The county commissioners are rightfully opposing a bill that would integrate behavioral and physical health services in the state’s HealthChoices medical assistance managed-care program.

Commissioners Chairwoman Leslie Osche said that the legislation — House Bill 335 — could destroy the existing managed-care model for behavioral health that came together over decades through collaboration between southwestern Pennsylvania counties.

Osche said the bill, which will be proposed by state Rep. Seth Grove, a York County Republican, would set the successful managed-care model back 25 years.

The existing model has allowed Butler County to save money after the county adopted it several years ago. Money saved by the current model has enabled the county to invest in a variety of important community service programs — including opioid recovery, working with law enforcement on intervention for incidents involving mental health issues and inpatient treatment for veterans. Funding for programs that help some of the county’s most vulnerable citizens could dry up if House Bill 335 is passed. So, we’re pleased that the commissioners are raising a red flag on the matter.

The possibility of losing funding for such vital programs is a valid source of concern. In 2017, the number of fatal opioid overdoses was at a record high of 92 in Butler County and the state’s Department of Health ranked overdoses as the state’s worst public health issue.

The good news is that the county’s 2018 overdose deaths were only half of the 2017 total. But a loss of funding for combating the opioid epidemic could be devastating. Communities need more money, not less, to continue pushing down the number of opioid overdoses.

The county also cannot afford to lose funding for other services, such as the Veteran’s Administration inpatient treatment. According to 2016 statistics from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Pennsylvania ranked eighth in the nation for the largest number of homeless veterans.

In a letter to members of the state’s House of Representatives, a group known as the Coalition to Preserve Behavioral HealthChoices wrote that the state’s current program allows each county to manage its own program, work with other counties and form collaborative partnerships. But House Bill 335, the coalition writes, would “jeopardize every county’s ability to deliver a wide array of coordinated and integrated county-managed human services tailored to meet local needs and challenges.”

In other words, a one-size-fits-all approach could prevent counties from tailoring their models to address specific local needs.

Osche said she is gathering local officials, including police chiefs, to travel to Harrisburg to voice opposition to the bill. We hope their voices are heard.