New mental health program

A new youth mental health program and the commercial sale of adult recreational cannabis were topics of discussion at the regular meeting of the Waseca County Commissioners on Tuesday, July 18. 

Representatives from the Youth Mental Health Navigator program of the Greater Mankato Area United Way, along with Waseca superintendent Eric Hudspith, attended the meeting to ask the commissioners to provide funding for a new youth mental health program involving “navigators.” The program, whose intent is to help students and families connect with mental health services while also increasing direct support for staff, began as a pilot last year in the Mankato school districts. Navigators visit schools to work directly with students and staff to identify students needing mental health support. They make referrals for mental health services and even work on case management and multidisciplinary communication. 

Since the pilot proved successful, the plan is to turn it into a full program with more navigators and more school districts. Commissioners were asked to commit $50,000 over five years to provide support with positions in Waseca County. Superintendent Hudspith commented that the district was not asking for “free money” and that the school is also looking into providing funding toward the program. County Administrator Michael Johnson clarified that the county could provide the funding through the opioid settlement fund. Although discussion among commissioners regarding the program seemed positive, no action was taken during the meeting.

Also addressed on Tuesday was an ordinance authorizing a study and imposing a moratorium on the commercial sale of adult recreational cannabis products until Jan. 1, 2025. There was no ordinance adopted at this meeting, only clarifications and discussions. County Administrator Michael Johnson stated that no business is authorized to sell cannabis products without a state-issued license; any control the county can exert is through zoning and similar limitations. He also clarified that state laws made it legal for Minnesotans to grow limited amounts of marijuana as of April 1, and it will become legal to possess small amounts as of August 1. The county has no authority to change or circumvent that, but does have some control over certain aspects of commercial sale. Tuesday’s meeting included a required public meeting on the topic, but no one spoke; another public hearing will take place during the second commissioner meeting in August. 

Another discussion concerned establishing a Local Housing Trust Fund (LHTF), something that was brought up in a meeting earlier in the year by Karina Schmitz, MNPrairie Housing Resource Specialist. At that time it was recommended to appropriate 90% of each member county’s local homeless prevention aid to seed the LHTF, then appropriate the remaining 10% into a fund to be utilized for hotel shelter vouchers. No formal resolution was adopted at the earlier meeting; no input was received during a required public hearing.  After confirming that all funds intended for use within the county under the homeless prevention aid program would remain within the county, commissioners adopted an ordinance to establish an LHTF and assigning MNPrairie County Alliance as the administrator.  

Other action items discussed and approved at the meeting included the acceptance and final payment of Contract No. 812307, a project for pavement markings and messages on approximately 67 miles of Waseca County roads.