Cumberland County Children and Youth Services officials on Aug. 21 told the Board of Commissioners that rising costs for congregate care placements and a handful of very high‑cost cases have driven the department into an “overmatch” situation and will keep pressure on local budgets in the next fiscal years.
Nikki Bress and Children and Youth staff briefed commissioners on the department’s needs‑based budget for fiscal 2026–27 and on spending trends through fiscal 2024–25. Staff reported that expenses increased by about $3.4 million between fiscal 2023–24 and 2024–25 and that the county ended fiscal 2024–25 with roughly $31 million in Children and Youth expenses — higher than the $29 million used by the state to certify county allocations for that period. That difference contributed to an overmatch, staff said.
Officials identified congregate care as the largest driver of costs. At the time of the briefing, 34 children were in congregate care placements; those placements varied widely in length and per‑diem cost. Officials said one youth’s placement alone cost about $311,000 and that several children have long stays in high‑cost placements. Children and Youth staff described per‑diem increases among providers as continuing and linked them primarily to provider workforce and insurance‑cost pressures.
The department requested funding for a single new full‑time emergency duty supervisor position to cover nights and weekends. Staff said the current on‑call model rotates casework supervisors into after‑hours duty and the increased volume of night‑and‑weekend calls is contributing to staff fatigue and service continuity problems. Commissioners accepted the budget for consideration; staff said they will present hiring details if and when the position is approved.
On state funding, staff said tentative allocations from Harrisburg typically arrive in February or March and that the county has appealed certification decisions in the past when state adjustments left local costs unmatched. Officials told commissioners that the county’s typical share of the net cost runs about 17% to 19% in recent years but can approach 20% in years with large overmatch adjustments.
Commissioners and staff discussed broader system capacity issues: they noted reductions in the number of foster families, fewer group‑home beds statewide, closures of state hospital beds and persistent shortages in community mental‑health services. County staff said many of the highest‑cost youth have complex mental‑health needs, often requiring multiple system involvements, and that there is no single statewide solution in place.
Why it matters: The briefing explains why county child‑welfare spending is likely to remain elevated absent changes in placement availability, per‑diem rates or a shift of children from congregate care into foster or kinship care. The department’s request for an emergency duty supervisor signals operational strain from after‑hours demand.
What’s next: Department staff said they expect to receive certified state allocations in the normal cycle but that a longer state budget impasse could delay allocations. The Board approved the needs‑based budget for consideration; separate personnel or appropriation actions would follow before any hires occur.