As the state budget impasse slogs on, some county agencies are having to increase lines of credit, until an agreement is reached, in order to meet their financial obligations.

Clinton County Commissioner Jeffrey Snyder, president of the Lycoming-Clinton Joinder Board told the board he finds it “inexcusable” that the budget hasn’t been addressed in a timely manner.

“Matter of fact, they’ve been out of session for, I don’t know how long, and it’s inexcusable,” Snyder commented at this month’s board meeting.

“Because of that, we are having to increase our line of credit. And the sad thing is, any interest paid, not only by this joinder, but other counties in the Commonwealth, aren’t accounted for. So therefore it is an additional burden on the taxpayers,” he said

“Quite frankly, I think that every county needs to be sending a letter to their legislators and demanding that they do the job that they’re getting paid for,” he added.

“I completely agree,” said Lycoming County Commissioner Scott Metzger, adding “they should not leave Harrisburg until it’s done.”

The board approved increasing the line of credit with Woodlands Bank to $3 million each for both mental health and the Children and Youth services.

“I’ll say that we’re not happy we have to do this, but to pay our bills and function is something that we have to do,” Snyder said following the vote.

In other business, the board approved the following contracts and agreements: intellectual disability services renewal of a 2024-25 agreement with Abilities in Motion for base intellectual disability services at a rate of $25 to $245.13; a renewal agreement for 2025-26 with Crossroads Counseling Inc. for forensic and outpatient mental health services at a cost of $10,000, which is an increase of $3,000; a new agreement with Sweet Dreams Pet Resort for animal boarding services to care for pets at the rate of $2.99 to $38.90 per day, in the event someone is committed to the hospital; a renewal agreement for 2025-26 with Abilities In Motion for base intellectual disability services at rates between $25 to $245; a renewal agreement with Bayada Home Health Care Inc. for respite, companion, in-home and community support services for consumers living at home at rates between $8.33 and $11.10 per quarter hour; a renewal agreement with Clinton County Community Connections Inc. for companion, various CPS, transportation and respite services at rates between $5.65 and $343.22; a Community Services Group renewal agreement for in-home and community supports at a rate of $11.10 per quarter hour; a renewal agreement with Hope Enterprises Inc. for home and community habilitation, supported employment, and other services at rates between $2.48 and $65.78; a Onewell, LLC renewal agreement for community supports and companion services for $4.77 to $11.10; a renewal agreement with Aveanna Healthcare for home and community habilitation and companion services at rates between $8.33 and $11.10 per quarter hour; a renewal agreement with Service Access & Management Inc. for intellectual disability services at a rate of $27.21 per quarter hour; a renewal agreement with Skills of Central Pennsylvania Inc. for in-home and community supports and supported employment at a rate of $11.10 to $19.34 per quarter hour; and a renewal agreement with UCP Central PA for in-home community supports, companion services and family aide at a monthly administrative fee per client of $5.18 to $6.56 per quarter hour and $336.61 per month.

Income agreements between local school districts and the Joinder to provide both mental health and children and youth were also approved. The Joinder provides one or more case workers to the districts, depending on their size.

According to Keith Wagner, Joinder executive director, the agreements reflect and increase.

“In each of these districts, what we realized was that the the increase in salaries and benefits to the Joinder was going up higher than what was being covered by the share of the district. So we approached each of the districts this year to say, we’re going to include whatever the COLA (Cost-of-Living Adjustment) or merit increase percentage is that we are paying to the staff each year, we’re going to include that in the contract with you, and they all agreed to that, so that came out to $1,500 per employee,” Wagner explained.

The breakdown for the districts is: East Lycoming School District, two Joinder staff. $70,000, MH (Mental Health)Income; Jersey Shore School District, oneJoinder staff. $16,500 (MH income increase, $1,500; Keystone Central School District, two Joinder staff. $33,000, MH income increase, $3,000; Loyalsock Township School District, two Joinder staff. $70,000, CYS income, same; Montgomery Area School District, one Joinder staff. $16,500; CYS income increase, $1,500; Montoursville Area School District, one Joinder staff. $16,500, CYS income increase, $1,500; and Muncy School District, one Joinder staff. $16,500, CYS income increase, $1,500.

Under the Health Choices 2025 renewal agreements, the board approved MaherDuessel for Auditing Services at a cost of $28,750, an increase of $900.

HealthChoices new reinvestment agreements were approved with Merakey for Dual Diagnosis Transition Team Start-Up at $196,340, and Diversified Treatment Alternative Centers (DTAC), a new agreement fo for a school-based IBHS (Intensive Behavioral Health Services) program.

“For a long time, the bi-county had a dual diagnosis treatment service, that’s working with individuals who have both mental illness and intellectual disabilities. It’s a very difficult population, and it’s very difficult to find services for them. The previous service provider ended their service about a year and a half ago, and health choices worked with a reinvestment agreement to find a new provider to develop that service. And this contract is with Merakey. They have agreed to do a startup. They’re actually underway right now, to re-establish dual diagnosis services for the bi-county,” Wagner said.

He noted that the agreement with Merakey is in conjunction with surrounding counties.

The second agreement approved by the Joinder with is diversified treatment alternatives, or DTAC, Wagner explained.

“This is a new initiative that we’re trying here in Lycoming-Clinton for IDHS (which) stands for intensive behavioral health services. Those are school-based mental health services,” he said. “A couple of years ago, the state changed the requirements, particularly around the staffing education levels and things for that service, which has made it very difficult for the providers to meet. And so there became a long waiting list for this service. A lot of kids needing it,” he said.

“So one of the ideas that we discussed for a while, that we’re implementing, is to actually have the team be based in the school. Currently, an individual could work with any child anywhere in the bi-county. This will focus them working on a particular school district…so there’ll be future contracts just like this to provide the service targeted to a particular school district. And what we did was we actually looked at the districts who had the highest level of need and usage, and we’re starting with them,” he said.

The next meeting of the Joinder will be at 1 p.m. Sept. 17 at Third Street Plaza, 33 W. Third St.