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County says MN Choices backlog persists; board asked to support early-engagement mental-health position
Summary
Adult Services managers told the board the MN Choices assessment backlog averages roughly 45 days (state target 20 days); Tammy Lueck proposed a 90-day early-engagement position funded by the Adult Mental Health Initiative pending regional approval, to reduce hospitalizations and costly state placements.
Tammy Lueck, adult services manager, told the board that MN Choices assessments are currently averaging about 45 days to complete, putting the department behind the state's 20-day guideline. "We're right around 45 days, on that wait time for an assessment," she said, and explained that a recent change to the assessment tool increased time required for staff training and slowed throughput.
Lueck described a proposed early-engagement position—intensive outreach over a roughly 90-day window to connect people with services and avoid involuntary commitments—and said the post would be fully funded by the Adult Mental Health Initiative if regional partners approve it in December. She said state-operated placements cost the county about $700,000 annually and acute hospitalizations run around $40,000; commissioners heard that the early-engagement work aims to reduce those high-cost interventions. Lueck cautioned that if the regional AMHI board declines the funding, the position will not move forward.
