Clay County OKs reclassification of vacant civil‑commitment role to Rule 79 case manager and approves hire

The Clay County Board of Commissioners voted July 22 to reclassify a vacant civil‑commitment social work position into a Rule 79 targeted case management position and to fill that job.
The change, presented during the board’s regular meeting, shifts duties from court‑ordered, nonbillable civil‑commitment work toward billable, preventive case management under the Rule 79 framework used in Minnesota.
Kirsten, a staff member in the Adult and Behavioral Health Division, told the board that the county now fields three experienced staff who continue civil‑commitment responsibilities and that caseloads for those court‑ordered duties have declined in recent years. Kirsten said the reclassified role would allow the county to “help individuals earlier in their mental health journey, often avoiding higher cost interventions such as psychiatric hospitalizations or residential treatment.”
Kirsten said the position is budgeted for 2025 at Grade 18, step 4 but that the county expects to hire at Grade 18, step 1, producing an estimated one‑time salary savings of $9,226. She also said the county projects approximately $115,000 in annual revenue from the Rule 79 billing that this position would generate.
The request had prior committee review: Kirsten reported it was discussed at the county’s PIC committee on July 15 and returned to the full board with support. A motion to hire a full‑time social worker for the Adult and Behavioral Health Division passed by voice vote; the board recorded the outcome as approved.
Board discussion and questions focused on whether existing staff capacity could absorb civil‑commitment duties and on the anticipated revenue offset. Commissioners expressed support for using a billable case‑management model to meet rising service demand.
No changes to court obligations or civil‑commitment law were proposed; the action reassigns local job duties and seeks to use Rule 79 billing to cover operating costs. The board did not specify a hire date beyond direction to post the vacancy immediately if approved.
The county will post the position and proceed with recruitment, and staff said they would report back with staffing updates as hires are made.