[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-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",[32,75,87],{"_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":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6058150,"mediaKeyId","3298525-b0c5a1022affcd99daca0465348e6daa","parentId",3298525,"title","Arapahoe County leaders say community resources face staffing, program cuts without stable replacement funding","audioSeconds",972,"startMs",180000,"endMs",1152000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3298525-b0c5a1022affcd99daca0465348e6daa&start=180&end=1152","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3298525-b0c5a1022affcd99daca0465348e6daa/thumbnail_180000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6058150/Arapahoe-County/Colorado/Arapahoe-County-leaders-say-community-resources-face-staffing-program-cuts-without-stable-replacement-funding","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6058150-9fe6174099b26076c33da9dc5e196b86/orig.mp4?Expires=1770819334&Signature=kmulnHCsPZLCOa1P712Bkmcdw32FFcfWv-eZ5m8PfwUl~sbF1HC8KGsfN0Ts6ns0IFWwalY-ozyxlPsjmOptsPwjjhFnbaa28FVn2jo1Uj6brKNw-Ldc2drMDj1LwtITvmYH~MHuCn~3Pf~o-9edMJTfdy5vTqUx8rcGRS-5Nkg0jfRkbuvzVqMsO4m3QqUfvm-k2M25hD4RzZ3dCn2jK8mQ0QZJWXgHmWfLQ9W07UmaQ5MtS9r8Z~p6-Y9CbvnF1qGy48TbJef-9tEozTKzpUm3ZDvpH70G6hnnAKwGH2xnrMyqTQbbK1O6Y6BedXfGPyuyfprzJoBpIpXinIUa2w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Arapahoe County CO","date","2025-05-06T00:00:00Z","article","Arapahoe County Community Resources Director Kathy Smith on Tuesday outlined a package of staffing and program requests the department will include in the 2026 budget process, saying most requests are meant to replace one‑time grant money with ongoing funding.

Smith told the Board of County Commissioners that “Most all of my requests are mainly to replace 1 time funding, with ongoing and secured funding.” She said the department is approximately 90% grant funded and several critical positions now supported by ARPA, CARES/HUD recovery funds and other temporary sources will be at risk when those dollars expire.

Why it matters: the department manages veteran services, affordable housing and homeless services, workforce programs, weatherization, senior services and grant administration. Smith warned that reductions to HUD, LIHEAP, WIOA and other federal/state programs would force cuts to positions and services the community has come to rely on.

Key requests and risks: Smith presented specific “have‑to” items that she described as essential to maintain current service levels. Highlights included:
- Veterans Service Office: two ARPA‑funded veteran service officers that must be converted to ongoing funding or risk elimination in 2026; Smith estimated waits could rise to about 16 weeks and requested roughly $171,000 in ongoing costs to secure those roles.
- Community development/housing/HUD administration: three FTE that administer HOME and CDBG programs — estimated at $180,000 in ongoing salary/benefits — that Smith said are not covered by current HUD administrative allocations if those formula allocations decline.
- Homeless services administrator: an existing FTE currently covered with one‑time special funds; continuing that position long term would cost roughly $125,000 and Smith said without it “there really would be no dedicated leadership or supervision for existing homeless service programs.”
- Pretrial mental‑health navigator: one remaining temporary position (ARPA funded through 2025) that Smith proposed converting to ongoing funding at about $90,000; she told commissioners the pretrial mental‑health program serves about 100 people a year and has an 80% success rate.
- Housing navigation and rental assistance: Smith summarized a county rental assistance program that has been run with ERA and ARPA dollars (monthly spending at times reached $300,000); she proposed an ongoing program at reduced monthly levels and recommended board policy direction on limits and self‑sufficiency requirements.
- County affordable housing fund: Smith proposed a startup and ongoing contribution to create a rolling housing fund for gap financing and preservation; she said past ARPA and HUD recovery funding helped the county support roughly 750 housing units and shorter‑term homelessness projects.
- Other items: grants administration support ($90,000 ongoing), a frontline/desk staffing request ($133,000 ongoing for 2 positions), workforce center administrative needs, weatherization advocacy to defend LIHEAP and infrastructure funding, senior homemaker services (one FTE at $55,000 ongoing) and continued funding for the courthouse eviction legal clinic (Colorado Legal Services) that Smith said has a 75% success rate in preventing evictions.

Budget context and next steps: Todd Weaver of county finance framed the study session as a step in developing the 2026 budget and said departments will formally submit requests during that process. Smith repeatedly cautioned the board the requests assume continuation of certain federal and state grants; she flagged the president’s budget proposal and other federal measures as potential downside risks for HUD, LIHEAP and WIOA funding streams.

Board questions and clarifications: commissioners asked about specific funding sources, timing for grant awards (for example Proposition 1.23 childcare/housing stability funds), and which positions are currently grant‑funded versus general‑funded. Smith noted some positions are funded in part through an intergovernmental agreement with Adams County; that agreement is due for renewal and could affect staffing.

What the department asked commissioners to do now: use the study session responses to shape questions for directors as they prepare formal 2026 budget packages and to consider whether and how one‑time federal/recovery funding should be converted to ongoing county support for statutorily required or high‑prior‑impact services.

Ending: Smith said the department will submit formal budget requests in the July–August budget process and provide memos responding to board questions; commissioners directed staff to continue refining cost estimates and policy options for the board’s review.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Arapahoe Board of County Commissioners Study Session on 2025-05-06","oneSentenceSummary","Arapahoe County Community Resources Director Kathy Smith on Tuesday outlined a package of staffing and program requests the department will include in the 2026 budget process, saying most requests are meant to replace one‑time grant money with ongoing funding.","taxTitle","Arapahoe County, Colorado","taxId",4125,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6058140,"Arapahoe County human services warns of roughly $2.9M funding shortfall as grant‑funded caseloads rise",446,4377000,4823000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3298525-b0c5a1022affcd99daca0465348e6daa&start=4377&end=4823","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3298525-b0c5a1022affcd99daca0465348e6daa/thumbnail_4377000.jpg","/articles/6058140/Arapahoe-County/Colorado/Arapahoe-County-human-services-warns-of-roughly-29M-funding-shortfall-as-grantfunded-caseloads-rise","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6058140-f9f41fc8c1e9fde3e3e7c0e2d870e324/orig.mp4?Expires=1770819334&Signature=DBYutP48D-X61DQiTnjyuXidwg2t-~S4tmJUiFeVWyeubJxKETugz9gHiwhN6n7MF8JXM4uTdgkmywHrVy7lnxSTIqP8Usullwd5EHydS5SsFQ2uizRMorayfV0w5AZboUjQK7KzNeS2ok77pRuWTyVlZyUinAcj2cDCNsIuBhHbDnY9DIY2Beu-1QCBpD7AYORSFKE68b9xnJ-enNAblpK9JivRFA9xlqPGO964ED4gr0-lHoI9n8ILfI0gVleQvw7OU~DkoazNzI1-QZFhzFcf76PZA81eySyTIk2nYSe4gqKTcEzAFbko-zRvT-vAApBKKtmz8E4XUrwF75o62w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Arapahoe County Human Services Director Dan McKelkey told commissioners that the department projects a near‑term funding shortfall driven by rising caseloads, the end of one‑time federal recovery dollars and state and federal rule changes.

McKelkey said the department currently expects a county match shortfall of about $2,890,000 in 2025 if no additional revenue or program changes are adopted, and that shortfall could grow in subsequent years depending on federal and state appropriations. He described the shortfall as tied to the county’s required local match for multiple programs rather than a single line item.

Why it matters: Human Services administers SNAP (food assistance), Medicaid eligibility/redetermination, child care assistance, TANF/Colorado Works and child/adult protective services. McKelkey and his leadership team said program demand — and the paperwork burden for medical redeterminations — has increased since the pandemic and the department has exhausted many temporary funding sources.

Caseload and workload detail: the department reported recent changes and volumes including:
- Food assistance caseload: from about 28,000 cases in 2022 to roughly 34,500 cases in 2024–2025 (about a 45% increase from 2019 levels).
- Medical assistance (Medicaid): caseload counts fell as the redetermination process resumed, but the paperwork grew from a handful of pages to roughly 50–55 pages for a typical renewal, increasing staff time per case.
- Child welfare: the department outlined an intake “funnel” of roughly 14,000 referral calls, about 5,000 screening/assessments and roughly 600–700 active child welfare cases, with the amount of complex, higher‑need families rising.

Causes and recent rule changes: McKelkey and staff said a Colorado rule change on child care meant counties must accept childcare cases transferred from other counties (a change Smith likewise flagged for Community Resources), increasing caseloads. The department also cited House Bill 22‑1259 (state benefit adjustments) and the recent Joint Budget Committee childcare allocation as material influences on funding and how counties record expenditures.

Options and board guidance requested: Human Services staff said they are using multiple strategies to reduce the projected shortfall: identifying contract reductions and reprioritizing services, examining internal staffing allocations, pursuing surplus distributions from the state settlement process, and seeking available inter‑county allocations where other counties have underspent contractual funds. The department emphasized it will not request FTE in 2025 beyond existing authorizations but will bring prioritized, specific program and contract options during the formal 2026 budget cycle.

Board discussion highlights: commissioners asked for clarifications about which contracts and community partners could be affected if the county reduces child‑welfare or other program contracts, and whether ARPA and other recovery funds had masked the underlying gap. McKelkey and staff said the December–August budget timeline is the next opportunity for formal decisions and that some surplus or settlement corrections from the state could change the projection.

Ending: McKelkey said the department will submit formal 2026 budget requests and memos responding to board questions; commissioners asked staff to produce more granular contract lists and cost scenarios for potential policy choices.","Arapahoe County Human Services Director Dan McKelkey told commissioners the department projects a county match shortfall of roughly $2.89 million in 2025 as temporary federal/state recovery funds wind down and caseloads rise.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6058145,"County risk manager: weather, vehicle crashes and law‑enforcement exposure pushed premiums higher; safety steps underway",3558,2971000,6529000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3298525-b0c5a1022affcd99daca0465348e6daa&start=2971&end=6529","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3298525-b0c5a1022affcd99daca0465348e6daa/thumbnail_2971000.jpg","/articles/6058145/Arapahoe-County/Colorado/County-risk-manager-weather-vehicle-crashes-and-lawenforcement-exposure-pushed-premiums-higher-safety-steps-underway","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6058145-3ff763d2eed6a29045d452327d9cf195/orig.mp4?Expires=1770819334&Signature=aqbRD3Jmi19wJGgOskHoIGzOKV8Cg8L6LkP8FOcXwvLno10CyBG5EDmz4G-tPkvUsH9H5Qx7Zwfbi9GQUf4ic-09~JhNCreZiLtc8TDZOlTgtpHEA6dwRXpn4ZsADz14j7QvOdpGh7qguDZzjfjElb4I0at6WlU9Ka6ipwT06h3Icr1OnQlJ39-3mcAh7LwihTQ~l2SIurHbJjTIi8yT8Qk7nusK0GezbqfOpkF8AYDsS7JuEbacy-2m~UrWKgJ~zSak4QDfhYVHnptmT3u8ye6t87Eq2B2z-1sJUrhMWDA1vg65scgeT~7zz8f0Q0GknJ6eYwBvs1FplR2rZbGMFw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Arapahoe County risk managers told commissioners that weather events, a high‑cost auto liability payout and law‑enforcement exposures are the main drivers in higher insurance expenses.

Shauna De Garza, the county risk manager, said the county’s overall insurance costs rose from roughly $700,000 in 2017 to about $2.6 million most recently. “We have increased that to $2,000,000 across the board,” she said, referring to higher deductible/self‑insured layers the county now carries.

What happened: risk staff described several recent loss trends. A 2024 payout of about $375,000 was associated with a fatal crash tied to a prior incident; a group of roughly 17 county vehicles were severely damaged during a hail and storm event; multiple buildings and rooftop glass were damaged in wind and hail claims; and repeated vandalism and theft occurred at some county properties. Property claims also included large‑tree and roof repairs at the Admin Building.

Workers’ compensation and preventive actions: De Garza said workers’ compensation claim volumes have declined overall, though the sheriff’s office remains the largest exposure. County programs to limit costs include a return‑to‑work program to place employees with medical restrictions into modified duties, telemedicine to reduce unnecessary emergency room costs, canine‑safety training for field staff, and defensive‑driving and backing trainings for vehicle operators.

False and nuisance claims: surveillance footage from county cameras helped deny or reduce several disputed slip‑and‑fall and theft claims, De Garza said. Facilities and risk staff said video evidence has materially lowered payouts on claims where footage showed the claimant was not on site or was not injured as alleged.

Insurance market dynamics and next steps: market‑wide increases in law‑enforcement liability payouts have narrowed available insurers and driven up costs. The county is working with its broker on options to reduce premiums for the next renewal and to evaluate whether additional self‑insurance or other programmatic changes are prudent. Risk staff asked commissioners to expect proposals and an earlier annual insurance procurement timeline this year.

Ending: commissioners praised risk, facilities and public safety staff for mitigation work. De Garza said the county will continue safety‑focused trainings and pursue options with the broker to manage premiums ahead of the next renewal.","Arapahoe County risk staff said insurance premiums and property/auto liabilities rose as extreme weather, a fatal crash payout and repairing storm and hail damage drove claims. The county has raised deductibles, increased self‑insurance layers and expanded training to reduce repeat accidents and false claims.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Arapahoe County leaders say community resources face staffing, program cuts without stable replacement funding

Arapahoe County human services warns of roughly $2.9M funding shortfall as grant‑funded caseloads rise

County risk manager: weather, vehicle crashes and law‑enforcement exposure pushed premiums higher; safety steps underway