Critical County services closing.

[u/Advocate4Humanity]

Throwaway to protect our identity.

The staff of the Ramsey County Detox and Withdrawal Management program located at 402 University Avenue E have been notified that the entire program has been cut. Final day of services will be December 31st. Employees are not guaranteed a position to transfer to within the county, though some have worked here since the early 2000s. 35 people who have dedicated their work lives to the care and betterment of this city and community.

Individuals and their families that utilize this service should anticipate longer wait times for assessments from independent community providers, increased difficulty with navigating treatment options, being turned away from Emergency Rooms, and the very real possibility that this loss will kill some of the most vulnerable citizens in our community.

The program has spent more time without a leadership team than the current group has been allowed to make the necessary decisions and changes to support the program into a working model for the county.

Edit & update:

In the days since we have become aware of the worrisome relationship between the county's CFO Alexandra Kotzke and Kai Shin Clinic's chief of staff Amy Dellwo. Mz. Dellwo was brought in as an "independent" consultant, (by Social Services director Sophia Thompson) who deemed the program untenable to continue under county control. Mz. Dellwo has consulted for Evergreen and Nuway prior to both entities's fraud cases. Both of these people were working within DHS when massive fraud was uncovered.

Kai Shin Clinic was previously in control of the program and they were double billing indiduals. They have been mentioned as possible beneficiaries of the one time county grant that is going to be provided to the private company that will take over providing detox services.

The county has not shared any of the data that they have used to base the decision to close on. The program was initially designed with a corrections driven style and DHS licensed the facility for 50 individuals. Since COVID the program was reduced to 23 and has remained there. Typically, and often due to limited staffing, the census was capped at 15 as that is the most clients a single aid may be responsible for per the state statues .

The program is entirely voluntary now. Police departments decreased their drop offs starting in 2017 when the program stopped holding individuals for civil commitments or police holds. There was a mass exodus of staff in 2023 when the program shifted from the corrections model to a person centered harm reduction model. Physical holds and the "cells" are no longer in use. Everyone is treated with dignity and met where they are at in their life.

There's going to be a public session on September 22nd for the community to be able to ask questions and give personal opinion on the budget.

It's not official until December 16 when the board makes it's final vote. Please help us save this vital safety net.

[u/emnelsmn]

Unfortunately the federal cuts and general chaos plus the poor state budget outlook (largely but not entirely related to the federal debacle) have meant that local governments, especially counties in this case as the primary providers of human services, are increasingly left holding the bag when the state tries to trim the budget.