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County signs on to WUPHD‑administered $2 million SAMHSA Treatment Court grant
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Summary
The board authorized Houghton County’s participation in a SAMHSA Treatment Court grant written by WUPHD that would provide $2 million over five years with WUPHD as fiduciary; the grant would convert a current part‑time Treatment Court employee to full‑time and the board named Cathryn Beer as signing official.
The Houghton County Board of Commissioners on June 10 approved steps to participate in a SAMHSA Treatment Court grant that would provide $2 million over five years with the Western Upper Peninsula Health Department (WUPHD) serving as fiduciary.
Gail Ploe of WUPHD told the board she wrote the grant application and said the judges support the proposal. She said the grant funding would allow the county’s Treatment Court to convert a current part‑time employee into a full‑time position.
Chairman Tom Tikkanen asked whether the grant creates a job; Ploe said the current part‑time employee (identified in the record as Jason Rota) would be changed to full time and that the person ‘‘could be a WUPHD employee.’' Commissioner Roy Britz said he felt the employee should be a WUPHD employee. The board moved to authorize Cathryn Beer as the new signing/business official and directed county administrators and WUPHD to discuss supervisory arrangements for the position and report back by the next board meeting.
The motion to authorize the signing official and move forward with the grant arrangements carried by voice vote with all five commissioners in favor.
Why it matters: A federally funded SAMHSA grant of this size could expand Treatment Court capacity and services in the county. The fiduciary arrangement with WUPHD will determine employment and supervision arrangements for the staff funded by the grant.
What’s next: County administrators and WUPHD will discuss supervision and reporting relationships before the next meeting; the board authorized Cathryn Beer to serve as signing/business official for the grant.