HHS presents revised 2026 budget, placement funds shown as carryover and Medicaid-funded

The Richland County Health and Human Services director presented a revised 2026 budget to the committee on Sept. 4 that reflects a requested $25,000 decrease in the agency—s tax-levy request and adjustments to placement funding.

According to staff, the revised budget shows most cost increases are "cost-to-continue" staffing expenses. The director (Ron Felt) had been asked by the county administrator to make the adjustments and staff reported that the document is the version likely to move forward unless further changes are requested.

Why it matters: staff said the two major cost drivers that have exceeded projections this year are CCS costs and children-with-disabilities placement costs. Staff noted those are largely Medicaid-funded pass-through items and not paid directly from the county tax levy. For the current year the report showed the children's fund at about 44% spent and the adult placement fund at about 28%, with a target benchmark of roughly 58% at this point of the year.

Placements and volatility: staff warned one high-cost placement can materially swing the county—s placement fund; they said this year the county has had about 26 emergency detention placements to high-level facilities compared with about 24 last year. Staff explained that some placements return home quickly, which lowers average cost, but long stays drive budget pressure.

Ending: the committee accepted the budget overview and asked staff to bring detailed reconciliations of placement costs and the timing of any Medicaid/WIMCER reimbursements to a future meeting to clarify the county—s final fiscal exposure.