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County health staff and jail seek county support to sustain jail opioid and mental‑health services
Summary
Public health staff and jail officials asked the Kittitas County commissioners to consider using opioid settlement funds, blended with other sources, to sustain a jail mental‑health and MOUD program after federal funding ended; commissioners directed staff to bring enabling documents forward for board consideration.
Kittitas County public health staff told commissioners on April 21 that opioid settlement funds include allowable uses for incarcerated individuals and that the county jail’s existing mental‑health and substance‑use programs fall within those categories.
Casey Knudson of Kittitas County Public Health briefed the board on the opioid settlement MOU and the allowable uses for incarcerated individuals, and explained that while the jail’s programs align with the settlement rules, the settlement money may not meet all of the jail’s needs over multiple years.
A jail official described a “robust” program that includes mental‑health support and medication‑for‑opioid‑use‑disorder (MOUD). The official said federal funding streams that previously supported parts of the program have ended and that the jail is blending available sources, including seeking Medicaid reimbursement where possible. The official stated the jail recently secured Medicaid reimbursement for a long‑acting MOUD medication and urged the board to consider county funding to avoid service reductions.
Commissioners responded positively, praising staff work and asking that staff draft and return enabling documents — such asRFPs, agreements or budget amendments — so the board can consider formal approval. No final appropriation was made at the meeting; the board provided direction to bring forward formal documents for a future vote.
The discussion covered options to blend opioid settlement dollars, state and county funds, and potential future Medicaid reimbursements. Staff emphasized the need to plan for 2026 and 2027 funding cycles.
