Commission directs review of county grants to residential recovery and mental‑health providers
Loading...
Summary
The board asked staff to inventory county agreements and work with the county attorney to identify contract language that would encourage or require certification or oversight (FAR/FARR) for recovery homes receiving county funds; commissioners sought a phased approach to avoid cutting off essential services immediately.
The Manatee County commission unanimously approved a motion on Feb. 10 directing staff to inventory agreements and grant recipients that place clients in residential treatment, recovery homes, and residential mental‑health facilities and to work with the county attorney to evaluate whether contract language can be added to encourage voluntary certification or other oversight.
Commissioner Amanda Ballard framed the request as an effort to reduce the risk that county funds support unregulated residential programs after media reports and resident complaints about abusive or unsafe practices at some facilities. James Crutchfield, deputy director of public safety, recommended a careful, phased approach: staff should catalog where county funds go, whether recipients refer clients to certified facilities, and whether agreements can be amended without interrupting care. Ballard and staff agreed a phased educational period (roughly 12–18 months) would allow facilities to pursue certification rather than immediately cutting off funding.
The motion directs staff to: (1) assess all agreements where county funds support residential treatment, (2) work with the county attorney to determine legal options to incorporate certification or reporting requirements into contracts, and (3) return to the board with recommended next steps. Commissioners stressed the need to avoid unintended loss of care for vulnerable residents while improving accountability.
Next steps: staff will inventory current recipients of county behavioral‑health funds, identify legal and programmatic options to incentivize voluntary certification, and return with a recommended timetable.
