Pitkin County panel approves second-quarter human services spending; state changes expected to raise caseloads and local costs

Pitkin County’s Board of Social Services on Aug. 26 approved the department’s second‑quarter expenditures and payroll and heard staff warn that recent state and federal changes will increase local workloads and risks to the county budget.

Lindsay Maysh, director of human services for Pitkin County, opened the update by saying, “We’re here for our second quarter board of social services report out.” The board then heard a program‑by‑program budget review from Stuart Fox, the county’s budget analyst assigned to human services.

The board voted by voice to approve the second‑quarter budget expenditures and later approved the department pay roster for the quarter. Both votes were approved by voice as recorded on the meeting transcript.

Fox told commissioners the department’s overall revenue and expenditures for the quarter largely tracked prior trends; some programs show improved predictability because of contracts with outside providers. But he also reported two program areas—adult protection services and CDHS administrative costs—were not fully covered in the state’s mitigation closeout and will leave Pitkin County with a combined $92,000 overage. “That overage will be held back from this upcoming fiscal year,” Fox said, describing how the state withholds future reimbursement until the shortfall is covered.

Program highlights and…