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County staff warn of potential state funding cuts to health, addiction and mental health programs; hiring effort for Whole Health commissioner underway
Summary
County staff reported possible federal-to-state funding reductions that could affect Department of Health, addiction and mental-health services; they also announced a job posting for the county Whole Health commissioner and a motion to enter executive session to discuss a candidate for a substance-use position.
Staff members reporting to the Tompkins County advisory board said recent federal budget uncertainty could reduce state funding streams that support local public-health, addiction and mental-health services.
A county staff presenter summarized preliminary estimates she had compiled from state briefings: she said the New York State Department of Health could lose in excess of $300 million in federal-related funding that supports outbreak response, data exchange, infection prevention and local health department functions. She said the Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS) was facing cuts in the neighborhood of $40 million that could affect transitional housing, medication-assisted treatment expansion and mobile services, and that the Office of Mental Health (OMH) could face cuts around $27 million affecting crisis stabilization, crisis residences and assertive community treatment teams. She warned that 988 and other mobile-crisis expansion grants could be affected and that agency briefings are ongoing.
The presenter said she had asked local agencies that receive state funds to report any specific notices from their state program offices; she had not yet received formal notices for OPWDD, OASAS or OMH impacts but said she would compile and circulate findings.
Administrative and hiring matters: The board learned that the countyad27s Whole Health commissioner job posting is live through the 13th of the month and that Mary Hutchins and another board member will sit on the hiring committee for the new commissioner. Interim commissioner Jeremy Porter briefed the board on internal budgeting work to locate savings and prepare for possible cuts and said county clinics and mental-health programs are pursuing closer integration.
Executive session: The board voted by voice to go into executive session to discuss a candidate for a substance-use position. The chair called for a motion, members consented and the board entered executive session; no personnel details or votes were disclosed in public minutes.
County staff said they will circulate links to state agency briefings (including a public meeting scheduled April 10 on OASAS impacts) and recommended the advisory board review the local services plan with an eye to likely fiscal impacts this year.
