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Local provider tells Osage County Commission it needs a larger appropriation as services and staff expand
Summary
A local mental-health and substance-use services provider told the Osage County Commission it requested $126,500 for 2026 to cover combined substance-use and mental-health services and program growth, saying staff and client loads have risen sharply and facility expansion is planned.
A representative identified in the meeting as Presenter told the Osage County Commission on June 16 that the organization requested $126,500 from the county for fiscal 2026 to cover combined substance-use and mental-health services and the costs of expanding programs.
"In 2025 we asked for $120,000," the Presenter said, "and last year we were awarded $124,000. For 2026 we asked for a $126,500, and that was really because we combined those substance use services and mental health." The Presenter asked the commission to consider the increase as part of the county's appropriation process.
An Agency official who described program operations said the organization has outgrown its existing space and grown staffing and programming quickly. "We have several therapists now — five, I believe — and right now on staff with summer staff and stuff, we've got about 25 employees," the Agency official said. The official said the program now provides community-based case management, peer support and accompaniment to medical appointments, and noted transportation remains a barrier for rural clients.
The presenter said children's programming has also expanded. The summer program grew from the low 40s to roughly 50 children this year, requiring a split into two locations. "We've got a northern location at Santa Fe Charles High School and a partnership with the Methodist Church in Osage to be able to provide those services," the Presenter said, adding the group expects to issue an RFP for contracting work to add roughly 1,000 square feet at an Osage site to create two new offices.
Commissioners and staff discussed where county support currently comes from and potential funding options. The Presenter noted some counties use liquor tax revenue or mill levy allocations to support mental-health programming, while the organization presently relies primarily on its general budget and partner funding. Tony Parish, introduced during the meeting as the county controller, was identified as the staff contact for receiving detailed financial materials.
The request did not produce a formal vote during the portion of the meeting recorded in the transcript. Commissioners requested supporting documents be routed through the controller's office for review in advance of appropriation decisions.
What happens next: the presenter said the organization will provide budget materials and program details to County Controller Tony Parish for the commission's consideration as it develops appropriations.
