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New behavioral-health agency (DCT) wants board pay higher than statutory default; council to weigh $500/day suggestion
Summary
Officials describing the new Department for Community Treatment (DCT) said the agency will split from DHS on July 1, operate dozens of facilities statewide and recommended a board daily stipend of $500 (statutory default $55) to attract experienced members; council members asked about meeting frequency, fiduciary duties and budget implications.
Officials presenting on the newly created Department for Community Treatment (DCT) told the council that the agency will inherit extensive behavioral-health programs when it separates from the Department of Human Services and that recruiting an active, expert executive board will require compensation above the current $55/day statutory default.
A DCT presenter described the agency's scope: it will oversee inpatient and outpatient behavioral-health services, forensic treatment programs (including statewide secure treatment on two campuses), group homes, vocational services and a range of clinics and community supports. The presenter said roughly 12,000 people receive DCT services annually and the agency currently employs more than 5,000 staff, with more than 150 state sites statewide and major campuses including Anoka and Moose Lake.
The presenter said the board has significant duties and proposed a $500 per day stipend for voting board members — a figure that matched recommendations DCT had provided to the legislature last year. At a proposed meeting cadence of monthly meetings in the first 12–24 months a $500 daily rate could amount to roughly $6,000 per member in the earliest year, the presenter said. The presenter also noted statutory restrictions: nonvoting members and commissioners would not be eligible for the stipend and would receive travel reimbursement only.
Council members asked whether board members carry fiduciary responsibility, how many days per year they would meet, whether the board sets executive compensation, and how many staff would transition from DHS. Presenters said statutory language sets several authorities and that the initial appointment and operational details will determine final cost and responsibilities. The presenter committed to providing clarifying materials to the council.
The council did not set a rate at the meeting; members asked staff to include the board-pay options and budget impacts in the next briefing materials so they can adopt a recommended rate in line with statutory requirements and fiscal constraints.
The council also asked the presenters to provide clearer documentation of which roles are eligible for pay, the expected meeting schedule, and the estimated total annual cost at different pay rates.
