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Oneida County Human Services flags $1.4 million shortfall; committee accepts 2025 annual report
Summary
The Oneida County Human Services Committee accepted the department's 2025 annual report and discussed a projected $1.4 million deficit for 2026 driven by out-of-home care costs. Staff outlined hiring for behavioral health positions, a proposed move of the Fuel Program and plans for two limited-term hires.
The Oneida County Human Services Committee on May 18 accepted the department's 2025 annual report and heard that the department is projecting a $1.4 million deficit for 2026, driven primarily by out-of-home care costs.
Ms. Beth Hoerchler, who presented the annual report, told the committee the deficit reflected higher-than-expected out-of-home placements and related expenditures. She said the department is exploring options to offset those costs, including the possibility of a budget amendment and a referral to the county's Executive Committee; Mr. Dan Hess said he would request the item be placed on the Executive Committee agenda.
Hoerchler also summarized program-level pressures the report documented: recent changes to state kinship-care law now incorporate "like-kin," the Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) is experiencing increased meal costs, and the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC) has a Treatment and Diversion (TAD) grant application under preparation that, if funded, would support a treatment court. The committee voted to accept the annual report and forward it to the County Board on a motion by Mr. Ted Cushing, seconded by Ms. Mary Roth Burns; the minutes record the vote as "all ayes."
On staffing and operations, Hoerchler reported recent hiring success and said two behavioral health therapist positions have been posted, with interviews scheduled. Chair Robb Jensen noted improved employee retention since a recent merger.
Hoerchler described an administrative change for the Fuel Program: the department plans to move the Fuel Program out of the Economic Support Unit, assign supervisory responsibility to Ms. Heidi Chavez beginning this fall, and hire two limited-term (LTE) positions to staff the program. She also explained an earlier anomaly in Economic Support spending: a federal government shutdown delayed payments, causing several transactions to be billed in December and creating an atypical spike in that month's reports.
The committee recorded routine procedural approvals (agenda and previous minutes) and had no public comment. The meeting adjourned at 10:27 a.m.; the next Human Services Committee meeting is scheduled for June 15, 2026, at 10:00 a.m.
