Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Budget Public Health topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Ravalli County budget review flags public health staff shifts as WIC and grant funding wanes
Summary
During a June 23 preliminary budget review, county staff told commissioners that grant-funded public health positions are ending or shrinking, leaving the general fund to pick up about $202,000 in salaries and creating uncertainty around WIC reimbursement levels and several stipends.
Ravalli County commissioners were told June 23 that public health staffing and federal-state funding changes will push roughly $202,000 in personnel costs onto the general fund and leave some positions’ funding uncertain.
Jana, a county public-health staff member presenting the department’s preliminary numbers, said “general fund is picking up from grant funded positions that are, running out or decreased. So that budget is increasing rather significantly. It's up about a total of 202,000.” The presentation detailed how remaining grant balances, WIC reimbursement and several staffing changes were being blended across funding sources.
The nut graf: The county’s public-health budget depends on a mix of federal and state grant flows that staff said are calculated from prior-year service counts and periodic expenditure reporting; when grant or reimbursement formulas lag current service levels, the county’s general fund can be asked to cover the shortfall.
Staff explained that one larger COVID-related grant has enough balance to cover portions of nursing staff for the next year, while WIC reimbursement is tied to a 2023 average participant count. “The funding that we get from WIC is based on the numbers from 2023. So they take an average of how many participants we see every month,” Jana said, noting the state’s formula presently uses an average of about 298 participants and staff aim for a higher current caseload. The presenter told commissioners the department believes current monthly client counts are higher after nurses assumed program duties, but the reimbursement formula is two years behind.
Commissioners and staff discussed planned position changes and upcoming retirements: the public-health director’s allocation across funds, two nurses partially funded by grant dollars, and an administrative assistant position split between general fund and WIC or other grants. Staff said one retirement is expected in December and a replacement hire would shift some expenses across funding lines. The presenter warned that the remaining grant cash balance could roll into the general fund at year-end or leave the county to pick up additional costs if carryover is lower than estimated.
The public-health presenter also described changes in how some grants will reimburse: the FEP (federal emergency preparedness-type) and a tobacco-prevention grant will move from lump-sum awards toward reimbursement based on quarterly expenditure reports. Staff said payments historically have been “pretty timely” but recent state staffing changes have delayed some reimbursements, and the tobacco grant is tentatively funded at six months while state-level programmatic changes are resolved.
Commissioners pressed for clarity on timing, contingency plans and whether the county should budget conservatively given the reimbursement lag. Staff said they track retirement dates and expected rollovers and will return with more refined figures as they complete line-item edits.
Ending: County staff closed the public-health segment by noting some figures remain fluid and that the budget review will continue at the reconvened session set by the board.
