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Ramsey County approves one-year DHS grant to expand mental-health services at jail and improve reentry coordination
Summary
The Board approved a one-year Department of Human Services grant to expand psychiatric hours and add temporary social-worker capacity at the county detention facility; staff said the funds will expand in-custody care and support transitions back to the community, and they will brief the board in a July 22 workshop.
Ramsey County commissioners on July 1 approved a one-year Department of Human Services grant intended to expand mental-health and behavioral-support services at the county adult detention facility and to improve continuity of care after release.
County social services leaders told the board the grant will fund additional psychiatric hours, a temporary social worker and an additional intern to help connect people in custody with community resources and reduce recidivism. The funding is for one year under the DHS award; staff said they plan to collect data on service delivery and outcomes during the grant period.
Why it matters: county officials said expanded in-custody services and stronger handoffs to community providers can reduce re-arrests and help residents access ongoing treatment after release, which commissioners flagged as a priority.
Kenya Walker, social services deputy director for mental health, and Anna Hewitt, justice-involved manager and a co-author of the grant, told the board the application requests additional psychiatric hours and staff capacity to provide interventions while people are pre-sentence and as they transition back to the community. Hewitt said the grant includes specific numerical goals required by DHS for numbers served and hours of intervention, and that staff will collect data to inform ongoing care planning.
Board members asked about the grant's objectives, how outcomes will be measured and how long temporary positions will be funded. Hewitt and Walker said the grant is for one year and that interns are commonly funded through existing programs; the temporary social worker position would last for the grant term. Walker said staff plan a board workshop on July 22 to present more detailed plans and metrics.
The board approved the grant agreement by roll call: Moran 'Aye; Jeong 'Aye; Jevan Singh 'Aye; McGuire 'Aye; McMurtry 'Aye; Miller 'Aye; Ortega 'Aye.
What comes next: staff will present additional details at a July 22 workshop and will report back to the board as requested about outcomes, staffing and any requests for continued funding after the one-year grant period.
