Darren Taylor, director of the South Branch Valley Day Report Center, briefed the commission on the center’s services and funding needs and requested continued county support for the Community Corrections Grant.

Taylor said the center has served 265 individuals since July and that 116 clients were diverted from incarceration, which he estimated has produced approximately $1.5 million in savings to the three counties it serves (Hampshire, Hardy and Pendleton). He explained that state implementation of SB128 required day-report centers to align with Medicaid billing rates, which created a temporary lapse in invoice payments and drained the center’s sustainability funds.

Taylor said the center currently has a $190,000 community-corrections grant and recent West Virginia First Foundation funding, including a $250,000 juvenile-services grant that will fund four additional positions for one year. He asked the counties to continue prior annual contributions of $20,000 each so the center can maintain staffing and service levels while pursuing other grant opportunities.

Commissioners thanked Taylor for the work and voted to approve the tri-county MOU and the funding request by voice vote.

Taylor said the MOU documents Hampshire County’s role as fiscal director for the tri-county arrangement and that the center will present similar MOU paperwork to Hardy and Pendleton counties.