I frankly do not understand Alabama sometimes. Nowhere is that more obvious than on the topic of mental health.
Almost everyone who looks into mental health programs run by the state – particularly those run by the Alabama Department of Mental Health (ADMH) – comes away in disbelief over the inefficiency and ineffectiveness of their expenditures. Forbes, for example, has objectively looked at ADMH’s management of the state’s mental health system, with blistering results.
Other national studies continue to rank Alabama at or near the bottom when it comes to mental health services. The state government’s own Alabama Commission on the Evaluation of Services recently issued a scathing report on ADMH’s operation of the state’s expensive crisis centers, as I have previously analyzed. Several media outlets recently reported on the state’s antiquated certificate of need process that makes it virtually impossible for many in the private sector to address critical mental health needs in Alabama. Even independent commentators have recently analyzed how the state and ADMH spend on mental health services via its monopolistic contractors.
The most egregious example of misdirected spending by the state and ADMH is in the arena of mental health for the state’s military veterans. The state had a golden opportunity to fund successful and efficient veteran mental health programs via the opioid settlement process.
As background, the Alabama attorney general succeeded in settling claims with opioid manufacturers and distributors to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars. Those funds were to be used for opioid addiction prevention and treatment programs, while a large portion of the money was to be distributed by the Oversight Commission on Alabama Opioid Settlement Funds, chaired by State Rep. Rex Reynolds (R-Huntsville).
In late 2023, the State Board of Veterans Affairs (SBVA) – before it was emasculated by Ivey and her minions in the Alabama Legislature last year – unanimously passed a resolution asking the Oversight Commission on Alabama Opioid Settlement Fund “to designate 25% of the total opioid settlement to be allocated to the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs … to work on behalf of Alabama’s service members, Veterans, and their families affected by the opioid crisis.” Reynolds, however, did not respond to the SBVA resolution and summarily rejected the request. There are also indications that he promised several veterans affairs officials that significant portions of the opioid settlement money would indeed be earmarked for the veteran community, but he failed to follow through on those promises.
Other efforts to effectively assist veterans were similarly shot down, but both Ivey and ADMH continue backing insignificant efforts on veteran mental health issues that receive relatively little funding and merely duplicate existing programs. Political theatre at its worst.
Moreover, for the past two years, Reynolds has continued funneling much of the opioid settlement money to ADMH even while it continues largely ignoring the plight of veterans, who are significantly more likely to be addicted to opioids and to take their own lives via suicide. As recently as two months ago, Reynolds arranged to funnel another $26+ million to ADMH, with no funds earmarked for the veteran community. Is it a coincidence that Reynolds chose this funding path after he was named as “legislator of the year” by a group associated with the same ADMH system? Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs just released its latest report on veteran suicides, and the statistics were again bleak.
Repetitive, politically-motivated funding to horribly ineffective programs and agencies is not the answer to taking care of our veterans, nor for any taxpayer spending. Ralph Waldo Emerson was correct when he said, “A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds….” Only this foolish consistency, and the petty politics played by folks on Goat Hill, are literally killing our veterans. They should be ashamed.
Troy Carico is a former infantry enlisted soldier (11B) and infantry officer with branch qualifications including counterintelligence (35E) and military intelligence (35D). He served with distinction in the U.S. Army for more than 22 years and is highly decorated and service-connected disabled. He also has prior service as a civilian intelligence officer for the Defense Intelligence Agency Great Skills Program and has served in numerous clandestine assignments throughout the world. You can find him on X @CaricoTroy, LinkedIn @Troy Carico, and Substack.
The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of 1819 News. To comment, please send an email with your name and contact information to [email protected].
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