NORWICH - Chenango County administrators are taking measures they hope will lessen the financial onus of referring inmates at the county jail to state-approved psychiatric centers for mental treatment.

Action comes at the heels of a single-month $75,360 invoice received by the county for mental health services of one inmate back in April. Under state corrections law 508, which allows pre-sentenced inmates to be admitted to psychiatric centers for mental health treatment, the county’s responsible for paying that bill in full.

The problem, county officials argue, is that local taxpayers are on the hook for 100 percent of the bill; yet the burden to pay such expenses in full hasn’t always been the case. Two years ago, state law changed from a 50-50 split of costs for mental treatment for inmates, where the county paid half the cost to psychiatric clinics and New York State picked up the other half.

The change has prompted the county’s Health and Human Services Committee to draft a resolution calling on the state to revert to its former agreement and once again foot 50 percent of the cost of treatment for inmates admitted into psychiatric treatment centers.

“Just like many times, we’ve gone from being responsible to pay 50 percent to paying 100 percent,” said Health and Human Services Committee member Wayne Outwater, who moved to draft a resolution opposing the change during the committee’s July meeting. “It’s not fair that it’s 100 percent for the county. It’s a burden for the county.”