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Commissioners hear pitch for AI-assisted mental-health pilot; $200,000 request proposed from treatment sales tax fund
Summary
A vendor-backed pilot that combines an AI screening tool with human counselors was presented to commissioners. County staff proposed a $200,000 pilot to reach 2,500 residents; staff recommended partly funding from the county's treatment sales tax fund pending legal review and grant options.
County staff and a vendor representative presented a proposed pilot program on Jan. 14 that uses an AI-driven screening tool to connect residents to live human counselors, peer listeners and therapists. The pilot aims to enroll 2,500 people at an estimated cost of $200,000, or roughly $80 per participant, and staff proposed funding the project from the county's treatment sales tax (TST) balance.
The proposed vendor combines an app-based AI screen with a human-staffed response network. The proposer said the platform prioritizes connecting people with trained listeners or counselors after an initial AI triage rather than relying solely on a chatbot. "What sets this one apart ... is it uses AI to connect people with people," a county official said during the briefing.
Staff said they explored Medicaid-based funding and federal grant options (SAMHSA, etc.) but found no immediate fit; the county has more than $2,000,000 in its treatment sales tax balance and staff asked to use $200,000 of that fund to run the pilot. Staff said the vendor previously declined a Medicaid-focused partnership because the vendor's model is broader than Medicaid eligibility.
Commissioners asked for more time to review the contract and discuss funding; one commissioner said she favored bringing the pilot forward because pilot projects are often a pathway to state funding. Staff and the vendor indicated they will bring the item back for formal action on a future meeting agenda (next regular meeting or next action agenda) and will invite state legislative staff to observe results if the pilot moves forward.
No contract or expenditure was approved on Jan. 14. Commissioners asked staff to return with a formal agenda item that includes the vendor's amended contract language and legal review.
