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Keystone asks York County for funding to expand school-based counselors and detox staffing
Summary
Keystone Substance Abuse Services requested continuation of school-based clinical services and partial funding for withdrawal-management (detox) staffing. The agency said school counseling reduced repeat discipline incidents and that the detox program needs county support to cover staff costs that state grants do not fully reimburse.
Dr. Carrie McGuire, executive director of Keystone Substance Abuse Services, asked York County to continue a $40,000 county allocation for school-based clinical services and to contribute $62,500 toward staffing for the agency's withdrawal-management (detox) unit.
School-based services: Keystone said it provides school-based clinical counselors in all four local districts; those counselors receive referrals, offer assessments and early intervention, and aim to reduce discipline incidents and increase attendance. McGuire said the program has served dozens of students this school year and that biennial surveys show decreased 30-day substance-use reports among seventh, ninth and eleventh graders.
Withdrawal management: Keystone described the detox program as a medically monitored 3- to 5-day stay that requires round-the-clock nursing and clinical staff. McGuire said York County residents have used these services this fiscal year and that personnel costs for the unit exceed reimbursement available from state sources. Keystone requested $62,500 to close a projected personnel funding gap for FY2026.
Why it matters: School clinical supports and detox capacity connect prevention and treatment; speakers said local funding leverages state and federal grants but does not fully cover personnel costs for medically intensive services.
Council response: Council members thanked Keystone for its services and noted the county had funded a $125,000 operational supplement in a prior year to support detox staffing; McGuire said state opioid-relief funds (SCORF) and block grants help but are insufficient for personnel expenses.
Next steps: Council members accepted the presentation and indicated the county will consider the requests during FY2026 budget deliberations.
