Goal 5

Encourage the work of the Governor’s Health Care Task force in ascertaining the most significant problems Wyoming citizens, especially children, adolescents, and the elderly, face with access to health care, mental health care, and substance abuse treatment services and support the recommendations of the Health Care Task Force with regard to the best solutions.


Health and Human Services Capital Construction Account

This project would fund healthcare and human service facility infrastructure and capital construction needs. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed a great deal of infrastructure need at healthcare and human service facilities throughout Wyoming. These needs include: hospital and long-term care facility upgrades and renovations; capital construction investments in community mental health and substance abuse centers; primary residential settings; senior centers across Wyoming; and remodels necessary to adequately care for “hard to place” clients, including youth, at congregate care facilities.

$90,000,000


Telehealth Investment Account

This project would set aside funding for investment in expanding the availability of telepsychiatry in Wyoming. The Dept. of Health would design a competitive process to develop a network of Wyoming-based psychiatric providers as well as a technology platform on which customers (including courts, medical providers, community service providers, and others) could access the network for various telepsychiatry needs.

$3,000,000


Health & Human Services Innovation Fund

This funding will allow for a variety of opportunities for innovation in the health and human services areas. Projects may include innovations in the areas of telehealth, rural health, mental health and behavioral health reform, substance abuse, long-term care, human services, digital medical and health information technology.

$50,000,000


EMS Dispatch Certification

Wyoming lacks a standard medical response system within the 9-1-1 dispatch centers, leading to a lack of medical guidance occurring at the time of the emergency call. This proposal asks for a one-time investment of start-up costs for purchase of the Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) curriculum, staff training, and recertification to bring all 9-1-1 response centers up to the same standard of care delivery across Wyoming.

$84,000


WY Resource Center Network and 2-1-1 Capacity Building (resource and referral)

Increased needs for resources during the pandemic have highlighted a gap in the connection between local resources and would-be service users. Wyoming 2-1-1 has long been an integral actor in assisting citizens to make the connection with various resources, helping to reduce long-term costs that come from missed connections. This proposal seeks to designate ARPA funds to increase Wyoming 2-1-1 program capacity to better address the increased need and to create a marketing campaign to help increase awareness about the non-profit and improve public knowledge about this critical resource. This proposal further enhances Wyoming resource support by establishing regional resource champions that can provide in-depth services and care coordination. The resource center network will enhance local level support to ensure connections are made and services are delivered.

$9,843,231


Mental Health First Aid - Suicide Prevention Training

Mental health strain has increased during the pandemic and in 2020 Wyoming had the highest recorded amount of deaths by suicide. This proposal looks to implement a Mental Health First Aid program across the state to help in addressing these problems. The program provides classes on Mental Health First Aid and Suicide Prevention. By providing these educational opportunities, the goal is to equip the citizens of the state to better handle mental health concerns and help to prevent suicides.

$386,000


Suicide Prevention Lifeline and 9-8-8 Implementation

This proposal will provide funding to expand the Suicide Lifeline to 24/7 operations while supporting the initial transition to the 9-8-8 crisis intervention system.

$7,000,000


Health Commission and Health Trust Fund

This proposal will establish a Health Care Commission for Wyoming that will be responsible for ensuring the health care system is constantly being assessed and reviewed and ensuring that recommendations move forward. Additionally, a Health Trust Fund will be established in the amount of $100,000,000 so that operations and recommendations can be funded from the interest. This will also allow for funding to support ongoing efforts and support innovations in health care.

$100,000,000


One-time funding for crisis beds/stabilization services

Emergency COVID funds to assist in supporting youth crisis beds.

$1,000,000


EMS Stabilization Fund

Due to the pandemic many ambulance services are at risk of shutting down in Wyoming. These emergency services are vital to ensure a suitable coverage area, especially in rural Wyoming. This proposal looks to provide temporary sustainable funding while the taskforce works on seeking more solid funding options.

$15,000,000


EMS Regionalization Pilot

Currently, emergency medical services continue to rise in cost without a sustainable funding source. This is placing a significant financial burden on local and county entities. The regional pilot project will allow regions to convene and develop local solutions for regional pilots. The goal is to pilot programs that decrease costs and increase access to emergency services.

$17,000,000


Nutritional Support for Chronic Health Conditions - Project Well Pilot

Chronic health conditions such as obesity, heart disease, and diabetes cost Americans $1.1 trillion dollars, not including lost productivity or other extra costs. One of the major contributors identified in causing these chronic health conditions is nutrition, and nutrition can be a major factor in successfully managing a chronic health condition, thereby reducing healthcare costs. This proposal looks to pilot a program that provides resources for patients experiencing diabetes or heat failure around nutrition and wellness education and access.

$1,875,000


Nutritional Support for Chronic Health Conditions - Food Insecurity

This proposal is a part of a larger effort to address food insecurity and nutrition deficits that contribute to chronic health conditions such as diabetes and heart disease. The proposal looks to provide funding to bring in private stakeholders to take on the task of assisting in bringing eligible people onto the SNAP program.

$606,000



Provide mental health support services to community college students

Students, particularly single parents, unemployed, and those within the equity gap including first generation and minorities, report that they have had a very tough time during the pandemic. The colleges will increase and, in some colleges, implement hourly mental health staff, particularly during “surge” times, and include contracted online mental health counseling services.

$2,000,000



Resolve the Substance Use Disorder Treatment Backlog

One-time funding to create programming at the Department of Correction's Honor Camp to resolve a backlog created by COVID-19.

$1,200,000