County extends mental-health and fraud-investigation contracts and reviews regional mental-health activity

Blue Earth County commissioners on Feb. 25 approved two Human Services contracts and heard an informational briefing on supportive housing and regional mental-health services.

Human Services staff described a retainer-style contract with Nicollet County under which Blue Earth County will provide psychiatric services to help Nicollet meet mandated responsibilities. The contract term is described in the meeting as Jan. 1, 2025, through Dec. 31, 2025, with Nicollet paying an annual retainer of $25,000.

The board also approved extending a temporary fraud-investigation agreement with Northwoods Investigations for up to $24,000 through June 2025 or until additional state funds requested by the county are received. Human Services staff said the county had used Northwoods earlier this year to maintain fraud caseloads after an internal staff departure and that volume of fraud referrals has been “very strong.” Commissioners approved the extension to maintain coverage while recruitment and budget decisions continue.

Human Services leadership and staff provided a longer briefing on supportive housing work and the county’s role in a 10-county regional mental-health initiative. Staff reported outcomes including the number of households served in supportive housing, the role of rental subsidies and prevention work, use of ARPA and state funds for local homelessness and shelter work, and regional efforts to expand services for adults and children. Staff noted initiatives such as mobile crisis response, the residential crisis center, intensive residential treatment services and outreach to young adults with serious mental illness.

Commissioners discussed budget pressures, the value of prevention and the potential to develop regional solutions for children’s stabilization services.