Commissioners review plan to use state gambling-behavior funds for prevention, wellness and outreach

Fremont County staff presented a proposed plan to use state responsible-gambling behavior funding distributed through the Wyoming Department of Health to support prevention, treatment referral and employee assistance programming.

County staff reported the local balance available for programming is $73,096.80 and proposed designating a wellness coordinator to administer outreach, printing, trainings and contractual services. “Miss Taylor Hall, wellness coordinator, will be responsible for the programming for the Fremont County responsible gambling behavior budget,” a staff member said.

Presenters described allowable costs that can be charged to the fund — advertising, contractual services, training, printing, and up to 10% for an employee salary/fringe to administer the program. The staff draft budget included a personnel allocation and line items for educational materials, community outreach and prevention activities. The state provides templates and materials and will assist applicants with the application process, staff said.

Commissioners asked whether the program would be limited to county employees or include the public. A county official said the funds could be used for employees and families and for public prevention work, but commissioners insisted on treating the appropriation as a separate program account and requested a clearer plan and budget breakdown before committing funds. “I would like to see a breakdown in terms of where the resources and efforts are going to be put,” one commissioner said.

The board did not vote on the plan at the meeting. Staff were directed to finalize a program plan and delineate whether spending would focus on employees only or both employees and the public, and to prepare budget documents for the board’s consideration at the next meeting.