Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Children's services levy midterm review: rising placement costs shrink projected balance; TLRC urges full review
Summary
Hamilton County Job and Family Services reported sharply higher placement costs and rising per-diem rates for children in custody at an April 1 staff meeting. The Tax Levy Review Committee recommended beginning a full consultant review this summer to assess levy sustainability ahead of the 2026 ballot.
Hamilton County officials and the Tax Levy Review Committee (TLRC) told commissioners on April 1 that rising placement costs for children in custody have eroded the county's projected levy balance and that consultants should be engaged now to conduct a full review ahead of the 2026 levy cycle.
Michael Patton, director of Job & Family Services (JFS), said staffing vacancies have improved but the cost of care for children in custody has grown significantly. "The cost of children in, care in the custody of job and family services...there was a significant cost associated with caring for children that we have in our custody," Patton said. He cited both higher provider per‑diems and increasing numbers of children with acute behavioral needs who require specialized placements.
Patton and his team presented several data points the TLRC and commissioners flagged as consequential for the levy outlook:
- Children's Services Levy: current…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
