County extends state veterans mental‑health grant through September, plans camps and outreach

County staff told the Healthy New Reserves Committee that Washington County received about $150,000 from the state Department of Veterans Affairs to provide mental‑health services to veterans and that the county requested and received an extension to spend the grant funds through September.

A staff presenter said the original grant term ran through March 31 and that the county had not expended all funds; the county sought and received permission to extend spending through September and to shift some allowable uses. “We did a marketing campaign…we became certified with community care so we can bill insurance,” the presenter said, and noted that the county provides services free of charge to veterans who lack ability to pay, using the grant to cover co‑pays or uninsured care.

The presenter reported that 16 veterans are currently receiving care at the county mental‑health clinic and that 14 of those clients are receiving grant‑funded services. The bulk of services provided are therapy and psychiatry when needed; staff noted that nontraditional options, such as music programs, are also used because some veterans do not seek conventional mental‑health treatment.

The county plans to use some grant funds to sponsor two Next 18 camps this summer at the county golf course. Next 18 runs national golf camps for veterans and law‑enforcement personnel focused on mental wellness; the county said the camps will be funded from the grant as part of outreach and nontraditional therapeutic programming.

The committee received the update as informational. No formal motion or appropriation was made during the meeting.