Mitchell County social services reports 98.8% Medicaid audit compliance; guardianship costs and foster caseloads discussed

Mitchell County Department of Social Services staff reported a 98.8% compliance rate in an ongoing state Medicaid audit and updated commissioners on foster care, guardianship and adult protective services caseloads during the March 3 Mitchell County Board of Commissioners meeting.

The updates came as county finance staff said overall spending is running below budget year-to-date but flagged several high-cost areas that will be managed through a planned budget amendment in May.

"As of today ... we are in a compliance rate of 98.8%," Miss Meade, director of the Department of Social Services, told the commission, citing the county's response to a multi-month state audit whose accuracy expectation the staff quoted as 98.7 percent. Meade said the audit has been pulling roughly 20 cases per month and that the county expects final results by mid-April or May.

Child welfare staff reported 31 children currently in custody and several cases moving toward reunification or adoption. "We have 31 kids in custody. And we have 5 kids that are close to their adoption," Mister…