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Douglas County approves ‘Everyday Counts’ case‑management truancy program, releases $87,500
Summary
After extensive public comment urging preservation of a mentorship model, the commission authorized a county‑led case‑management program (Everyday Counts) and released $87,500 to Criminal Justice Services; vote recorded 3–2.
The Douglas County Commission voted to implement a county‑led truancy intervention called Everyday Counts and to release $87,500 from commission reserves to Criminal Justice Services to start the program.
Staff presented the program as a response to budget constraints and to the commission’s prior direction to explore alternatives to the existing Center for Supportive Communities (CSC) mentorship contract. Staff said they had met with the district attorney’s office and the Department for Children and Families to adjust referral timing so the DA can receive earlier notice upon receiving a Form 106, enabling earlier intervention.
Public comment was strongly in favor of keeping CSC’s mentorship model. Parents and advocates described individualized mentoring relationships—including Spanish‑speaking mentors—that, they said, led to rapid improvements in attendance and family stability. Several speakers argued the proposed county case‑management model is untested and urged the commission to preserve CSC’s contract or to adopt a hybrid approach.
Douglas County District Attorney Dakota Lumis emphasized continuity: regardless of program design, the DA’s office relies on a county youth‑services coordinator, identified as Kate Hullman, to receive school reports, triage cases and coordinate with the DA and schools. Hullman later described case management as “boots on the ground,” defining it as making initial contacts, addressing barriers, scheduling meetings and building rapport to divert cases from court, while acknowledging mentorship has value and can work alongside case management.
Commissioners debated the tradeoffs: some described Everyday Counts as a time‑sensitive, county‑managed model the commission had asked staff to prepare within a constrained budget; others objected that the model amounted to an experimental ‘test and learn’ on children and urged maintaining CSC’s evidence‑based mentorship. Commissioners also discussed workload risk (estimates of 40–80 cases per staff member) and whether an additional staffer should be added to support Hullman and maintain mentoring capacity.
A motion to implement Everyday Counts and authorize release of $87,500 from the commission budget to Criminal Justice Services was moved, seconded and approved; the vote was recorded in the transcript as 3–2. The commission directed staff to finalize program documents and coordinate with DCF and the DA on referral protocols.
Next steps: staff will prepare any necessary interagency memorandum of understanding and implement the program for the coming school semester while the commission considers broader budget questions during upcoming budget hearings.
