Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Opioid Funding topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Sky Ranch tells supervisors county funding helped expand access; asks for a second year of opioid‑settlement support
Summary
Sky Ranch Behavioral Services described outcomes from year‑1 opioid‑settlement funds — including hiring an access navigator, carrying out 100+ clinical assessments and serving over 115 clients — and requested another year of funding (just over $181,000) while an external evaluator said the program is near sustainability.
Sky Ranch Behavioral Services presented an update to the Woodbury County Board of Supervisors and requested a second year of opioid‑settlement funding to sustain expanded access services. Anna Bertrand, director of Sky Ranch, said the organization used year‑1 funds to hire an access navigator and peer-support staff, run open-access hours without insurance requirements, and perform more than 100 clinical assessments. "In less than 9 months, she's well over 40 clients," Bertrand said of the navigator; she added, "we have served over a 115" clients since the navigator started.
Bertrand said year‑1 funds (awarded in October 2024 at roughly 75% of the original request) helped Sky Ranch move from a precarious financial state to a lean but stable operation and that the organization seeks another year of support to reach sustainability. She said many clients are adults and males (roughly a 60/40 split) and that the program helps with transportation and warm handoffs to existing community resources.
Heidi Cammer Hodge of Consulting by Design, the external evaluator, told the board the program demonstrates strong stewardship and a positive return on investment. "From everything we know about opioid remediation funds and what the intention of them is, this is a great example of what the ROI should be," she said, adding that the program is "about 6 to 12 months from being fully sustainable" if additional funding and reimbursements are obtained.
Board members asked about major challenges. Bertrand named workforce recruitment — especially recruiting and retaining peer-support staff with lived experience — and navigating payer systems and insurance contracts (Iowa Medicaid, MCOs and commercial insurers) as top hurdles. Bertrand said more than half of the services provided are currently reimbursable and that the year‑2 plan emphasizes securing additional insurance contracts to reduce reliance on county funding.
County staff later noted the opioid‑settlement fund balance: total funds of $1,065,000 with $236,000 already allocated, leaving about $830,000 unallocated; roughly $2,000,000 more is expected from settlement payments over coming years. The board received Sky Ranch’s informational request 4-0; no funding decision was made at the meeting.
Next steps: The board has the presentation on record and will consider Sky Ranch’s year‑2 funding request at a future meeting.
