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Human Services Committee shifts $540,000 inside 2025 public health budget to cover jail, clinic costs
Summary
The Chautauqua County Human Services Committee approved a budget-neutral reallocation of $540,000 within the 2025 public health budget to cover higher jail clinic medical costs, medication-assisted treatment expenses and other overruns, county officials said.
The Chautauqua County Human Services Committee on Nov. 12 approved a budget-neutral resolution to increase and decrease appropriation accounts that together shift $540,000 inside the county’s 2025 public health budget.
Diana Songer, deputy director of finance for human services, introduced the measure, saying the adjustments respond to some divisions overspending and others holding surpluses. "We are requesting authorization to increase appropriations in the amount of $540,000 and also decreasing appropriation accounts totaling $540,000. This is a budget neutral resolution," Songer told the committee.
Dr. Mike Falk, the county’s chief medical officer, described the largest drivers of the shortfall: a persistent increase in the jail census and more people entering custody while experiencing opioid withdrawal or dependence, which raised medical and medication costs in the jail clinic. "We're looking at 800 plus thousand dollars for just medications for assisted, medication assisted treatment, within the county jail," Falk said, noting many patients receive long‑acting injectable treatment that costs roughly $1,500 per patient per month. Falk added the county currently has about 65 people on the jail MAT program, and most receive the injectable formulation.
Falk and Lacey Wilson, public health director, also cited savings elsewhere that made the reallocation possible. The coroner program has saved on contractual costs by doing more transports in‑house rather than sending decedents to the Erie County medical examiner, and some public health divisions realized vacancy and efficiency savings.
Officials emphasized planning for 2026 and the limits of temporary funding sources. Falk said the county has been using opioid settlement funds to offset MAT expenses and expects to budget $750,000 for MAT medications in 2026, but those settlement funds will decline over time. The committee discussed operational changes—such as safely transitioning some patients to oral medications that cost $20–$50 per month—to reduce long‑term costs while guarding against diversion and added staff burdens.
Committee members asked about overdose trends; Falk and others reported a decline in overdose deaths locally, with county figures showing about a 50% reduction between 2024 and 2025, though speakers cautioned month‑to‑month variation and advised against overinterpretation of short time windows.
The committee recorded unanimous support and adopted the resolution. The adjustment is intended to cover the 2025 shortfalls without increasing overall county spending.
