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Albany County approves contracts and budget amendments for youth services
Summary
County officials approved agreements with municipal partners, a transportation contractor, an out-of-state behavioral treatment provider, and budget amendments to fund youth-bureau and summer employment programs.
Albany County officials at a Department for Children, Youth, and Families meeting authorized multiple agreements and budget amendments to fund youth-bureau services, transportation for children with special needs, an out-of-state behavioral treatment placement and the county’s 2025 summer youth employment program.
The items approved included contracts with 11 Albany County municipalities to deliver youth-bureau services; an agreement with Raesha Group for transportation of children with special needs to education and therapy programs; a placement agreement with Millbrook Behavioral Health for a youth with reactive attachment disorder; an executive grant and corresponding amendment to the 2025 Department for Children, Youth, and Families budget to reflect additional Office of Children and Family Services funding; and agreements and a budget amendment to support the 2025 summer youth employment program.
The actions were presented sequentially and each motion was approved after brief discussion and routine votes. Department staff said, "The funds are to support developmental programs for runaway and homeless youth," and explained that the municipal agreements will send funds to 11 localities that will provide direct services in their communities. On the transportation contract, staff said, "We're required by law to provide preschool education, as well as transportation to and from the center-based programs," and added that Raesha (also referred to in discussion as "Raja") was the only respondent to the county's request for proposals after the county tried to issue the work in zones and solicit several providers.
On the behavioral-treatment item, staff described Millbrook Behavioral Health as an Arkansas-based program that specializes in treatment for reactive attachment disorder and said the county placed a youth there after the child had been rejected by multiple voluntary agencies across New York and Massachusetts and after an inpatient psychiatric stay. "This program specializes in reactive attachment disorder," staff said, and the county's hope is that, following treatment, the youth will be better equipped for local placement.
The county also approved an executive grant agreement and an amendment to the 2025 Department for Children, Youth, and Families budget to reflect additional funds from the Office of Children and Family Services for the youth-bureau programs serving runaway and homeless youth. For the summer youth employment program, staff said the funding comes to the county through the Department of Social Services and that Cornell Cooperative Extension will provide financial-literacy services for participating youth; staff said the program's typical participant age is about 14 to 18.
Votes at a glance: Item 2—authorizing agreements with various Albany County municipalities for youth bureau services: approved (mover/second not specified). Item 3—authorizing agreement with Raesha Group for transportation services for children with special needs: approved (mover/second not specified). Item 4—authorizing agreement with Millbrook Behavioral Health for a Division of Foster Care Services placement: approved (mover/second not specified). Item 5—authorizing the executive’s grant funding and amending the 2025 Department for Children, Youth, and Families budget: approved (mover/second not specified). Item 6—authorizing agreements and amending the 2025 summer youth employment program budget: approved (mover/second not specified).
Officials did not provide detailed vote tallies or the names of movers and seconders on the official motions during the recorded segments reviewed. Several informational points — including that Raesha was the sole RFP respondent, that Millbrook is located in Arkansas, that the OCFS provides the youth-bureau funds, and that Cornell Cooperative Extension will supply financial-literacy services for the summer program — were provided by staff during discussion. The meeting record shows the motions carried and that the budget amendments will allow contracting and program administration to proceed under the Department for Children, Youth, and Families' 2025 budget.
