CLARIFICATION ON COMMISSIONER NOVOTNY’S LETTER AND VOA’S RESPONSE

SHERIDAN, Wyo. — VOA Northern Rockies (VOA) would like to clarify some inaccuracies surrounding our correspondence with Commissioner William J. Novotny, III, regarding mental health services in Johnson County.

In Commissioner Novotny’s letter dated September 19 and received by VOA September 23, he expressed concerns about our service delivery. We want to assure the community that our Johnson County Clinic is actively open and serving residents of Johnson County. From July 1 to September 24, 2024, VOA has provided care to 119 Johnson County clients, resulting in 743 service visits and close to 900 hours of clinical care. For context, from July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2024, we served 207 individuals in Johnson County. We are currently on pace to meet or exceed those numbers. These statistics reflect our ongoing commitment to meeting the mental health needs of the community.

In our detailed response to the Commissioner, dated and sent September 25, we addressed the concerns noted in his letter, including our efforts to enhance service delivery amidst a statewide shortage of licensed clinicians and healthcare professionals. VOA is strategically positioned to meet Wyoming’s mental health needs by sharing resources across the state through our ten clinics, four residential addiction treatment centers, and two sub-acute crisis programs. Notably, we have recently admitted several Johnson County residents to our new sub-acute crisis program in Sheridan, the first of its kind in Northern Wyoming.

On Friday, October 4, a reporter from Sheridan Media inquired about VOA’s response to the Commissioner’s September 19 letter. VOA promptly returned the call and were given time to gather accurate information, with an agreement to discuss further at 1:30 PM on Monday, October 7. Despite this, we were saddened to see an article containing false information published on Sunday, October 6. (Editor’s note: Sheridan Media only published the letter as it had arrived in the newsroom email. No additional facts or information were included. – News Director)

Contrary to the claim, VOA provided a timely response to the Commissioner’s letter, which we received on September 23. Our comprehensive reply, date-stamped September 25, was sent not only to the Commissioner but other stakeholders.

The receipt of this response was confirmed by the Commissioner’s office Friday, October 4.

VOA is dedicated to providing access to mental health care in communities throughout the state. Our funding for serving Johnson County comes from the Wyoming Department of Health and we are in compliance with that contract, which was confirmed in recent discussions after their office received a copy of our response. Ultimately, our focus is on serving the people in that community and ensuring access to mental health care. VOA is open in Johnson County, seeing clients 8 AM to 5 PM, Monday through Friday, and via virtual healthcare 24/7.

Understanding that access to mental health care is a significant issue, we are actively recruiting local clinicians and leveraging virtual health solutions to ensure continued support. VOA will keep utilizing innovative methods of care, such as telehealth, which offers a clinically suitable way to improve access to care for individuals in rural communities.

We value our longstanding partnership with the people of Johnson County and have been providing essential services for over 20 years, including youth services, adult supervision, drug court, and veteran services. Our leadership, including Chief Program Officer Dr. Aimee Foster, remains engaged with community stakeholders to ensure we meet the needs of our clients effectively.

Regarding the mention of lost SAMHSA funding in Commissioner Novotny’s letter, it is important to clarify that this was a one-time grant obtained during the COVID-19 pandemic for Peer Specialist service delivery. This funding’s expiration does not indicate deficiencies in our service provision. Since July 1, 2024, we have continued to serve clients through peer support-led groups and individual sessions.

As we prepare for the County Commissioner meeting on October 15, we look forward to discussing specific needs and exploring how we can further enhance mental health services in the community. We welcome the opportunity for constructive dialogue and believe it is crucial for our continued partnership in meeting the community’s mental health needs.

We have included with this release a copy of our letter to the Commissioner. If you have any questions, we encourage you to reach out.

https://sheridanmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Johnson_20Co_20Letter_20SIG-1.pdf

MEDIA CONTACT

Ryan Wilson, Senior Director of Communications

ryan.wilson@voanr.org