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Commissioners approve plan to pursue second forensic transitional home and OK MH/ID/EI contracts and budget
Summary
County mental-health administrators and the Housing and Redevelopment Authority outlined a plan to renovate the third floor of 702 Cumberland St. into a three-bed forensic transitional home for justice-involved males, estimated construction about $250,000; commissioners approved partnership requests, contract amendments and the agency's FY26-27 contracts and budget including a $400,000 county match.
County mental-health, intellectual-disability and early-intervention (MH/ID/EI) officials told the Lebanon County Board of Commissioners they will pursue a second forensic transitional home at 702 Cumberland Street to serve justice-involved males, and the board approved the partnership request along with multiple contract and budget items.
Holly Lake, administrator for Lebanon County MH/ID/EI, described the proposal as an extension of the program that operates the women's "cottage" on Wideman Street. Lake said the cottage has seen "five successful graduates" since its 2023 opening who have secured housing, employment and services without reoffending. The new project would occupy the third floor of a property the Housing Authority's nonprofit acquired earlier this year and would serve three male residents.
Dan (Housing Authority representative), who outlined the building's layout, said the nonprofit had acquired the property and believed the third-floor space "could be made suitable" for MH/ID/EI needs, with an architect engaged if the commissioners approved the partnership. Officials projected construction costs in the range of about $250,000, noting that the earlier cottage project in 2023 cost a little over $200,000 but that construction costs have risen.
Lake told commissioners the agency would not seek new county tax dollars beyond a proposed county match included in the FY2026-27 agency budget; she said carryover mental-health reinvestment funds and an increase in categorical mental-health funding (about $500,000 over several years) could offset construction and operating support. The MH/ID/EI agency presented 22 contract amendments for FY2025-26 totaling $113,152 to cover delivered units and sought approval of FY2026-27 service contracts totaling $6,799,044. The board approved the contract amendments, the service-contract package and the agency budget. Lake said the agency is requesting $400,000 in county funds for the required county match and projected shortfall but cautioned that some reinvestment funds used to offset costs may not continue after FY26-27.
Commissioners asked practical questions about occupancy rules, cameras and supervision. Lake said the model does not include overnight on-site staff; private providers visit daily to provide services and individualized plans for residents, the cottage employs house rules and exterior cameras and the proposed men's unit would be similarly supported.
The board approved the partnership and the agency's contract and budget items by voice vote. Commissioners and administrators agreed to follow up with additional operational details as construction planning proceeds.
Next procedural steps listed by officials were architect specifications, a bid process expected later in the year and potential construction completion in late spring of the following year.
