FY 2016 Appropriation

State statute assigns substance abuse local authority responsibility to each county. Counties may elect to perform their local authority responsibilities singularly or through an interlocal agreement between multiple counties. There are currently organized thirteen (13) local substance abuse authorities. The Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health (DSAMH) is the state's public substance abuse authority. It has the duty to consult and coordinate with local substance abuse authorities regarding programs and services. The DSAMH sets policy for programs funded with state and federal money. It accomplishes this objective by establishing rules and minimum standards for local substance abuse authorities. It establishes minimum quality standards, funding formulas for distribution of public funds, and other public and substance abuse policies with input from various stakeholders.

Funding History
Appropriation Overview

During the 2015 General Session, the Legislature appropriated for Fiscal Year 2016, $27,098,000 from all sources for Local Substance Abuse Services. This is a 19.6 percent increase from Fiscal Year 2015 revised estimated amounts from all sources. The total includes $13,352,500 from the General/Education Funds, an increase of 50 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 ACA Savings - Local Mental Health/Sub Abuse ($50,000)$0
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
($50,000)$0General Fund
Savings to local mental health and substance abuse systems for both children and adults that have already occurred resulting from passage of federal health care reform (ACA). The amount represents less than four tenths of 1% of state General Fund pass through provided. Savings would involve newly covered groups either on Medicaid or ACA subsidy where local agencies had paying the full amount before (e.g. - children 6-18 below 100% of poverty, etc.).
Justice Reinvestment Initiative$2,980,000$1,520,000
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
$2,980,000$0General Fund
$0$1,520,000General Fund, One-time
Over the past 18 months, leaders in state government collaborated with the Pew Charitable Trusts Public Safety Performance Project and the U.S. Department of Justice to examine and find solutions to Utah's recidivism rate and growing prison population. The Justice Reinvestment Initiative is the broad project to begin implementation of key recommendations from the study. Funding is provided for the Department of Corrections, Board of Pardons and Parole, Governor's Office (Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice); additional funding is provided for the Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health.
Staff Analysis

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

Local Substance Abuse Services Detailed Purposes

Successful completion rate

Clients seeing increased employment

Following is a list of substance abuse local authorities, the counties served, and the agency or organization through which services are provided:

  • Interlocal agreement between Box Elder, Cache, and Rich counties known as District 1 Substance Abuse Authority -- services provided through Bear River Health District
  • Interlocal agreement between Carbon, Emery, and Grand counties -- services provided by Four Corners Community Mental Health Center, Inc., a private, not-for-profit entity
  • Interlocal agreement between Juab, Millard, Piute, Sevier, Wayne, and Sanpete counties -- services provided by Central Utah Mental Health/Substance Abuse Center doing business as Central Utah Counseling Center, a governmental entity formed via the interlocal agreement
  • Davis County -- services provided through a contract with Davis Behavioral Health Inc., a private, not-for-profit entity
  • Salt Lake County, Division of Behavioral Health Services -- services provided by the county mainly through subcontracts with private substance abuse service providers
  • San Juan County -- services provided through San Juan County Substance Abuse/Mental Health Special Service District operating as San Juan Counseling, a service district organized under the Utah Special Services District Act
  • Interlocal agreement between Beaver, Garfield, Iron, Kane, and Washington counties -- services provided by Southwest Behavioral Health Center also known as Southwest Center, a governmental entity formed via the interlocal agreement
  • Summit County -- services provided through a contract with Valley Mental Health, Inc., a private, not-for-profit entity
  • Tooele County -- services provided through a contract with Valley Mental Health, Inc., a private, not-for-profit entity
  • Interlocal agreement between Daggett, Duchesne, and Uintah counties -- services provided by Uintah Basin Tri-County Mental Health and Substance Abuse Local Authority doing business as Northeastern Counseling Center, a governmental entity
  • Wasatch County -- services provided by Wasatch Mental Health Services Special Service District, organized under the Utah Special Services District Act and operates as Wasatch Mental Health
  • Utah County -- services provided by Utah County Division of Substance Abuse through subcontracts with private substance abuse service providers
  • Interlocal agreement between Morgan and Weber counties -- services provided by Weber Human Services, a governmental entity formed via the interlocal agreement

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.

Counties obtain funds from various sources including state General Fund and the federal Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment (SAPT) block grant. Counties are required to "match" (i.e. - provide from county resources) no less than twenty percent (20%) of an amount equal to most of the state General Fund received from the Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health [UCA 17-43-201(4)(k)]

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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.