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York County human services director outlines $18.8M block‑grant plan and new overdose response efforts
Summary
York County Human Services presented its proposed 2026–27 block‑grant budget and priorities — including $13.6M for mental health, 10 new IDD waiver slots, a recently opened behavioral health walk‑in center and a planned post‑overdose response team set to start Sept. 1, 2026 — with submission to the state due Aug. 1.
Melissa Leathery, executive director of York County Human Services, presented the county’s proposed 2026–27 human services block‑grant plan and described program priorities and recent achievements during the board’s July 15 meeting.
Leathery said the county is estimating roughly $18,800,000 in block‑grant funding for fiscal year 2026–27, with a county match of about 3.38% (approximately $637,000). She described the planned allocation of the funds, saying mental‑health services would receive the largest share (about $13.6 million), intellectual and developmental disability services about $3.1 million, substance‑use services about $676,000, homeless assistance about $1.1 million and the Human Services Development Fund roughly $282,000.
The presentation highlighted recent program achievements. Leathery said York Adams Mental Health, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (MHIDD) entered a multi‑year growth strategy with the Office of Developmental Programs to add 10 waiver slots to support individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities. She also announced the opening, in partnership with WellSpan, of the York County Behavioral Health Crisis Walk‑In Center, which the county described as providing around‑the‑clock access and evaluation time up to roughly 23 hours to connect individuals to appropriate services.
Leathery reported on opioid‑response activity supported by the block grant and partners: the York Adams Drug and Alcohol Commission distributed 6,380 units of naloxone across York and Adams counties and provided transportation and case management services to thousands of individuals. She described two YADAC priorities for the coming year: (1) a warm‑handoff program to engage overdose survivors in emergency departments and link them to treatment, and (2) a post‑overdose response team (PORT) to reach people who refuse transport after a naloxone revival; the PORT program had an anticipated start date of Sept. 1, 2026.
Leathery also outlined priorities to support homelessness prevention and housing stability, noting the block grant’s flexibility to fund temporary shelter, transitional housing and case management. She gave figures for emergency shelter and transitional services provided in the prior year and described a modest year‑over‑year increase in service units.
When a commissioner asked whether the county could meet these priorities given a largely flat state budget for 2026–27, Leathery said department leaders try to stay within existing allocations and that any growth or expansion would require additional planning and discussion.
Leathery told the board the county planned to submit the block‑grant implementation and application to the state by Aug. 1, 2026. The presentation was informational; no formal board vote was recorded on the block‑grant plan during the meeting.
Sources: Presentation by Melissa Leathery to the York County Board of Commissioners, July 15, 2026.
