Michael T. Mason

The meeting focused on the adoption of the fiscal year 2026-2027 budget and associated tax rates. Key actions included the approval of a contract with Anthem Healthkeepers for employee health insurance, the formal adoption of the county budget, the capital improvement plan, and relevant amendments to the county code. Additionally, the Board directed staff to conduct a study regarding the code for aquaculture businesses.

The board meeting included reports from the Executive Director, Finance Director, and Department Directors. Key topics discussed included a local art recruitment campaign, updates on the CCBHC and DMAS Redesign initiatives, and the receipt of the Virginia CIT Program of the Year award. Clinical services reports addressed program observations, programmatic reporting, and staffing updates. A closed session was held to discuss a legal issue. The board also approved end-of-year bonuses for full-time and part-time employees.

The board meeting involved the approval of various internal policies related to safety inspections, firearms and weapons, and alcohol safety action program assessments. The Executive Director provided updates on legislative advocacy, regional housing planning meetings, and organizational efforts for local response teams. The Prevention department reported on needs assessments, statewide surveys, and various workgroups addressing cannabis, tobacco, and nicotine monitoring. The board also convened a closed session to discuss specific legal and employee-related matters.

The board received a favorable audit report from Robinson, Farmer, Cox Associates for the fiscal year 2025. The meeting included the approval of several policies related to safety and risk management, such as procedures for medical emergencies, building security, language assistance, and identifying populations at risk for falls. The Executive Director provided updates on safety net bed utilization, the relocation of operations to Parksley Behavioral Healthcare, advancements in AI platforms for documentation in the Electronic Health Record, and an overview of proposed state employment legislation. Additionally, the board discussed upcoming quality service audits for case management, developmental services, and observed Autism Awareness month.

The board approved several information technology policies, including an Application and Data Criticality Analysis, as well as procedures for testing, evaluation, contracts, and contingency operations. The Executive Director provided updates on staffing, Legislative General Assembly actions, and requests for local match funds to the Board of Supervisors. Reports were received regarding clinical services, quality improvement, prevention, developmental services, human resources, and IT hardware upgrade plans. Additionally, there was a presentation on the Rapid Rehousing Program and an announcement regarding an upcoming community organization meeting.