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Delaware County amends 2025 budget to cover mental-health costs as state funding ends
Summary
The Delaware County Board of Supervisors approved a 2025 budget amendment shifting full responsibility for certain court-ordered mental-health costs to the county after state contributions ended; the board kept a $50,000 placeholder in the county budget and discussed uncertainty about future expenses and information sharing from state providers.
The Delaware County Board of Supervisors voted to adopt a 2025 budget amendment transferring funds to cover mental-health costs that the board said the state previously partially funded.
Board members approved the amendment following a discussion that noted the county now pays the full amount of certain court-ordered mental-health expenses previously shared with the state. Supervisors said the county had included a $50,000 line in the budget as a placeholder but acknowledged actual costs are uncertain and may require drawing on contingency funds.
Why it matters: Supervisors flagged the item as a recurring budgetary risk because the county now shoulders what they described as formerly state-funded obligations. During discussion, speakers said the county receives little clinical reporting from state providers about patients subject to the county’s payments, and that timing and length of stays are not routinely shared with Delaware County Mental Health.
Board discussion and context: Board members said the county had historically spent well under $50,000 in some years but that costs can spike depending on court orders and patient needs. One participant said the state stopped contributing to these costs several years ago; another participant recalled a different time frame during the same discussion, reflecting uncertainty in the meeting record about exactly when state contributions ended.
Supervisors said the decision to leave the $50,000 placeholder in the budget reflected a policy choice to avoid over‑budgeting taxpayer funds when the amount needed is unknown, preferring instead to use contingency funds if necessary. Several supervisors said they expect the county to re-evaluate the line during each annual budget process.
Formal action: The board adopted the 2025 budget amendment by roll call. The roll call recorded affirmative votes from Supervisors Merrill, Kelso, Wally, Smith, Marshfield, Bernal, Driscoll, Haines, Scott, Ellis, Faulkner, Hinckley, Wilson, Cozier, Clayton, Setter and Malay. The resolution was recorded as adopted.
What the action does not do: The resolution amends the budget to provide additional county funding for the specified mental-health costs; it does not change state requirements or direct state providers to supply additional clinical reports to the county.
Looking ahead: Supervisors said they will monitor expenditures and re-evaluate the budgeted amount in future budget cycles. The board also noted the potential for mental-health needs to grow and for the county’s share of costs to increase, but no new reporting or requirement was imposed on state providers in the action taken at the meeting.
