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HomeMy WebLinkAboutBHAC Mtg Minutes_February 10-2026_Draft 1 Behavioral Health Advisory Committee (BHAC) REGULAR MEETING MINUTES FOR: Tuesday, February 10, 2026 BHAC Members: Heather Dudley-Nollette (Commissioner District 1, Chair), present Neil Nelson (City of Port Townsend, Vice Chair), present Chris Ashcroft (Courts), present Patricia Beathard (School Districts), present Bruce McComas (Public Hospital District), absent David Fortino (Law Enforcement), present Nicole Gauthier (Community Resources/Transportation), present Patrick Johnson (Community Member at Large), present Kees Kolff (Jeff Co Board of Health), present BHAC Alternate Members: Greg Brotherton (Commissioner District 3), absent Richard Davies (Courts), absent Andy Pernsteiner (Law Enforcement), present Scott Mauk (School Districts), absent Gabrielle Vanwert (Jeff Co Board of Health), absent Staff: Apple Martine, Jenn Mitchell, and Lolinthea Hinkley Attendees: Gabbie Caudill, Anya Callahan, Bret Black, Denise Banker, Nanine Nicolette, Rebecca Marriott, Julia Cochran, Susan O’Brien, and Brian Richardson. Call to Order Chair Dudley-Nollette called the meeting to order at 2:31 pm upon establishment of a quorum. Public Comment No public comment Approval of Agenda February 10, 2026 Meeting Agenda: Member Johnson made the motion to approve, Member Nelson seconded it; discussion ensued as Staffer Martine stated the meeting minutes for the last BHAC Meeting on December 9, 2025 were not yet completed and would be sent to the BHAC membership and alternates for reviewing and approving or suggesting edits via the email voting buttons option; therefore review of Minutes for 12/9/26 would be removed from today’s agenda; the Committee voted unanimously to approve the agenda with friendly amendment noted. 2 Adoption of draft minutes from last BHAC meeting Topic eliminated from agenda as noted above; Minutes from past meeting to be reviewed and approved via email. 1/10th of 1% (Fund 131) Update • Closing out of 2025, we came in at approximately $160,000 over our tax revenue projections and a $50,000 underspend in 2025; underspend from Therapeutic Courts due to an extended staff vacancy, EJFR/CARES for needing to utilize other grant funds first, and transition to local JCPH Epidemiologist from contracting this service out as in the past. 1/10th of 1% are considered funds of last resort and can be spent down at the vendors own pacing across the two year-contract; what is unused by the end of the contract is put back into the general pool of available 1/10th of 1% funds for the next round. • The carryforward from 2025 to 2026 was noted at $608,915; and reserves at $85,000 and emergency fund reserve at $50,000 so therefore available cash is at $476,000. • Focusing on budget for 2026, staffer Mitchell reported that our January revenue was less than anticipated at $4,500 under projection at $66,667. • Staffer Mitchell explained that she was fairly conservative with projections each month for 2026 given many sales tax generating activities in Jefferson County in 2025 (roads and transportation enhancements including large roundabouts construction, building of fish passages under highways, etc.) have been completed and less are planned for this calendar year. 2026 will be the second year of the current 2-year 1/10th of 1% Sale Tax Funding contracts. • Staffer Mitchell reminded Committee that the BoCC allocated $10,000 extra from Fund 131 to the Jefferson County Juvenile Services and $75,000 extra to Jefferson County Therapeutic Courts for 2026 due to General Fund budget deficit in 2026; those contract amendments are being processed currently. • Member Kolff noted that Fund 131’s cash-on-hand never goes below a consistently predictable level and so inquired if the Fund could be accruing interest if it were invested. Chair Dudley-Nollette responded that these fund dollars are not currently invested but that this has been discussed before; she offered to inquire about this further at the County level, though account liquidity would be paramount for ease of using the funds to pay for cyclic RFP awards. • Staffer Mitchell reiterated plans to move 1/10th of 1% contracted vendors on the State Fiscal Year (SFY), July to June, in alignment with those on the Calendar Year, January to December, so that timing and administrative financial processes are harmonized going forward. To do this, those currently in SFY will have contract extensions from 7/1/26-12/31/26; those currently on calendar year will complete their 2nd year of contracts as of 12/31/26; anyone can apply for the next 2-year cycle of 1/10th of 1% Funding in May 2026 for awards starting 1/1/27 through 12/31/28. Action Taken re: extending SFY (July to June) contracted 1/10th of 1% vendors including the OESD, The Benji Project, and Jumping Mouse Children’s Center (Brinnon & Chimacum) to July through December 2026 via amendment and BoCC’s approval in order to align all vendors on the calendar year (Jan-Dec) cycle for contracts going forward. Member Kolff made the motion; Member Johnson seconded the motion; the Committee voted unanimously to approve the action. Opioid Settlement Fund 132 Update 3 • Staffer Mitchell shared current details of Fund 132 including beginning balance, a projection of revenue received for 2026 and 2027, a reserve amount at $20k, the amount set aside for the first RFP cycle at $200,000, a set amount of $5,000 for Public Health’s administrative tasks associated with facilitating the fund, and recognition of the $150,000 taken off the top in 2026 per BoCC requirement that Fund 132 be used to financially assist keeping County departments and personnel, who are dedicated to opioid abatement work, whole during a deficit year and preventing reductions in force. Discussion ensued about how the Reserves are illustrated within the budget spreadsheet; staffer Mitchell will make updates to the Fund 132 spreadsheet so that it is clearer. • Chair Dudley-Nollette shared that both the Opioid Settlement Funds, in amount and distribution, per the fund’s first RFP process as well as the $150,000 dedicated to County programming that aligns with the One WA MOU’s opioid abatement strategies will be shared with and vetted for appropriateness by the Salish Behavioral Health – Administrative Services Organization (SBH-ASO), our dedicated Opioid Abatement Council for these settlement dollars in the Salish Region. BHAC RFP Timelines in 2026 • Staffer Martine shared the BHAC timeline document/graphic with both funding sources (fund 131 & fund 132) illustrated on two parallel timelines. • Staffer Martine highlighted some changes to the 1/10th of 1% funding timeline, including based on the decision made earlier in the meeting related to extending SFY contracts from July to December 2026 so that all vendors are on the same calendar year pacing ultimately. • 1/10th of 1% Funds RFP for the next two-year contracts cycle is targeted for later this spring; awardees would be notified ahead of summer and contracts would begin in January 2027, lasting through December 2028. • Staffer Martine also highlighted the current process for Opioid Settlement Funds RFP including publishing it at the end of January 2026, applications due by the end of February, with review by the BHAC subcommittee. Action Taken re: a motion for staff to update the timelines document with select date changes was moved by Member Kolff, seconded by Member Johnson, and the Committee voted unanimously to approve the action. BHAC’s Opioid Settlement Fund Subcommittee formation for reviewing RFPs • Staffer Martine asked that the existing subcommittee come together for the purpose of receiving, reviewing, potentially interviewing candidates, and scoring proposals. The existing subcommittee members include reps from Law Enforcement, Citizen -at-Large, City of PT, and County Commissioner; and additional sector representative was desired by the Committee for diversity. It was agreed that a 5th member of the subcommittee is needed for the Opioid Settlement RFP considerations; there was interest expressed but not confirmed by the Board of Health rep and a 1/10th of 1% vendor who is also a provider. 1/10th of 1% Vendor Presentations • Staffer Martine briefly reviewed the 2026 lineup of vendor presentations scheduled per BHAC meeting through 2026; there were no scheduling conflicts noted by vendors. 4 • The Committee discussed the value of having vendors present their data once each year of their two-year contracts for visibility of their programmatic work generally and to showcase challenges and/or successes along the way. Data Community of Practice (CoP) • Staffer Hinkley shared the process for interacting with funding awardees regarding assessment and evaluation of their programs via data collection tool creation and refinement over the year. • Staffer Hinkley shared content on considering and utilizing state data through the example of Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS); see accompanying presentation available for this meeting. Questions for the Committee ensued about potential ability to expand Jefferson County sample sizes for BRFSS through outreach and engagement to better reflect the diversity of populations across the county. Adjournment Chair Dudley-Nollette adjourned the February meeting of the BHAC at 4:31pm.