Health and Human Services outlines upcoming contract renewals: developmental disabilities, CDBG, drug-court funding and consolidated homeless grant

Health and Human Services provided a multi-program update on recurring contracts that fund disability, housing and criminal-justice treatment services.

Developmental Disabilities (DDA): Gina James said the county’s DDA contract supports adult employment and day programs and child development services. She reported 155 adults currently served in the DDA-funded adult programs and an employment rate of about 84% among supported-employment participants, above the statewide average she cited. Provider organizations listed in the presentation include Goodwill, Compass, LifeWorks and Employers Overload; the Progress Center provides child development services through a blended funding model (the Progress Center bills other payers before county billing). James reported the county’s fiscal year 2025 DDA allocation at roughly $2.5 million and an estimated fiscal year 2026 award near $3.0 million.

Community Development Block Grant (CDBG): James said CDBG funds come to counties from the state (the state receives federal allocations for non-entitlement counties). The county’s fiscal year 2025 CDBG allocation was about $66,000 and the estimated award for fiscal year 2026 is roughly $70,000. She reiterated a statutory restriction: funds may not be used within an entitlement city’s boundaries (Longview is an entitlement jurisdiction), so county-funded CDBG activities must serve residents outside Longview. Cowlitz County passes CDBG funding to the local community action agency, Lower Columbia CAP, as required by federal rules.

Criminal Justice Treatment Account (CJTA): James described CJTA as state budget funding earmarked for substance-use-disorder treatment tied to criminal-legal involvement, primarily to help drug-court participants complete required treatment. The county’s last biennium contract totaled about $590,000. The state recently asked counties whether they intend to continue administering CJTA funds locally or allow the Administrative Service Organization (Great Rivers) to administer them; James said she will confirm the county’s intent to continue local administration and that most of the county’s CJTA funding has been used for outpatient treatment and recovery-support services, including UAs and treatment sessions.

Consolidated Homeless Grant (CHG): James said CHG combines state funding and a portion of document-recording fees dedicated to homelessness. The county’s last biennium CHG contract totaled about $8 million and, through April of the current biennium, the county had spent approximately $4.7 million of that amount. An estimate the county received for the next biennium shows a potential award around $11.1 million; James cautioned that program guidelines and award letters were pending. The CHG funds support Housing and Essential Needs (HEN), eviction/homelessness prevention, emergency housing and other provider contracts; providers mentioned include Lower Columbia CAP, the Mediation Center, Phoenix Recovery and Family Promise.

James told commissioners she will bring formal contract documents to future Board of Commissioners meetings for approval and that staff will follow state timelines for contract issuance and public hearings where required. No contracts were approved at the meeting; the presentation was informational and intended to give commissioners an early look at expected funding lines and program priorities.