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County to assume co‑response program July 1; commissioners told grant covers roughly half of planned budget
Summary
Commissioners heard details about the planned transfer of the county's co‑response mental‑health program from Solvista to the sheriff's office on July 1, including a grant that covers about half of the modeled $600,000‑per‑year program and a remaining funding gap the county may need to address.
The Board of County Commissioners and county staff discussed the planned transition of the county's co‑response program from its current host organization to the sheriff's office, with a target transfer date of July 1.
Staff said the program grant awarded to the county covers roughly half of the ideal/"Disneyland" model the district modeled; staff estimated the full program budget at about $600,000 per year and said the county would need to identify another roughly $300,000–$400,000 to fully fund that model. Presenters discussed phasing options, including initially deploying one co‑responder pair (a clinician and a law enforcement officer) while securing additional funding to stand up the modeled two pairs plus a clinical manager.
The presenters said some federal funds that Solvista expected to rely on during the transition were put in jeopardy by an executive‑branch decision and that the county needs to secure funds for a July‑through‑December transition window while aiming for full implementation by the start of fiscal 2026. Commissioners asked about sources and amounts; staff said the county and law‑enforcement partners are discussing possible contributions and in‑kind support.
Staff discussed operational questions: whether clinical co‑responders would be county employees or come from existing local agencies, how to phase staffing, and where office and vehicle support would be located. The presenters said there have been preliminary conversations with individuals who previously worked for Solvista and with other clinicians in the community; county staff said the sheriff's office would house the positions and that some former Solvista employees were considering transition but that losing staff in the changeover is a risk.
Commissioners and staff discussed the benefit seen in short co‑response pilots: staff cited a three‑month study where 43 co‑response calls resulted in only one arrest. No formal budget appropriation or binding transfer motion was recorded at the meeting; staff said they will seek to secure transition funding and return with more specific budget requests.
