[{"_1":2,"_121":-5,"_122":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86,98,110],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":56,"_68":69,"_70":56,"_71":72,"_73":72},"mediaId",6091661,"mediaKeyId","2859559-aa18ae49427f075a6d89109967e0653b","parentId",2859559,"title","County manager outlines behavioral-health investments: CARES campus housing, West Hills mental-health conversion","audioSeconds",1231,"startMs",852000,"endMs",2083000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2859559-aa18ae49427f075a6d89109967e0653b&start=852&end=2083","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2859559-aa18ae49427f075a6d89109967e0653b/thumbnail_852000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6091661/Washoe-County/Nevada/County-manager-outlines-behavioral-health-investments-CARES-campus-housing-West-Hills-mental-health-conversion","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6091661-19f46ec8feb1fbe0b31d475449fe51c5/orig.mp4?Expires=1771160353&Signature=Ywerv9VyaypL0riFgNP0~uWtKPrSGG5LNlusDmcTQGlMZAGhp19J1SNEYj~0JzSD4y4aHndVN6Hd7hsiKm~ocRFKSo3dvfRBtVU3KSqdxVK6GvfwApZ2xI9kAPqclaRnFZfKIf6KradU4TKyjhK0M4gahYAvZ0CpdRstHLdwDrw97fT2UGK1w~4uCRFQnAty7hws~Fl37yvICpARxnjyNQ-kFzAsTdKWSjF7jtgiAf6yC-eMAQAcENvilj10BnQVmPeC1RywEMaNlLH4F9iRWsQx6yztvoILr88~Xzpxa0Jb~HxegCKpyxtXCEnTCq3NstrLuT1Vwnznpv9zi3VzUQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Washoe County, Nevada","date","2025-04-02T21:55:21Z","article","Washoe County Manager Eric Brown told the Warren Springs Rural Citizen Advisory Board on March 12 that the county is directing opioid settlement funds and other grants toward expanded behavioral‑health services and housing to reduce reliance on jails and emergency rooms.

Brown said the CARES campus — the county's low‑barrier shelter complex — has moved into the next phase after the county received $21,000,000 from the state’s Home Means Nevada Fund to build affordable housing adjacent to the shelter. \"If we could begin to find places for them to stay so that they're not in a shelter, that would be helpful and that's what we're gonna, be focusing on now,\" Brown said.

The county also relocated the Men's Crossroads program for people with substance‑use issues and launched a family version so participants can remain with their families. Brown described a pilot of the sequential intercept model at the county jail to deliver behavioral‑health treatment inside a non‑punitive environment, noting that the program began in October with state grant funding and that continued funding is uncertain.

Brown said the county has distributed roughly $4.5 million of opioid settlement funds so far and that the Board of County Commissioners approved an action plan developed by contracted opioid analysts. He also announced the county hired Julia Ratti as a mental‑health administrator; Brown said Ratti had previously served on the Sparks Planning Commission and as a state senator and will coordinate the county's behavioral‑health action plan.

Brown described an ongoing project to acquire and renovate the former West Hills Hospital, funded in part by the state, into a mixed‑use facility focused on juvenile mental‑health services and subacute adult care. \"Our goal is to make sure that that can get taken care of here in Washoe County,\" he said, citing the cost and harm of shipping children out of state for care.

Why it matters: Brown said the county faces both a housing shortage and gaps in behavioral‑health capacity that put pressure on shelters, jails and emergency rooms. He framed housing, crisis response centers and in‑county treatment facilities as central to the county's strategy to reduce incarceration and ER visits for people with behavioral‑health needs.

Implementation and uncertainty: Brown said some programs rely on state or federal grants that may be paused or expire. He said the county is pursuing grant funding and partnerships, including potential collaboration with the University of Nevada, Reno and Renown Health for training and internships.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","3/12/2025 WSR CAB","oneSentenceSummary","Washoe County Manager Eric Brown told the Warren Springs Rural Citizen Advisory Board on March 12 that the county is directing opioid settlement funds and other grants toward expanded behavioral‑health services and housing to reduce reliance on jails and emergency rooms.","taxTitle","taxId",2669,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":56,"_68":69,"_70":56,"_71":72,"_73":72},6091658,"Washoe County advances unified CAD dispatch project; commissioners debate consolidation and insurance costs",1565,1539000,3104000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2859559-aa18ae49427f075a6d89109967e0653b&start=1539&end=3104","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2859559-aa18ae49427f075a6d89109967e0653b/thumbnail_1539000.jpg","/articles/6091658/Washoe-County/Nevada/Washoe-County-advances-unified-CAD-dispatch-project-commissioners-debate-consolidation-and-insurance-costs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6091658-7ca2483df0e1bc34c6d820bbfeeb3805/orig.mp4?Expires=1771160353&Signature=hu6KGsIRx97wBxToMcnbN8zwgwI05XVBZVsHjA2a0PY183ErgxYQfGAkCI7uDPfy6xghi8p6YENa-AZcxo4SSoCjixQ0WPiv03gYn28u5Gw6dH56C8uMlBpkYIL7ABC1xtREbWE4ICiFgw2XuvX7qWGzT6lAEwsg4SoMJo1ZxiF2NSWQmBKf2N-xzSKTD5584j2beD0YlQm0DTFeo~D4wOmqC5cpxHmsJeFU3humnOcPCdvFdi9VZ4Q3kHSMhM9VQDTgkCX6VeGNNAYSNxRsmYeXftHQU8XqBRHz8ZcUv1OiUds5pmpsEkSF5Jy-oD2zlH0Mp-kL~LhF5Bn6bqb2ww__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Washoe County Manager Eric Brown told the Warren Springs Rural Citizen Advisory Board that the county's Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) modernization project is on budget and on track for a September completion and that the platform should improve response by showing unit locations across jurisdictions.

\"This project will come together. Everybody will be on the same platform...This is a big deal. It will save lives,\" Brown said, describing how dispatchers across Reno, Sparks and unincorporated Washoe County will be able to route the nearest ambulance or fire truck.

Brown said the county is pursuing harmonized mutual‑aid agreements so cross‑jurisdiction dispatching becomes routine. He distinguished regionalization from consolidation: \"They're not really excited about consolidation... They support regionalization where we're all doing things the same way.\"

Board-level tensions with Reno and Sparks surfaced in discussion of interlocal agreements and cost allocation. Brown said some city officials want different cost treatments for roads and other shared services, and that county commissioners will review interlocal agreements to verify whether current cost allocations remain appropriate.

Insurance and volunteer departments: Brown and community members discussed wildfire and property insurance pressures in outlying areas served by volunteer fire departments. Brown said some equipment upgrades needed for CAD integration would add costs that local volunteer departments may not afford; he indicated the county may cover some of those costs to achieve interoperability.

Why it matters: Unified dispatch and clearer mutual‑aid arrangements aim to shorten response times and improve public safety across jurisdictional lines. At the same time, debate over cost allocation and insurance exposure underscores political and fiscal hurdles to deeper institutional consolidation.

Next steps: Brown said CAD implementation will continue with efforts to secure universal mutual‑aid arrangements and training across agencies; commissioners will also be asked to review specific interlocal agreements.","Washoe County Manager Eric Brown told the Warren Springs Rural Citizen Advisory Board that the county's Computer Aided Dispatch modernization project is on schedule and will allow dispatch centers to see unit locations across jurisdictions, improving response times.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":56,"_68":69,"_70":56,"_71":72,"_73":72},6091664,"Washoe County manager warns of tightening revenues, schedules public demo of WASHO Checkbook",556,340000,896000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2859559-aa18ae49427f075a6d89109967e0653b&start=340&end=896","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2859559-aa18ae49427f075a6d89109967e0653b/thumbnail_340000.jpg","/articles/6091664/Washoe-County/Nevada/Washoe-County-manager-warns-of-tightening-revenues-schedules-public-demo-of-WASHO-Checkbook","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6091664-306008aa59d7ebfc8dfc6b15340824d2/orig.mp4?Expires=1771160353&Signature=dj1kqAJ8UsxdVnO9CNXx0IcXqsQdphJIjJW0llYm1tDVXNwWbqVJawOjuyJKkcy0SRp2B78JFUCZV6pLvzaYTO52nX-jUpZ18lmY6GyjqBAHCmPxqNOls3meR~mrqy0lt5LH8sNz~THkdJUbX2ji8vHLz~1sM9pLDkgZsBk7IiZey7KRqqvQqfWn6BlZYPOEyA9DPlY75LU1JetL~OAGFa4YAxvfSOnYge8npTnDLIh03AbU8zLwFJUcSSvaz-cuboiq~SD94Aw8fmXThFTg~IFzVSaDcEHHSiai4e91mrrHwq9nIaxbekGC-7GWS2YBohOFny~1Q2mGRwdH0XFIIw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Washoe County Manager Eric Brown told the Warren Springs Rural Citizen Advisory Board on March 12, 2025, that the county faces a tightening revenue outlook in 2025 and will focus available funds on existing priorities such as services for seniors, behavioral health and infrastructure.

Brown said the county has a healthy fund balance — about $54,000,000 as of June — and a structurally balanced budget today, but warned that federal and state COVID-era funding is drying up and that sales-tax revenues have flattened. \"2025 is gonna be a year, where we, we know we're facing tightening revenues,\" Brown said.

Why it matters: Brown said the county must limit new programs and manage personnel costs, because employee compensation accounts for roughly three-quarters of operating expenses. \"Employee compensation cost for our employees is 75% of our operating expense,\" he said, and the county has negotiated multi‑year labor agreements to provide some predictability on wages and benefits.

Brown described steps to increase transparency and public engagement on the budget. The county will launch an online Open Checkbook platform called WASHO Checkbook on March 25, with a public demonstration and a budget \"101\" workshop. Brown said the tool will let residents review spending and staffing details without needing to parse formal budget documents: \"You'll be able to see that. We're launching that, March 25 in a couple of weeks. There's gonna be a workshop in chambers.\"

The county manager said Washoe has so far maintained a favorable bond rating and completed a clean audit, which could lower borrowing costs if the county issues bonds during tighter revenue periods. He also said department heads have been told not to expect additional personnel or special projects beyond priorities set by the Board of County Commissioners.

Looking ahead, Brown said budget discussions will continue with the commission as staff develops recommendations for how to sustain core services amid the less‑favorable revenue outlook. The county will present the WASHO Checkbook demonstration and continue budget briefings to the public.","County Manager Eric Brown told the Warren Springs Rural Citizen Advisory Board that Washoe County faces flattening sales-tax revenues and will prioritize seniors, mental health and infrastructure in 2025; the county will launch an online budget transparency tool, WASHO Checkbook, with a public demonstration March 25.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":102,"_45":103,"_47":104,"_49":105,"_51":106,"_53":107,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":108,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":109,"_67":56,"_68":69,"_70":56,"_71":72,"_73":72},6091649,"County reports stronger elections staffing, new registrar and switch to shared election software",159,1386000,1545000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2859559-aa18ae49427f075a6d89109967e0653b&start=1386&end=1545","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2859559-aa18ae49427f075a6d89109967e0653b/thumbnail_1386000.jpg","/articles/6091649/Washoe-County/Nevada/County-reports-stronger-elections-staffing-new-registrar-and-switch-to-shared-election-software","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6091649-dbae83da31462482594d2912125fda33/orig.mp4?Expires=1771160353&Signature=b1VKdcriymGLuOlEGONrsD3PyEJorZ1oKG71l9-5wsDRPfQdTd-NFCqGpdpRHd0iprzDJGn5SWt-pPmva3dlaImFAhfRy1Ni5uxeKmLF5eRxv784e5xPjuY-LlAu30cxiXyTFxhRRwByOPUa~TXLDgAZoutFupCC1ZN3oaTufWPXp2oQ0eYhxvPzh414f--IRREOoFtulC5KzmAQx4Wxlq1zv5-RenECmx7j8z-Lv1ZdZRouBufzvnSvF5Fr~KoSh31~Os1NOhk1OIABr7Jo6xmHXHCRXb~XeEH40q8B3CiBGBt7aVa85bAXLRgzepr1DWC~lChIU9nX7vx1aWQRMA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Washoe County Manager Eric Brown told the Warren Springs Rural Citizen Advisory Board that the county has increased elections staffing since 2020 and that improvements were visible in the February and November 2024 elections.

Brown said the Registrar of Voters office grew from six full‑time employees to about 17 and that the Board recently appointed Andrew McDonald as registrar. He also said all 17 Nevada counties will move to a common voter registration and election management system called NOINC, which has been used in Clark County and should lower procurement and training costs.

Brown acknowledged historic mail‑ballot and postal‑service problems and said the county had earlier tested mailings to assess error rates; he said a mailed sample‑ballot test showed a higher than normal error rate in 2020, which helped prompt staffing and system changes. \"When I got here in '20 I got here in 2019. '20 '20 was the first election what I experienced, we had, 6 full time, employees including the registrar voters... I think we have 17,\" Brown said.

Why it matters: Brown said the staffing increases and the move to a shared election system should improve reliability and reduce stress in election operations, but he also said some election procedures (including state decisions on mail ballots) remain subjects of public and legislative discussion.

Next steps: The county will continue to refine election operations and staff training; Brown said he expects improvements will be visible in future elections and that training and best‑practice exchanges with other jurisdictions are under way.","Eric Brown said Washoe County improved elections staffing after 2020 shortages, will move to a shared voter-management system (NOINC) used in Clark County, and the Board approved Andrew McDonald as registrar of voters.",{"_33":111,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":112,"_41":113,"_43":46,"_45":114,"_47":115,"_49":116,"_51":117,"_53":118,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":119,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":120,"_67":56,"_68":69,"_70":56,"_71":72,"_73":72},6091654,"County cites $48M in broadband awards for unserved areas; Axe Handle cell tower upgrade due in April",136,2219000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2859559-aa18ae49427f075a6d89109967e0653b&start=2083&end=2219","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2859559-aa18ae49427f075a6d89109967e0653b/thumbnail_2083000.jpg","/articles/6091654/Washoe-County/Nevada/County-cites-48M-in-broadband-awards-for-unserved-areas-Axe-Handle-cell-tower-upgrade-due-in-April","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6091654-be67f692fc95bf8ce64f8c45f93f914f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771160353&Signature=RGo~00EQ9tZC-uvGCfoi5pwke~EkdOmmoOs-l8ixBzEpdzL6j1Ud0aBgfsijSyoG8d8tTuIIaTj4fWmjQhymAmEysxHNIc~cGZeyrdCmc8D0j7GsthbcaPB1GrVjiaBItFYcnRVXEPbdbxe70s5GyDP-NOQUR5tutLWNIyR7kyAyQX37Pu~66qlF3rmyaW6932Wf4HCqIqYUEOy627BMhE~VxwX3rx01KvkpXCs3E070opOcgfx336169ahe0Puw14aFqwWxJbJvZfVDgX7ACqJ7dgRc3GYfqZJrkDOlWHW~TVTH2j~HTvxuHzrUqV2AeTDKDC7upRQO5CgV2OkozA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Washoe County Manager Eric Brown told the Warren Springs Rural Citizen Advisory Board that the Nevada Office of Science, Innovation and Technology announced roughly $48,000,000 in broadband funding for Washoe County to extend service to unserved and underserved areas.

Brown said Sky Fiber was awarded a contract to serve parts of Warm Springs and Palomino Valley and that deployments will likely combine wired and fixed‑wireless technologies depending on terrain and line‑of‑sight constraints. \"I suspect you're gonna see a combination of wired and wireless necessary,\" he said, noting weather can affect wireless links.

Brown also said Verizon informed the county that the Axe Handle tower will be upgraded by April, improving cellular coverage in that gap area. \"So that should improve, your cellular service, footprint in that, you know, in that gap area,\" he said.

Why it matters: Expanded broadband and improved cellular coverage can affect residents' access to education, telehealth and public services in rural and semi‑rural parts of the county. Brown cautioned that contracts had not been finalized and that the state and vendors were still negotiating terms.

Next steps: Brown said the county will share contract details once finalized and expects vendors to begin deployments in awarded areas.","Eric Brown said Washoe County received about $48 million in state broadband funding for unserved and underserved areas and that carriers awarded contracts — including Sky Fiber — will deploy wired and fixed‑wireless technologies; Verizon expects an Axe Handle tower upgrade by April.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

County manager outlines behavioral-health investments: CARES campus housing, West Hills mental-health conversion

Washoe County advances unified CAD dispatch project; commissioners debate consolidation and insurance costs

Washoe County manager warns of tightening revenues, schedules public demo of WASHO Checkbook

County reports stronger elections staffing, new registrar and switch to shared election software

County cites $48M in broadband awards for unserved areas; Axe Handle cell tower upgrade due in April