Bear River Mental Health

Bobbie Bicknell Coray, Reporter

Rich Civic Times

RANDOLPH, Utah.  June 9, 2016.  “It is difficult to help someone who doesn’t want to change and who wants to keep committing crimes”, said Reed Ernstrom, Director of Bear River Mental Health, “but if they want to change, we are there for them.”

Because so many people in prisons today are either mentally ill or drug abusers, the Justice Reinvestment Initiative was passed by Congress.  It changed some felonies to misdemeanors  to take non violent offenders out of jails.  However they did not fund the second part of that which was to provide outpatient care.  HB 437 expanded Medicaid somewhat but there is less than $50,000 for the three counties to provide the care. This is really not enough to do a real job preventing recidivism.   

So there is now an uptick in property crimes.  The released prisoners often have friends who keep them  in a criminal atmosphere.  Some states have well funded programs to work with the released prisoners and it has worked.

A better plan is to have early intervention and get therapists in the schools before the behaviors become criminal. 

“We are grateful for the money the county provides  because it leverages $20 for every one dollar the county provides,” said Ernstrom.   “And we appreciate Commissioner Cox on the board.”