Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Hhs Annual Report topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Richland County HHS annual report: behavioral health, ADRC and child services detail 2023 workloads
Summary
Managers reported 2023 service levels: behavioral health crisis responses exceeded 1,100 county contacts; CCS enrollment grew (407 consumers) with provider increases requested; the ADRC recorded roughly 14,939 contacts and senior-nutrition services changed vendors; child & youth services opened 61 assessments and had 19 out-of-home placements at year-end.
Multiple HHS unit managers presented the department's 2023 annual report to the committee, detailing program caseloads and service trends across behavioral health, the ADRC, economic support, and child & youth services.
Behavioral health leadership said the unit's nine programs provided a continuum of care countywide. The unit reported 1,183 county crisis contacts in 2023 (plus 367 by the contracted Northwest Connections after-hours service), 21 emergency detentions, and 407 consumers served in the Comprehensive Community Services (CCS) Medicaid program. "CCS is probably our fastest growing program," the behavioral health manager said, noting 30 referrals in two months and that the unit is down one therapist.
ADRC management reported about 14,939 contacts across the three-county ADRC region, 89 functional long-term care screens, and the elder- and disability-benefit programs delivering substantial monetary returns to residents (disability-benefit assistance returned roughly $658,000 for 31 residents in 2023; elder-benefit services returned about $1.6M for 341 residents). The senior-nutrition program moved to ADRC management in May 2023 and the county changed meal vendors, reporting positive participant feedback.
The economic support manager, Brianna Turk, described the statewide "unwinding" from the COVID public-health emergency and the county's role in an eight-county consortium. Turk said the consortium model and local staffing produced a timeliness rate of 98.74% for processing applications (state benchmark 95%).
Child & youth services manager Kayla Williams summarized protective-service caseloads: 275 CPS reports, 436 alleged victims, 61 initial assessments opened, and 19 children in out-of-home placements at the end of 2023. Williams said the county currently has no open foster homes administered directly by Richland County and uses contracted or kinship placements when needed.
Committee members asked about staffing impacts on budget variances and placement costs; managers attributed much of the variance to unfilled positions and timing of reimbursements. Several members thanked staff for the detailed reporting. The committee set a request for a budget overview at the next meeting in July.
