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McLeod County approves mental-health and detox contracts; one personnel request tabled
Summary
The board renewed multiple social-services agreements: Woodland Centers’ ACT team contract (3 years, $60,000), a one-year detox services purchase from Brown County (2026), and a 2026 clinical supervision contract with Richard Decker; a request to add a social-worker position was tabled for further review.
The McLeod County Board approved several social-services contracts during its meeting, including a three-year administrative contract for Woodland Centers’ assertive community treatment (ACT) team and a one-year purchase-of-service agreement with Brown County Evaluation Center for detoxification and evaluation services.
Barrett, a county staff member, presented the Woodland Centers renewal covering 2026–2028 at a total cost of $60,000 ($20,000 per year billed quarterly), funded from the individual and family social services budget. "We will reimburse them 20,000 per year, which will be billed quarterly," Barrett said. Commissioners approved the renewal by voice vote.
The board also approved a one-year contract with Brown County Evaluation Center to provide detoxification and evaluation services for 2026 at a rate of $500 per patient per 24-hour period (a 5.5% increase from the 2025 contracted rate). "A year to date as of today, we've paid Brown County Evaluation Center about 66,000. Of that 66,000, we have billed our clients about 27,000 and year to date have recaptured 19,000," Barrett reported. The contract includes a $25 discount for payments received within 30 days and a transportation bill-back rate of $0.70 per mile when the client cannot provide transport.
Separately, the board renewed a 2026 clinical supervision contract with Richard Decker at $128 per hour, not to exceed 90 hours ($16,380) to meet Minnesota statute requirements for clinical supervision and signed care plans. Barrett said the county is consolidating adult and children’s clinical supervision under Decker after a previous children's contractor did not meet expectations.
A separate personnel request to add one social worker in the developmental disabilities unit (included in the 2026 budget and described as 100% reimbursable) prompted debate about state reimbursement reliability. Several commissioners expressed concern about uncertain state payments; one commissioner said "I don't trust the state of Minnesota" and moved that the item be tabled. Commissioner Wright moved to table the request until the board’s first meeting in January 2026 so the board could review organizational charts and budget implications; the motion carried by voice vote.
The approvals move forward contract renewals that county staff said are intended to maintain continuity of services and meet statutory obligations; the social-worker request will return after additional review at a workshop and the January meeting.
