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Board approves Centerstone MOU to expand reentry assessments; staff warns of clinician shortage
Summary
Monroe County approved a one-year MOU with Centerstone to provide in-office clinical assessments for people on probation, increasing weekly assessment capacity to 16 and preserving grant funding of $56,459, but staff said Centerstone currently lacks a clinician to fill the role.
The Monroe County Board of Commissioners voted 3-0 on Feb. 6 to approve a memorandum of understanding with Centerstone that funds reentry assessment services in the Office of Court Services.
Miss Williams, Office of Court Services, said the agreement continues a Sequential Intercept Model grant (SIM 93.788) that the county has received since 2019 and provides $56,459 in grant funding (Fund 8160) for the coming period. "We completed over 150 assessments, during that time," Williams said of 2024 when Centerstone staff provided in-office clinical assessments two days per week.
Williams told commissioners the new MOU doubles the prior weekly goal, allowing up to 16 in-office assessments per week to improve warm handoffs from probation to treatment providers. She said initial screening and referrals are performed by the county intake team and clients choose among multiple community partners, with Centerstone the on-site partner when clinicians are available.
Williams also said Centerstone recently struggled to staff a clinician and that Dec. 31 was the last time a clinician was present in the office; she described clinician recruitment as an ongoing challenge.
Commissioners thanked staff for the work and approved the MOU. The motion carried 3-0.
