County mulls jail counselor position

LEE COUNTY – An application for funding to keep a substance abuse and mental health counselor at the Lee County Jail met with some resistance from the Lee County Board Monday afternoon.
During a workshop of the Lee County Board, an application for opioid funding to keep the counselor at the jail was discussed. Currently, the position is state-funded by the state Mental Health Services agency and involves screenings of inmates for substance abuse and mental health issues.
Lee County Sheriff Elliott Vandenberg wanted to keep the position currently held by Jordyn Utterback in place to help with court orders and transitioning for inmates suffering with disorders on release.
With the recent changes to the state’s mental and behavioral health regionalization, many of the positions currently in place are being eliminated June 30, including Utterback’s.
Vandenberg wants Utterback to stay on as an employee of the county, but several supervisors are balking at the idea of bringing on another employee with budget constraints already hampering staffing. But the application asks for opioid funds to pay for the employee.
The county has about $602,000 in its opioid fund currently and is getting another $53,000 on average annually over the next 13 years just from one agreement in place with a settlement from opioid distributors as part of the National Opioid Trust Settlement.
The county is also getting payments from Walgreens, Wal-Mart, CVS, Teva, and Allergan in another lump settlement. Those payments totaled $204,000 in 2024, but there were large initial payments included in those that may not be included as settlement payments continue through 2036.
Lee County Grant Writer Chuck Vandenberg, who’s been overseeing the opioid settlement for the county, said he couldn’t tell from current settlement language what those payments going forward would look like. But he said they would probably be in the $50,000 to $70,000 range. That would give the county close to $1.75 million at the end of current agreements.
Vandenberg said there are additional settlements in the works, but those are still working through the court system, and nothing has been finalized.
Supervisor Chuck Holmes asked Utterback, who was in attendance, if she would consider maybe going into business for herself and then work for the county on a contract rather than being an employee.
“That’s nothing I’m interested in. At this point, I have to think about my family and that means benefits,” Utterback said.
Ryanne Wood said the changes have spread counseling services thin across the state and a program like the jail is looking at is something that would have an impact.
The position would have to fit opioid settlement strategies, but one of those strategies is treating incarcerated populations. Funding has to be for treatment that is opioid specific and co-occurring other substance abuse and mental disorders can be included.
Holmes asked Utterback how much she actually deals with opioid issues. Utterback said the screening would determine that and it’s the prevention factor that fits that strategy.
Seyb supported the idea of having her come on as an employee rather than having to contract the work.
“This could cost us more if the service doesn’t exist. If no one is doing this service and the guys and gals are left to their own devices to figure it out, they probably won’t and, if they violate their court order, then it’s another touch by the sheriff’s department and they go right back in,” Seyb said.
Lee County Major Robert Juarez said if Utterback isn’t doing that work, it won’t get done because the department doesn’t have the staff to allocate someone to it. Then recidivism will likely increase.
Utterback said the county’s recidivism rate is now lower than the state average and that is because of the services that are currently in place.
The position would cost the county about $84,000 according to figures from Budget Director Cindy Renstrom. Renstrom said she would check with the county’s human resource attorney on the plausibility of reimbursing a salaried position from the opioid account.
Chuck Vandenberg was going to run the application for the funding through County Attorney Ross Braden’s office and the State Auditor’s office for guidance on the application falling within the core strategies identified in the settlement trust.
Supervisors will revisit the options for the position following the diligence and a recommendation from the county’s opioid committee.