The Williamson County Commissioners Court voted 3-0 to approve applying for three grant awards (agenda items 10–12) intended to support programs addressing substance use disorders, child maltreatment and family dysfunction. Judge Ryan Larson, judge of the 390th District Court, told the court the judiciary is seeing those issues “on the front line” and is pursuing grants that require no county match and do not create new county full‑time positions.

The grants are aimed at funding community programs and partnerships — not county payroll — and would be administered with local nonprofit and other community partners, August Alvarado, director of district court administration, said. “Right now, we're asking for your approval to apply for these grants,” Alvarado told the court, adding staff planned to submit the applications in October and expected award notifications in December with funding to begin in January.

Scott Matthew, executive director of Williamson County Juvenile Services, said the intent is prevention and collaboration: “The child welfare system and the juvenile justice system need to collaborate. … There are not enough spaces and enough homes for youth in the child welfare system,” Matthew said, describing the grants as a way to “be back upstream” with school districts, law enforcement and community partners to try to keep youth out of the court system.

Commissioners emphasized the county would avoid creating a long‑term county payroll obligation. Alvarado said the county is seeking grant programs that can be delivered using partner organizations’ staff so the county does not have to add county FTEs that could be difficult to sustain after grant funding ends. The presiding officer said they would recuse themselves from related votes where they serve on a partner board.

The motion to approve applying for the three grants passed unanimously, 3-0. The court did not authorize hiring or ongoing county funding as part of the action; the vote approved only seeking the grants and related application steps.