Richland County HHS committee approves contracting therapist, advances grant-funded recovery coordinator plans

The Richland County Community Health Services standing committee on July 8 reviewed priorities for the department's 2025 budget, approved a resolution to send a contract for a mental-health therapist to the County Board, approved a separate contract for CCS therapy services, and endorsed pursuing a grant-funded recovery services coordinator position.

Committee members were told managers are finalizing budget sections that will be consolidated for presentation to county finance staff on July 23 and to the full county board next month. HHS staff said the budget will propose two new positions: an economic support supervisor and a recovery services coordinator. The committee was asked to endorse continuing to develop the budget and to “bless” pursuing the recovery coordinator while staff finalize details.

The department recommended not renewing its CST (Coordinated Services Team) contract with the state, saying enrollment has averaged one to two people and that the county receives $60,000 from the state but must provide a $12,000 local match. HHS staff told the committee that the program has not grown as expected and that funds could be better used elsewhere.

As an immediate operational step, the committee voted to send a resolution to the County Board to enter into a contract with an independent mental-health therapist (identified in materials as Tracy Benton) to provide clinic and jail mental-health services. HHS staff said the county has been unable to fill a permanent therapist position since April and that, without a contractor in place, the clinic could lose its clinical license and the county could be unable to provide psychiatric or crisis services. The materials stated the contractor will work roughly 37 hours per week, including two hours dedicated to jail mental-health work, and begin billing in September after credentialing.

The committee also approved a separate contract with a CCS provider identified in the packet (motion language referenced “Tiffany” in different places; the transcript shows both “Tiffany Wilson” and later “Tiffany Olsen”). HHS staff said they would add the contract to the department’s full accounting and that two separate motions were required for the two contracts.

On transportation funding, the committee voted to forward a resolution applying for the annual “5,310 operating assistance” grant (described in the packet as the operating assistance grant typically applied for to support the county’s bus service). HHS staff said the grant provides a roughly 50% match and that matching funds do not have to come from the county tax levy; the department expects the grant could leverage about $37,000 to support the bus program. Staff reported the county has received that operating grant for 13 consecutive years.

Staff updates given to the committee included the end of Medicaid "unwinding" renewals in June, recruitment activity for a public-health specialist (seven applications received as of the meeting), the ADRC staff completing an evidence-based health promotion program, and internal staffing changes in administrative and fiscal services tied to an anticipated retirement and a future transition to Tyler Technologies for fiscal and HR systems.

On the proposed recovery services coordinator, HHS staff described a plan to use existing grant funds (including Vivitrol-related funding, the treatment court grant, the SOAR grant, and AODA block grant dollars) to create a position that would be 100% grant-funded initially. The coordinator would link people booked into jail on substance-related charges to available AODA services, coordinate with neighboring counties when needed, make referrals from hospital detox units, support prevention work with law enforcement and community partners, and assist treatment court participants (for example, by helping ensure required urine analyses are completed to avoid technical violations). Staff said the grants are currently expected to continue for multiple years but that the position would be eliminated if grant funding ceased.

Committee discussion asked that prevention duties be “hardwired” into the recovery coordinator job description and requested the position description and budget details be shared as staff bring the item through the county budget process. Committee members expressed support for pursuing the position and asked staff to return with the job description and budget impact at next month’s meeting.

Votes at the meeting were conducted by voice; the transcript records motions and voice approval but does not list individual vote tallies or roll-call votes for the specific contract and resolution motions. The committee also reviewed administrative items such as a non-substantive amendment to a VistaCare daily-rate contract (no committee action required) and set its next meeting for Aug. 1 at 9:30 a.m.

The committee emphasized that the proposed recovery services coordinator would be grant-funded at the outset and that staff will reassess the position’s sustainability if grant funding changes. Materials and discussion included multiple references to coordination with the judge and sheriff, both of whom staff said had signaled support for the position.