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County hears updates on opioid-settlement services, veterans office staffing and a pharmacy savings program
Summary
Operation Mind Body reported program expansion and requested release of remaining opioid-settlement funds; the veteran service officer proposed moving from part-time to full-time staffing; county staff previewed a 'Quantify' infusion-at-home program that could save about $55,000 annually for the county health plan.
Three distinct service items drew attention in the commissioners’ meeting: an opioid-settlement program update, a veterans-service staffing proposal, and a health-plan vendor presentation.
Operation Mind Body (opioid settlement program) provided a community impact report describing peer-support services, a developing mobile crisis-intervention team, family-support programming, training and a veteran/first-responder fitness/wellness center. The presenter said a specialized ambulance has been refitted as a mobile counseling unit to respond and de-escalate crisis situations. The presenter asked the board to release remaining settlement funds (roughly $26,000) to continue operations.
Nick, the county’s recently appointed veteran service officer, asked the board to consider moving the office from a part-time to a full-time model with one full-time veteran service officer and one full-time administrative assistant. He described heavy caseloads, averaging roughly 10–11 daily contacts in a four-day work week and indicated the office currently handles a full-time workload on a part-time schedule; Nick said expanding hours would improve claims processing, follow-up and access for veterans who work daytime hours.
On the county health plan, Max and Mark presented a vetted vendor program called Quantify that provides certain infusion services at a patient’s home (instead of facility infusion) and couples that care with a 'food is medicine' $500/month grocery benefit for eligible members. County claims analysis run against UGS data suggested an annual savings to the county health plan of about $55,000 for a currently high-cost member; presenters said the program could be rolled out as a voluntary bolt-on initially and potentially incorporated into plan documents later.
Administrative approvals during the meeting included acceptance of a preventative mechanical maintenance agreement for community corrections at $1,550 per year, approval to purchase a used portable fuel-dispenser calibration cart for $3,500 pending council appropriation, and permission for the recorder’s office to create an official Facebook page tied to a county address; each passed by voice vote.
