Committee hears bill to boost residential support rate for Welcome Manor, a women-and-children addiction treatment facility

Representative Olson presented House File 736, which the sponsor said would allow Blue Earth County to negotiate a higher residential housing support rate for Welcome Manor Family Services, a treatment facility that serves women and their children.

Karen Calabundi, center director at Welcome Manor, described the program’s model and its capacity: the facility operates an on-site daycare that can accommodate up to 41 children while serving approximately 50 women and 220 children annually. Calabundi said she was requesting a higher residential housing support rate for 20 beds to enable longer-term services and to meet rising costs for treatment, housing and food.

Calabundi described co-occurring disorders among clients, an average length of stay of about 3.5 months for women with children, and frequent challenges finding stable housing at discharge. She related a recent example in which a client, identified as “Lisa” in testimony, ran out of funding about 30 days into treatment, was discharged, relapsed and later called the facility reporting dangerous drinking: "About a week after she was discharged, Lisa started drinking. About 2 weeks after discharge, Lisa called us and she said I need help. I'm drinking a liter of alcohol a day. I can't stop."

Committee members including Representatives Hicks, Frederick and Keeler praised the family-preservation model and asked about connections to child welfare, transportation and community services. Calabundi said Welcome Manor provides on-site medical services, parenting coaches, treatment coordinators and staff transport when needed.

The committee voted to adopt the A1 amendment offered prior to testimony. After discussion, House File 736, as amended, was laid over for possible inclusion in a future omnibus bill.