From the desk of Executive Director, Ra’Shann Martin
St. John Center Statement on Medicaid and Community Based Behavioral Health Services
August 4, 2026
St. John Center is grateful to Governor Andy Beshear for his leadership in protecting Medicaid and restoring provider reimbursement. We also appreciate the providers, advocates, and Kentuckians who spoke up on behalf of the people who depend on these services every day. Their voices mattered, and they were heard.
For the people we serve, Medicaid is more than health insurance. It is often the bridge between homelessness and stability.
Every day, we work with individuals living with serious mental illness, substance use disorders, and the lasting effects of trauma. They already face significant barriers to accessing behavioral health care because there simply are not enough providers to meet the need. Reducing Medicaid reimbursement would only widen those gaps, making it harder for community organizations to recruit clinicians, expand services, and reach people before they experience a crisis.
As a registered Behavioral Health Service Organization (BHSO), St. John Center is actively working to close these gaps. Through our Strategic Plan, we are expanding our clinical programming and are currently pursuing designation as an iRise provider to deliver Tenancy Supports for Kentuckians living with serious mental illness. Our goal is to ensure that people can access behavioral health care where they live, remain stably housed, and receive the support they need to recover and thrive.
Home and community based behavioral health services help people remain housed, connected to treatment, and engaged in their communities. They reduce unnecessary hospitalizations, decrease interactions with the criminal legal system, and improve long term health and housing outcomes.
As conversations about Medicaid continue, we encourage policymakers to continue investing in these essential services. Protecting and strengthening community based behavioral health services is not only compassionate, it is one of the most effective and fiscally responsible ways to improve outcomes for Kentucky’s most vulnerable residents.
Learn more about St. John Center’s Strategic Plan: https://www.stjohncenter.org/strategic-plan/