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NEW ULM -- Brown County commissioners unanimously approved placing a community-based coordinator position in the 2019 Human Services budget, June 26.
Subject to final budget approval, the behavioral health worker would provide early intervention and jail diversion for the Brown County law enforcement community. The estimated $56,385 annual cost of the worker could be funded from a variety of resources in addition to a 20 percent base provided to Minnesota Human Service workers of this type.
The worker could begin Jan. 1, 2019, in the Brown County Law Enforcement Center (LEC) and provide screening and referral to mental health clientele. In addition, the worker would work closely with jail staff to improve access to services for inmates, mainly mental health and substance abuse intervention.
There would be close collaboration between the behavioral health worker and the Human Services adult mental health unit, the public health jail nurse, probation agents and others in the system.
Brown County Mental Health/Chemical Dependency Social Service Supervisor Julie Hogen said the program is designed to engage services for people before they would have to go to a hospital. She said the job is an 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. position and that a crisis center (Horizon Homes) would do screening at other times over the phone.
Brown County Sheriff Rich Hoffmann said the worker acts a guide to keep people from being repeat offenders, which winds up costing taxpayers lots of money.
Blue Earth County began an experimental "Yellow Line" project several years ago that received national acclaim and a great deal of replication interest from other counties. The program would start with a behavioral health worker in the law enforcement center with a human services background.
Commissioner Dave Borchert said the position "makes a lot of sense."
Commissioners unanimously approved:
• Placing a community support program worker in the 2019 budget. The employee would work in conjunction with the behavioral health worker but would be located in the human services building and support all adult mental health and chemical dependency workers doing case management. The position would not be added until the caseload increased 10 or more from the 150 people it is now. Annual, estimated levy cost is $56,385.
Brown County Human Services Director Tom Henderson said the program could help avoid out-of-home placement costs that can be as high as $300 a day and last up to 18 months.
"Do the math and see how costly this can be," Henderson said. "We've a number of juveniles who are aging out soon but we've got a 13-year-old with eight felonies."
• By a 4-1 vote, with Commissioner Scott Windschitl dissenting, including the cost of a new, full-time emergency manager position in the 2019 draft budget, subject to final budget approval. Windschitl asked about making the position three-fourths of full-time and possibly duplicated services.
Assistant Zoning Administrator/Emergency Manager Robert Santaella said the position would help survey recovery phases of emergencies that are needed to be eligible for reimbursement.
Commissioner Dennis Potter said the levy rises half a percent when one new staff position is created. He suggested making the request a budget call-back item.
The Planning and Zoning/Emergency Management office has only been able to do the minimum state requirements for some time, according to the request. A new position would be created to handle most emergency management duties.
The estimated cost to be included in the draft 2019 budget would be a $50,000 salary for the full-time position; $7,600 for payroll taxes and government retirement; and a family health insurance benefit estimated at $23,328. Position funding would be partially paid for by a $22,000 Emergency Management Planning Grant (EMPG) with a one-to-one county match.
Emergency management is a vital public safety component. Emergency management duties have grown over the years as have other department duties. Emergency management is key in a coordinated county disaster response, according to the request.
Approving the position will also free up time for the assistant zoning administrator/emergency manager to spend more time on zoning, septic and feedlot issues.
• Purchasing four FLIR Scout II 320 60 Hz thermal imagers for $7,600, plus shipping. The hand-held units would be assigned to specific deputies and would aid in search and rescue plus suspect apprehension. The Brown County Sheriff's Office has been in the process of outfitting deputies with night vision/FLIR over the past few years. The items are budgeted for 2018.
• Putting $50,000 in the 2019 budget for payment of eligible residents to use a new mental health client assistance program that would allow county residents desiring mental health therapy services to choose their service provider.
• A resolution putting the Minnesota Office of the State Auditor on notice that Brown County will be retaining the services of a private CPA firm to conduct its audit beginning with the 2019 audit for 2020.
Brown County Auditor-Treasurer Jean Prochniak said a former state auditor now a county auditor/treasurer told her one county saved $13,000 by using a private CPA firm to do its audit. In addition, she said he told her to interview CPA firms, not just receive bids before hiring them.
• Authorized the Brown County Highway Department to survey and develop preliminary road construction plans to relocate 220th Street where it runs along the south side of the Cottonwood River, as it approaches CSAH 10, between Home and Stark Townships.
Brown County Highway Engineer Wayne Stevens said for the townships to make an informed decision, the county highway dept. offered to survey the area, design a preliminary plan and estimate its cost, as time permits.
• Declaring a state of emergency due to the June 2018 flooding, to allow Brown County to apply for possible state funding and/or federal assistance. Brown County's state assistance threshold is $47,632.12 for public property damage. To qualify for federal aid, the county threshold is $95,285.24.
Santaella said he believes the county qualifies to assistance due to road washouts and slumping.
Fritz Busch can be emailed at fbusch@nujournal.com.