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Committee adds diversion center operating costs to reconciliation list amid debate over residential rehabilitation cuts
Summary
The committee placed a $3.1 million operating impact for the county's diversion/crisis stabilization center (and 18 FTEs) on the reconciliation list; members raised concerns about a proposed 50% reduction to the Residential Rehabilitation Provider supplement and discussed mitigation options.
Council staff told the Health & Human Services Committee that Behavioral Health & Crisis Services (BHCS) realignment increases the recommended FY27 operating budget by roughly $31.9 million, largely because school-based mental health and other programs were moved into BHCS. The committee identified a reconciliation-list operating enhancement of $3,104,903 and 18 FTEs tied to the diversion/crisis stabilization center project.
Chief Monica Martin (BHCS) described the crisis continuum (mobile crisis outreach teams, walk-in diversion centers, short residential stabilization) and highlighted credentialing and licensing requirements (COMAR) that informed staffing and capital investments. She said BHCS recently earned CARF accreditation and reported reductions in overdose-related deaths and emergency-department visits, attributing improvements to expanded prevention and treatment capacity and broad Narcan distribution: "We distributed over 9,300 Narcan kits in 2025," Martin said.
The diversion project is a two-site model: renovations at the existing Montgomery County Crisis Center (1301 Picard Drive) will expand adult and minor stabilization capacity; a second site at 7 Locks Road will focus on alternatives to incarceration for adults. Staff said the operating request funds 18 FTEs and operating expenses while anticipated Medicaid billing will offset some recurring costs in FY28.
Council discussion then turned to a proposed 50% reduction in the Residential Rehabilitation Provider (RRP) supplement (about $458,422). Councilmember Lukey opposed the cut, calling RRP supports critical for people with serious mental illness and homelessness and suggesting a 2.5% inflationary add-back to soften the impact. "I don't concur with the county executive's recommendation," Lukey said, urging fuller consideration of systemwide costs if supports are reduced. Staff and BHCS described expected Medicaid offsets and programming shifts but agreed to bring mitigation options for reconciliation review.
Ending: The divergence-center operating impact, along with related technical CIP amendments, was placed on the reconciliation list. The committee requested further reconciliation options and financial scenarios for the RRP supplement to inform full-council deliberations.
