Intervention for Children and Youth for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families federal funds.

SB0007S01: Item 9

The Legislature intends that the Department of Human Services report on the following performance measures for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health line item: (1) Local Substance Abuse Services - Successful completion rate (Target = 40%), (2) Mental Health Services - Adult Outcomes Questionnaire - Percent of clients stable, improved, or in recovery while in current treatment (Target = 70%), and (3) Mental Health Centers - Youth Outcomes Questionnaire - Percent of clients stable, improved, or in recovery while in current treatment (Target = 70%) by January 1, 2016 to the Social Services Appropriations Subcommittee.

SB0007S01: Item 27

The Legislature intends that the Department of Human Services report on the following performance measures for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health line item: (1) Local Substance Abuse Services - Successful completion rate (Target = 40%), (2) Mental Health Services - Adult Outcomes Questionnaire - Percent of clients stable, improved, or in recovery while in current treatment (Target = 70%), and (3) Mental Health Centers - Youth Outcomes Questionnaire - Percent of clients stable, improved, or in recovery while in current treatment (Target = 70%) by January 1, 2016 to the Social Services Appropriations Subcommittee.

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COBI contains unaudited data as presented to the Legislature by state agencies at the time of publication. For audited financial data see the State of Utah's Comprehensive Annual Financial Reports.