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Board approves opioid-abatement funding for three-year kinship navigator at Department of Social Services
Summary
Henry County and the City of Martinsville will jointly fund a three-year kinship navigator position at the Department of Social Services using an individual distribution from the state's opioid abatement authority; the county adopted the requested "gold standard" resolution and approved the allocation.
The Henry County Board of Supervisors approved using a portion of the county's individual distribution from the state opioid abatement authority to fund a three-year kinship navigator position at the Department of Social Services, in a joint request with the City of Martinsville.
Staff said the program's total estimated cost is $254,932, with the city responsible for $84,892 of the total and the county covering the remainder from opioid settlement funds held in Richmond. The board also adopted a "gold standard" resolution to accompany the funding request, as staff recommended.
Department of Social Services Director Amy Wright explained the position would provide focused support to kinship families and caregivers and said kinship placements can reduce monthly custodial placement costs compared with therapeutic foster care. "A kinship placement per month with clothing is $1,844. Mid range therapeutic with clothing is $5,744," Wright said, adding the position can reduce disruptions for children and present a cost-saving to local placement budgets.
Supervisors voted unanimously to approve the funding request and adopt the resolution. Staff said the requested funds already sit with the state dispersing authority and only require a formal request from the county to transfer the allocation for the proposed program.
