Health regulators to decide how UVMHN will spend $18M on mental health
WCAX
Vermont health care regulators are expected to decide soon how the UVM Health Network will spend $18 million on mental health resources.
The Green Mountain Care Board in 2018 ordered the network to set aside $21 million in surplus funds dedicated to increasing inpatient mental health capacity. The network and GMCB agreed to build a $158 million adult inpatient facility at Central Vermont Medical Center to expand the current unit’s 15-bed capacity to 40. Three million of that funding was spent on planning and designs. But the project was shelved last April following pandemic budget shortfalls, leaving the remaining $18 million in limbo.
UVM Health Network CEO Sunny Eappen says leaders need to determine what other investment options could have the greatest impact. “How do we tie it into our ambulatory care, how do we tie it into our already existing ob practices and primary care practices, how does that integrate into inpatient care, whether it’s for adolescents, pediatrics, or for adults.