NORWICH – Chenango County lawmakers in charge of personnel issues gave the nod Wednesday to four new workers for the mental health department and a new, full-time registered nurse for the jail.
Both measures move onto the Finance Committee when the respective 2007 budgets in both departments come up for review later this fall. Finance has already approved the creation of four new employees in the social services department and one to assist the county’s attorney. All of the new positions and requested budgets will come before the full Board of Supervisors before the end of the year.
Armed with the support of her committee and fellow colleagues from probation and social services, Mental Hygiene Services Director Mary Ann Spryn described the purpose of a child and family clinic initiative that would require the new workers. The current capacity for providing mental health services to youths is less than required, she said, and the earlier mental illness is detected the less costly it is for communities later on.
About 350 youths are currently admitted in the clinic. The initiative would add about 80 more.
Child and Family Clinic Plus would give mostly middle-school aged students a two page questionnaire while at school. Then, with parental permission, identified youths and their families would be seen at the clinic in the City of Norwich for treatment and possibly in their homes on occasion later.
The $240,000 program, three social workers and one account/clerk typist are afforded via the New York State Office of Mental Health and Medicaid. Social Services Commissioner Bette Osborne told the committee that taxpayers would not be responsible for picking up the tab for any portion of the Medicaid component.
“We have a base level of Medicaid each year. If she (Spryn’s program) increases billable Medicaid, we are not going to have to pay that extra because of the Medicaid cap,” she said.
Supervisor Allan I. Johnson, R-Smithville, referred to $10,000 in revenue that would come into the county’s coffers if it enters into the program. “Is all that new revenue?” he asked. “Yes,” Spryn said.
Supervisor Jerry L. Kreiner, R-Plymouth, asked what would happen to the four new positions and additional clients should the state decide to pull its funding in the future. “If your new positions go, do the clients go, too? Won’t you come back then and ask for more staff to take care of them?”
“The positions are contingent upon funding and we already have clients we can’t see. I’ve been saying for six years that we have all these people and don’t have adequate staff,” Spryn said.
Before calling for a motion on her request, Committee Chairperson Wayne Outwater, R-Lincklaen, made Spryn aware of Chenango County students who attend school districts outside the county, and to make sure they aren’t overlooked. He also asked her to return mid-year next year with a progress report on the program.
“We might even see less kids on probation and social services, right?” he said.
“I don’t mean to say that every child will be a success,” Spryn said.
Johnson moved and Jeffrey B. Blanchard, R-Pitcher, seconded. The motion passed despite opposition from Kreiner. “I hear how our programs are too big all the time now, and we should cut back,” he said. “Here we go again.”
After a brief discussion, the committee approved Chenango County Sheriff Thomas J. Loughren’s request for another full-time Registered Nurse at the new Public Safety Facility. Inmates’ medical needs are currently managed by one part-time doctor and one full-time and one part-time RN. The sheriff’s budget also has another part-time RN position, but it is not filled.
“There’s a lot of medicine going through our jail,” Loughren said, referring to a large number of inmates being treated for mental illness with psychotropic drugs. Triage assessments and tuberculosis vaccinations required for every inmate can only be administered by medical professionals.
“I can’t talk to them about their medical background,” he said, adding that his officers aren’t supposed to be handing out drugs either.
Originally approved for 129 beds, the jail has the capacity for 161 prisoners. There is room for 133 now and the Sheriff expects to have 125 to 130 inmates soon.
Outwater said he would have preferred to lessen the requirements for the open part-time position and look for a licensed practical nurse rather than create the new full-time RN position. He asked Loughren to request the change when he next meets with his standing committee.
The committee unanimously approved the new position.