Commissioners authorize county to operate treatment court program; HR to draft contracts and hire coordinator

The Sweetwater County Board of County Commissioners on May 20 authorized a transition to bring the county’s judicially‑supervised treatment court program under county administration and directed the county HR director to prepare a contract amendment with the Wyoming Judicial Branch and an at‑will employment agreement for a treatment court coordinator.

County attorney staff and the county judge presented the proposal after review of the program’s funding, which is allocated by the Wyoming Supreme Court for treatment‑court grants. The program pairs judicial supervision, substance‑use treatment, testing and case management for high‑risk, high‑needs participants who otherwise cycle through jails and hospitals; its goals include lowering recidivism and improving participants’ recovery and mental‑health stability.

County attorney staff explained the program has dedicated grant funding for the current biennium. Moving administrative control of the program under the county would eliminate duplicated administrative costs (audits, separate purchasing and insurance) that a small voluntary foundation now handles and would place the program under county processes (personnel, accounts, legal support) without additional county general‑fund expense during the funded period. Chief stakeholders at the meeting included Judge Prokos, county attorney representatives, treatment‑court coordinator Kayla Capers and program partner Southwest Counseling.

Commissioners debated implementation details including whether to retain the existing volunteer/foundation board as the program transitions; staff recommended leaving the board in place temporarily to receive gifts and donations the county cannot accept directly and to provide continuity during the change. Commissioners also discussed how the program’s state grant funding is disbursed and that the county would administer the position on a term tied to funding — an at‑will appointment that ends if grant funding ceases.

Commissioner Slaughter moved and Commissioner Richards seconded a motion directing HR to prepare: (1) an amendment to the contract with the Wyoming Judicial Branch to move program administration to Sweetwater County, and (2) an at‑will employment contract for the program coordinator that will be brought back to the commission for formal approval prior to execution. The motion passed unanimously.

Why this matters: treatment courts are evidence‑based alternatives for people with substance‑use disorders who repeatedly interface with criminal justice; consolidating finance, personnel and procurement under the county aims to reduce administrative overhead and improve accountability while preserving grant‑funded program operations.