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Marquette County human services board flags about $500,000 placement-driven deficit and staff shortages
Summary
Marquette County Department of Human Services officials told the board March 3 that 2024 ended with an estimated deficit in the roughly $500,000 range driven mainly by out-of-county placement costs; staff shortages and an open accountant position were also highlighted as risks to services.
Marquette County Department of Human Services Director Mandy Stanley told the board on March 3 that the department is facing mounting fiscal pressure, with an estimated 2024 deficit in the roughly $500,000 range driven largely by costs for client placements outside the county.
Why it matters: Placement costs are a repeated, high-dollar item in the department’s ledger. Board members were warned that unless budgets are adjusted to match placement trends, the department could see recurring shortfalls that affect service delivery.
Stanley reported that the Adult Protective Services position has been filled but the department is short-staffed elsewhere: a Youth Mentor (Michelle LaPorte) is retiring and an accountant position within the Financial Unit is open. Staff recommended aligning future budgets to recent cost trends to prevent similar deficits.
Financial staff reviewed revenue and expense items and raised software and accounting-programming questions tied to tracking and forecasting placement expenses. The minutes state the department “may need to match budget to trend data” to avoid repeating the shortfall.
Clinical-services staff also flagged service pressure: Dawn Woodard said the waitlist for clinical services has doubled even as court-ordered caseloads have fallen, and the unit handled 17 crisis calls in the reporting period. Woodard noted the county secured a non-expiring CCS certification from the State Division of Quality Assurance and began a contract placing a pediatric prescriber on site one day per month starting Feb. 21, 2025.
The board did not adopt specific new budget measures at the meeting; staff discussion focused on options and the need to monitor placement trends. The board set its next regular meeting for April 4, 2025 at 10:30 a.m.
