PRESS RELEASE – At its first meeting of the new year on Thursday (January 8), the Four County ADAMhs Board began to prepare for the impact that various federal budget cuts made last year will have on various behavioral health services provided by agencies funded by the ADAMhs Board this year.
ADAMhs Board CEO Tonie Long explained what will be affected by specific spending cuts and what will likely occur because of changes to Medicaid, the federally funded healthcare program for lower income persons, and the elimination of premium subsidies to assist with health insurance purchased through the Affordable Care Act.
She said the board will lose $116,170 in federal funding and just over $81,000 in state funding immediately. Other local impacts are expected as a result of funding cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act, she told the board.
“We know what has been done, but it will take some time to know how much additional demand for board-funded behavioral health services those actions will cause,” she said.
For example, new eligibility requirements for adults who currently receive Medicaid will likely mean that some four county residents will lose Medicaid coverage and need board-funded mental health and addiction-related services.
An even larger number of individuals and families who currently qualify for expanded Medicaid could lose that later this year if Ohio decides to opt out of the program.
That would likely happen if the federal government significantly slashes the subsidy that it has been providing Ohio to offer expanded Medicaid, according to Long.
Additionally, federal subsidies of health insurance premiums purchased through the Affordable Care Act insurance marketplace were eliminated on December 31.
Long told the board that at least some of the individuals and families who relied on those subsidies to purchase health insurance through the Affordable Care Act will no longer be able to afford the cost of healthcare.
Again, the ADAMhs Board will be responsible for providing those families with behavioral health services if they can no longer afford to purchase health insurance.
“At this point, we really have no way of knowing how much this will cost the ADAMhs Board,” Long said. “We just know that we will have to react as the needs occur and make funding adjustments as necessary.”
As a result, the board has applied for two grants. “We are still waiting to hear whether a regional grant that would support mobile crisis services has been approved.
“If it is, that funding would hopefully offset a reduction in state funding for mental health crisis services that will impact the board in the next fiscal year,” she said.
Additionally, she reported that the four county board is applying for an Ohio Department of Development grant that would fund rent subsidies for clients in recovery housing.
The ADAMhs Board voted to approve issuing a 120-day notice to all of its provider agencies of its intent to make substantial changes and/or non-renewal of provider contracts for the fiscal year starting July 1, 2026.
Long noted that board contracts with providers always allow adjustments to be made to realign services and funding during a contract term.
Finally, the board approved a $60,000 contract with the Wood County ADAMhs Board for adult crisis stabilization services.