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Polk County agencies report CARES building opening, homeless‑services expansion and funding pressures for community corrections
Summary
County social‑service partners said the CARES behavioral‑health center opened Sept. 30 and hosts crisis, peer support and behavioral‑health programs; homeless services will add two positions to expand coverage and county agencies warned of funding and staffing pressures in community corrections and nonprofit providers.
Health and human‑services and community‑corrections leaders at the Polk County interagency meeting described new program capacity at the CARES building, plans to expand homeless‑services outreach and ongoing funding and staffing challenges for both county and nonprofit providers.
Speaker 11 (Health & Human Services participant) reported the CARES building had its grand opening on Sept. 30 and now houses the behavioral‑health resource network (the "burn" program), a peer‑support program and a crisis program with a separate crisis entrance. Speaker 11 said the agency is "a little bit short on staff" with four positions currently out; recruitment for QMHP and AQMHA positions will be announced soon. Speaker 11 also said Mark Davis has joined crisis services to focus on people with substance‑use issues and that the county will host ADEPT CIT advanced training March 11–13.
On homelessness, Speaker 6 (Trevor) described two newly authorized homeless‑service team positions: two funded positions currently exist through opioid funds and the two new hires will increase outreach capacity. "With the 2 new people coming on, we hope to have 7 day week coverage," Speaker 6 said, adding the team partners with public‑works crews (SOS) to do outreach, connect people with services and allow cleanup crews to remove posted camps after the 72‑hour notice period.
Community corrections updates (Speaker 5) reported the department is budgeted for eight positions but currently has six, with recruiting underway. Speaker 5 said the agency is operating on an older funding baseline (a 2012 cost study) despite completing a 2024 cost study that indicated an increase in per‑head costs; the speaker said that difference translated to about "$68,000,000 more" they believe should have been provided statewide, and described statewide reductions in community corrections staffing of about 78 positions. Polk County uses county funds to cover some unfunded cases but noted policy changes at the state Department of Corrections affecting case transfers.
Nonprofit service providers also reported mixed news: Speaker 17 (Liberty House) said funding was restored for the next year but the organization faces a contractual dispute with a coordinated care organization that could cut funding; Speaker 18 (Sable House) said grant reductions were smaller than expected and that Sable House served 880 unduplicated clients last fiscal year and is recruiting for shelter advocate and housing case‑manager roles.
The meeting included requests for partner support if contracts are threatened and signaled continued recruitment and training activity across agencies; no new local funding appropriations were approved at the session.
