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County approves reallocation of treatment-court funds to staff training and housing support
Summary
The board approved two reallocations within treatment-court funding: $55,000 moved from Dreams Court compliance testing to staff training and related statewide training; $35,000 moved from ReMerge supervision to housing assistance for participants.
Oklahoma County commissioners approved requested budget reallocations for local treatment-court programs to support staff training and participant housing.
Bridget Biffle, representing the county treatment courts, told the board, “We are with the treatment courts.” She explained that the fiscal-year 2025 budget included $90,000 for compliance testing in Dreams Court (the county’s mental health court), but start-up delays make it unlikely the full amount will be spent by June. Biffle said the courts seek to move $55,000 of that allocation into staff training so 13 people can attend the All Rise National Treatment Court Association training and related statewide Momentum training from the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health.
Biffle also said ReMerge, a program providing supervision and services to returning participants, no longer needed $35,000 previously requested for supervision because the Department of Corrections secured supervision resources. She asked that the $35,000 be moved into a housing line to fund safe, sober housing for ReMerge participants beginning the program.
Biffle said the remaining $35,000 originally allocated for Dreams Court compliance testing will still be spent this fiscal year after billing and setup issues are resolved. She described the reallocations as internal budget-line moves that will be submitted to the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health (ODMH) for final approval following the board’s action.
The board voted to approve the reallocations by voice vote. Commissioners thanked treatment-court staff and county crews who assisted emergency efforts elsewhere in the county earlier in the meeting.
