Southwest Mississippi Area 11 Department of Mental Health Director Warns Federal Funds, County Jobs and Departments at Risk if They Approve Recommended State Plan
Posted at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, April 18, 2023
- Southwest Mississippi Mental Health celebrated the grand opening and grand opening of its new Crisis Stabilization Center at Natchez in October 2021. From left to right, Garett May, CEO of Merit Health Natchez Hospital; Adams County Supervisor Kevin Wilson; Sherlene Vince, executive director of Southwest Mississippi Mental Health; Mississippi Department of Health Executive Director Windy Bailey; Natchez Mayor Dan Gibson; Margo Brooks, director of administrative services for Southwest Mississippi Mental Health; and Sandra Ellard, the Adams County Commissioner for Mental Health for Southwest Mississippi; and Umesh Sanjanwala, state director for Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith. (Dossier | Democrat Natchez)
NATCHEZ — A director of Southwest Mississippi Mental Health Region 11 told the Adams County Board of Supervisors Monday that splitting the region in two would jeopardize millions of dollars in federal grants, programs and jobs.
Additionally, Margo Brooks, who is director of administration, MIS, Compliance and Human Resources, said splitting the region could also mean that the individual counties that make up the region would be responsible for reimbursing millions of dollars in federal grants. .
The issue stems from a 2016 lawsuit in which the Justice Department sued Mississippi. In 2019, U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves ruled that Mississippi violated the Americans with Disabilities Act by not having sufficient resources in communities to treat mental illness.
As part of this lawsuit, Mississippi formed a Mental Health Accessibility Group to evaluate mental health services. Adams County is currently part of a group of nine counties that make up Area 11 Community Mental Health Centers.
Mental Health Accessibility Group Coordinator Bill Rosamond spoke with Adams County supervisors on Feb. 22, 2022 and told them that Region 11 does not have sufficient operating funds to maintain services. mental health services required and that the delivery of mental health services is inconsistent across the nine county region.
Adams County District Attorney Scott Slover said most of Area 11’s problems stem from improper billing for services rendered.
As a solution, the mental health accessibility group recommended that the nine-county Region 11 be split with Adams, Claiborne, Jefferson and Wilkinson counties joining Region 15, which serves the Vicksburg and Yazoo area. City and the remaining counties – Amite, Franklin, Lawrence, Pike and Walthall join Region 12.
“Region 11 hasn’t been financially solvent for a long time, long before Bill Rosamond came on the scene. The state has overseen this area,” Slover said.
“While services in Region 11 have improved, the region’s financial situation has not improved,” he said. “We believe that poor billing is the reason. Splitting up Region 11 and placing the counties in two other regions that do things right – regions that have correct billing – should fix the problem.
One of the concerns about the distribution is what would happen to the federal funds that Region 11 relies heavily on right now. Slover said he and supervisors have inquired about the potential for “clawback” of federal funds, which means the counties that make up the region would have to pay back federal funds given to the region.
“Bill and his band told us it wouldn’t be a problem,” Slover said.
However, as of Monday, Brooks said over the past two years, Region 11 has received more than $13 million in federal funding. She said these federal grants were made to cover the entire nine-county area. If the region were split, it would no longer meet the guidelines for the federal funds it was given.
“Failing to meet the goals and objectives of the three grants, the federal government will likely step in and audit and may well request the return of some funds, again creating a large deficit,” Brooks said.
She said the problem is one of mismanagement.
“Solve the management problem, but don’t put people served by 14 Region 11 operated sites over 4,000 miles of some of the most rural and poorest communities or more than 120 employees at increased risk,” said Brooks.
Slover said he did not know if Brooks’ information was correct or how the division of regions was explained to him.
“Any time you go to merge or change organizations, there will be a wind-up period, if done correctly,” Slover said after the meeting. “If we’re going to change the organization, you want to go ahead and do it. The sooner you stop the bleeding, the better off you will be.
He said he plans to meet with Brooks and find out more from the information she has.
“During this liquidation period, you will lose some of the grant proceeds. That doesn’t necessarily mean that’s a bad thing. Most of your funds come from billing for services with Medicaid and Medicare. half of your funding comes from that, if it’s billed correctly,” he said. “The state doesn’t want us to lose the mental health services that we provide. these services, so even if we may temporarily lose some, we will rebuild them properly and provide more services for longer.My main concern is to make sure recoveries are taken care of.
Brooks said Adams County and Pike County are the largest in Region 11 and if they choose not to split up, it won’t happen. However, she said Pike County supervisors voted on Friday to join Region 12.
Adams County has not yet voted on the matter and has not set a date to discuss the matter at a meeting.
