Dawson County requests $353,109 FY26 treatment court grant to add clinical case manager

Heather Harrington, treatment services director, presented Dawson County’s FY2026 treatment court grant application seeking $353,109 with a required local match of $62,313, which the county would satisfy through an existing coordinator position.

Harrington said last grant cycle the program had about 75 participants and that by the end of the last year the program had grown to a little over 100 participants. She told the board the request seeks funding for a new full‑time clinical case manager to preserve a recommended ratio of roughly 50 participants per case manager.

"With the understanding that we will ask for this position in the grant. If they don't approve it, then we wouldn't come back before the county and ask for that to be picked up," Harrington said, clarifying the county would not commit local funding for the new position unless the grant awarded it. She also said if the grant does not fund the position, staff would seek alternative grants.

Commissioners asked about prior success on grants and Harrington said past applications had succeeded in other counties and that the county had used ARPA funds previously when needed. No formal action was taken during the work session; the application process will proceed through staff filing and subsequent review.

Next steps: staff will submit the application and return with results if the grant is awarded.