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Clay County social‑services leaders report fewer children in placement, rising behavioral‑health placement costs and new discharge patterns
Summary
Social‑services supervisors told commissioners that unduplicated youth in out‑of‑home placement fell to 146 in 2025 (from 292 in 2016), while county costs for forensic and community placements are rising; staff also described provisional discharges from the state forensic mental‑health program that may increase county housing costs.
County social‑services supervisors briefed the Clay County Board of Commissioners on March 24 about trends and cost pressures across behavioral health, substance‑use services and child protection.
Kirsten Lapard, supervisor of behavioral health and adult protection, said the adult mental‑health unit now has more capacity after hiring a second Rule 79 case manager and other staff adjustments. She said that while pre‑petition screening numbers have declined on paper, the team is able to provide more in‑depth case management to individuals under civil commitment.
Lapard told the board that the county sometimes bears full hospital costs when…
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