The Inyo County Board of Supervisors on July 22 approved renewal of a memorandum of understanding with Kern County for adoption services. Anna Scott of the Health and Human Services Department said Inyo’s adoption caseload is relatively small but legally and procedurally complex, and that Kern County provides specialized social workers because the state allocates additional funding to counties that contract to provide regional adoption services.

Scott told the board the MOU continues a long‑standing relationship that allows Inyo families to receive assistance from Kern’s adoption specialists. She said the agreement was presented slightly after the start of the fiscal year because legal and language updates were needed in both counties.

The board motion to approve the MOU carried unanimously; no vote tally beyond the routine “motion carried” was recorded on the meeting record. No additional county funding to Kern was described; Scott said Kern receives state allocation directly to provide the service.

What’s next: the MOU renewal continues the existing referral arrangement; staff will implement the renewed agreement to maintain adoption supports for local families.