Committee approves converting contracted substance‑use case manager to county FTE

Washington County’s Human Services Committee approved a staffing resolution to bring a contracted substance‑use case management position into county employment as a 1.0 full‑time equivalent (FTE), a change staff said is funded by multi‑year opioid response funds and an existing state grant.

Julie, a Children and Families Division staff member, explained the request to convert the contracted position into an in‑house county role. She said the county had previously relied on contracted providers for substance‑use case management. Recent federal state opioid response funding was awarded for three years, and an existing MAT grant (state GPR funding) has been a longstanding source; taken together, staff said those funding streams provide the ongoing support necessary to house the position in county government. "What they've changed now is that the funding that we just received is for 3 years. And so I feel a little bit more confident in bringing forth this request because we know we're gonna have ongoing funding," Julie said.

Supervisor Bailey moved the staffing resolution; Supervisor Bosser seconded. The committee approved the motion by voice vote after brief discussion. No roll‑call vote count was recorded in the transcript; the chair called the motion passed.

Julie said bringing the position in house should improve cost effectiveness and enable stronger internal oversight of service referrals and payments for substance‑use treatment. Staff also said they do not anticipate asking the county board for additional tax levy funds for the position because the grant funding will offset the cost. The committee provided unanimous assent on the motion as recorded by voice vote.

The committee adjourned and will next meet on February 26.