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YSS reports program shifts, seeks county support for crisis stabilization and youth recovery housing
Summary
Youth and Shelter Services told the Story County Board of Supervisors on July 15 that statewide behavioral-health payment changes are shifting where services are delivered and asked the county to consider future funding for crisis stabilization, transitional housing and youth recovery renovations tied to the Amber Recovery Campus and Rosedale shelter.
Andrew Allen, president and CEO of Youth and Shelter Services (YSS), updated the Story County Board of Supervisors on July 15 about program changes following the state’s July 1 behavioral-health reorganization, plans for the Amber Recovery Campus and Rosedale shelter renovations, and a recent Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program (YHDP) award that will expand housing capacity.
Allen said the state’s new Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHC) payment and the single-entity administrative structure have shifted reimbursement so some services YSS previously provided no longer make fiscal sense for the agency to run. “With the change in the system…something that we might have gotten paid $15 or $30 for…is now getting a PPS perspective payment of $300,” Allen said, explaining why YSS discontinued psychiatry and medication-management services and is pursuing partnerships where it makes sense.
Allen and staff described several local initiatives:
- Amber Recovery Campus: YSS is developing phase 2 and has asked that planning and zoning and the board of adjustments consider a conditional use permit for the expansion. Allen described Amber as a core part of treatment capacity and work to develop a maintenance-shop and supports for youth and young adults.
- Rosedale shelter renovation: YSS plans to use funding reallocated earlier by the board ($181,500 mentioned in the meeting) toward renovating Rosedale, with preliminary estimates for a full renovation at about $665,000. YSS said the renovated facility would likely be used as clustered transitional housing (a Transitional Living Program) for homeless youth, replacing a scattered-site model.
- Youth recovery house: YSS described plans to renovate an 8,000-square-foot historic house (804 Kellogg) to provide longer-term recovery housing targeted at 18–24-year-olds; the initial capacity plan is about 10 residents for each of two sites (Rosedale and youth recovery house) to extend the continuum from 4–6 week programs to 3–6 months of supported living, billed to Medicaid where possible.
- YHDP (Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program): Allen reported that Story County received YHDP funding to house an additional 24 rapid-rehousing clients and 12 transitional-living clients, which YSS said could help transition youth from ARPA-funded beds when ARPA expires in December 2026.
Mandy Schrank, YSS associate director for community, youth and family development, presented prevention and youth programming statistics: last year YSS’s public-education programs served 756 students and 1,650 community members across Story County; adolescent pregnancy-prevention programs served 490 students and 1,311 community members; suicide-prevention programs served 396 students; summer enrichment programs served 259 students; a youth employment program served 531 Story County students; and mentoring served 156 students. Schrank told the board that some grants are ending or not renewable, increasing the need for Story County–specific funding.
Board members discussed potential county support for crisis stabilization services and whether opioid-settlement funds could be used to support recovery housing renovations. Allen and staff requested that the board consider funding for crisis stabilization as YSS pilots the model and prepares asset-funding applications. There was no formal board action to appropriate funds during the July 15 meeting.
Why it matters: YSS is a major local provider for youth and young-adult behavioral-health, prevention and housing services; statewide payment-model changes are shifting where services are provided and who bills for them. County support for renovations or pilot funding could affect local capacity for crisis stabilization, transitional housing and youth recovery services.
Limits and clarifications: Allen and staff described programmatic planning and provided preliminary cost estimates (e.g., $665,000 to complete Rosedale). YSS said Medicaid and other billing streams may cover parts of proposed programs, but the agency also asked for one-time capital help and pilot funding. No county appropriation or contract was approved on July 15.
