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Parker County seeks $100,000 juvenile diversion grant to fund therapeutic case manager
Summary
Juvenile probation requested permission to apply for a $100,000 Office of the Governor diversion grant to fund a full-time therapeutic case manager; the county would add about $13,750 in fringe costs to next year's budget if awarded. Commissioners approved the resolution to apply.
Ashley Bianca of Parker County Juvenile Probation requested the court's approval to apply for a juvenile justice diversion grant and described how a funded position would change service delivery.
"I'm asking for the full $100,000 amount to cover salary, fringe, and benefits," Bianca said, adding that about $13,750 of fringe costs would be added into next year's budget if the grant is awarded. She said the position would be a full-time therapeutic case manager and would allow the department to have a licensed professional counselor on staff.
Bianca told commissioners that more than half of juveniles served by the department have experienced traumatic events and that an on-staff counselor would permit faster responses to suicidal ideation, reduce barriers to service such as transportation and cost, and reduce reliance on outside contracted providers. Commissioners asked whether current contract costs would be offset; Bianca said last year the department spent close to $100,000 on related services including offender-treatment and functional family therapy, and the in-house position would reduce the counseling budget paid to private providers.
The court moved and approved the resolution to allow staff to apply for the grant.
