HHSA presents community impact review and a new five‑year strategic plan; MCIE referral system highlighted

Mariposa County Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) Director Christina Cahill presented an annual community impact report and the agency’s 2025–2030 strategic plan to the Board of Supervisors Aug. 19. Cahill told the board HHSA manages hundreds of programs and roughly $75 million in related budgets and grants, while the county general fund contribution to HHSA is under $1 million, according to a public comment during the meeting.

Cahill highlighted program statistics from the last fiscal year: roughly 8,961 behavioral‑health appointments to 549 individuals; 2,876 substance‑use disorder appointments to 156 individuals; more than 7,800 immunizations; jail‑based health and behavioral services providing services and medications; environmental health inspections and permitting; 333 residents receiving In‑Home Supportive Services; adult protective services receiving 237 referrals; veterans services reaching more than 1,400 veterans and families; and thousands of meals delivered through senior and North County meal programs. Housing and transportation programs provided rapid rehousing, inspections and more than 8,000 passenger trips.

Cahill and staff described two administrative initiatives the agency has deployed: a structured internal accountability process for strategic goals (quarterly and annual reporting) and the Mariposa County Information Exchange (MCIE), a secure, closed‑loop referral system designed to reduce repeated client interviews and improve coordination among HHSA teams and, eventually, outside partners. Kazi Cunningham, HHSA public information officer, said the MCIE produced 267 referrals in its first year of internal use and now covers roughly half the agency’s staff; staff said they will onboard the remainder of HHSA and invite community partners to participate.

MCIE staff emphasized client privacy controls and access limits: client treatment records will not be stored in MCIE; the system shows care team members and referral status and permits clients to control which partners see their information. The system is intended to reduce “re‑traumatization” and improve follow‑up by creating ‘closed‑loop’ referrals that show whether a client was contacted and the status of services.

Cahill also warned that federal legislation referenced in the meeting (HR 1) includes cuts that will affect local programs; specifically, the SNAP‑Ed nutrition education funding will end Sept. 30, affecting CalFresh healthy‑living education and children’s farmers market programs. Staff said SNAP‑Ed cuts will require creative funding approaches to continue youth nutrition education.

Cahill closed by describing the 2025–2030 HHSA strategic plan’s five priority areas: strengthen collaborative culture and systems; use a shared system‑of‑care approach; improve population health through public‑health strategies; steward public funds responsibly; and enhance community resilience. The plan lists SMART objectives, assigns departmental responsibilities, requires quarterly progress reports, and sets a five‑year evaluation process. The board requested annual public updates and praised the in‑house development of the plan.