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County staff warn governor's budget could shift costs to Isanti County for waivers, MSOP and behavioral health
Summary
Health and Human Services staff reported potential county fiscal impacts from the governor's proposed budget: a 5% cost shift for disability waivers could add nearly $945,000 to the levy, MSOP commitments and behavioral health fund changes could raise county costs; staff urged monitoring and potential advocacy.
Isanti County Health and Human Services staff told commissioners the governor's proposed budget could shift significant costs to counties for disability waiver services, civil commitments and behavioral health subsidies.
HHS staff said the county has about 600 people eligible for disability waiver services and roughly 134 receiving services in residential settings. Amanda Usher (Health and Human Services) told the board that a proposed 5% county cost shift on waiver residential services would represent a levy increase of about $944,570 for Isanti County.
Usher said the county's waiver caseload has grown substantially since 2015 and staff now face longer waits for eligibility assessments; the office reported approximately 80 people waiting for new assessments with wait times extending beyond four months. Usher added that rural counties like Isanti have fewer community-based alternatives to residential placements than metro areas.
Emily Hawkins, behavioral health supervisor, reported other potential changes in the governor's proposal: she said the countys current share for MSOP-related civil commitments (described in the meeting) is about $72,601 annually and that, in the governor's proposal, the average county share “would be a $193,603,000 dollars per year,” a figure Hawkins characterized as a substantial increase (she described it as about a 40% rise in the meeting discussion). For the county behavioral health fund (subsidizing substance-use-treatment for uninsured or underinsured residents), Hawkins said the county's projected increase would be about $26,540 per year under the proposed changes.
County staff and commissioners discussed the practical effect: increased levy pressure, the need to monitor legislative developments, and the potential need for formal advocacy to the legislature and governor if cost shifts remain in place. Commissioners and staff said they would consider drafting letters and working with associations (AMC and other county partners) to press for clearer funding or to oppose cost shifts that would raise local property taxes.
Ending: Staff will continue to track legislation and proposed budget amendments, coordinate with county associations and report back with refined fiscal estimates and any recommended board action or formal correspondence to state lawmakers.
