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Human services warns meals and sexual‑assault service funding at risk; recommends marketing funds for County’s coordinated access model
Summary
Human Services outlined FY26 budget changes, signaled possible cuts to home-delivered meals due to federal reductions, and urged using opioid-settlement funds to market the county’s CAM behavioral‑health access line to increase referrals and reduce downstream costs.
Human Services officials told the Board of County Commissioners that federal and state grant reductions are forcing program adjustments and that several high‑demand services face potential cuts if replacement funding is not found.
Tony Merrill, county budget staff, reviewed Human Services’ FY26 request and said the general fund budget increases about $1.3 million to $67.1 million, while department personnel count decreases modestly to 97 FTEs through normal attrition and lower starting wages. Merrill said the department found about $346,000 in cost reductions for FY26 through program adjustments including termination of the SOAR outreach program and reductions in pharmacy and Care Connect allocations.
Commissioners focused on two areas: Neighborly Cares (county-supported meal delivery for…
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