Commissioners table behavioral-health and telehealth MOUs after missing attachments and public concerns

Park County commissioners on June 17, 2020, tabled a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to sign agreements for behavioral-health services and a telehealth services MOU after staff noted a required attachment was omitted from the meeting materials and public commenters raised capacity concerns.

County staff said Attachment B was not included in the agenda packet, prompting commissioners to table the item. Commissioner Wells and others moved to postpone signing both MOUs pending corrected meeting materials and additional review.

Public commenters discussed the county’s proposed mobile crisis response team, which the MOU would support. One commenter, who identified experience as an EMT-paramedic, expressed concern about relying heavily on a mobile crisis team funded at $475,000 and recommended investing more in preventive mental-health services and 24/7 trained responders rather than an after-the-fact response coordinator. “I submit that this $475,000 proposed for the mobile crisis response team might be better spent providing mental health services before the crisis,” the commenter said.

County commissioners and staff noted the proposals include a coordinator post and telehealth services intended to support the response team, but questioned where a sustained pool of trained mental-health professionals would come from for round-the-clock coverage. Commissioners asked staff to return with complete attachments and clarifying language and to provide time for review before taking final action.

No MOUs were signed on June 17; both items were tabled for additional review and to allow commissioners and staff to resolve missing documentation.

The commission indicated it would revisit the agreements after the missing attachments and recommended language are provided to the board and to the public.