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Social services warns HR1 and state cuts will double renewal workload; hotline vendor proposes 28% price hike
Summary
At a county workshop Social Services (presented by Miss Hargraves) reported standard financials but warned that federal/state changes (described as HR1 and HCPF allocations) will increase work and pressure budgets, and that the statewide hotline vendor proposed a contract about 28% higher than last year.
Miss Hargraves of Montezuma County Social Services updated the Board of County Commissioners on program finances, state changes and a contentious contract increase for the statewide hotline that handles child‑welfare and adult‑protection referrals.
She said current social‑services financials are "usual expenses, nothing different or out of the ordinary," but warned that pending federal and state changes will increase workload and reduce available funds. Hargraves explained that, because of changes she cited as "HR 1," the county will need to perform Medicaid renewals every six months rather than annually, which she said "means we're doubling our work." She noted approximately 15,000 people in Montezuma County use Medicaid and said the increased renewal frequency will create a substantial administrative burden.
Hargraves also described recent and prospective cuts from the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy & Financing (HCPF). She said HCPF indicated it would reduce allocations and that one administrative line in the county's budget (the county's HCPF allocation) is expected to be trimmed; Hargraves said staff will rework the budget to align with expected cuts.
Transportation was another area of change: Hargraves said HCPF has reduced reimbursement for certain non‑emergency medical transport items and is moving to a brokered call center model beginning July 1 next year. Under that model, members will call a central 1‑800 number and select a provider where preference exists; Hargraves said county staff are concerned the brokered model could disadvantage local providers if performance indicators do not favor them.
On hotline services, Hargraves reported receipt of the annual hotline contract proposal and said it was about 28% higher than the previous year. She said the vendor told directors the increase was necessary to retain staff and meet demand and that the county has limited practical alternatives: the statewide vendor covers after‑hours referrals 24/7, and while counties handle referrals in business hours, after‑hours coverage would be costly to staff locally. "We don't have a choice unless we wanted to man it ourselves, and certainly, we couldn't pay for 24/7 phone access," Hargraves said. She noted the contract would take effect in January and that the vendor indicated it would not reopen the increase for negotiation.
Hargraves flagged a recent letter from the Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS) and the Behavioral Health Administration (BHA) that she found frustrating; she said the letter criticized county budget choices and noted that TANF allocations have not increased since 1998. She urged county leaders to consider the impacts on "balance of state" counties that lack large tax bases and said cuts to TANF and other lines could force reductions in preventive services that keep children at home.
Ending: Hargraves said she will continue budget work, follow the broker RFP and transportation changes, and meet with local town boards about senior‑services funding requests later in October.
