Board approves month-to-month lease for OptiMate peer-support services pending state decision

The Des Moines County Board of Supervisors approved a modification to the county's lease with OptiMate, a provider of peer-support services, changing the agreement from a year-to-year term to a month-to-month arrangement while the provider awaits direction from state mental health funding changes.

A board member explained OptiMate is operating amid a statewide reorganization of mental-health and disability service payments into administrative service organizations (ASOs) and asked the board to allow the provider flexibility while it waits for a state decision. "They would appreciate it if we would go month to month," the speaker said.

A motion to approve the modification was moved by a board member and seconded by Sarah Marie. The board called the vote; members answering in the roll call included Tom (as called in the meeting), Jim Carey, Shane Campbell and Sarah Marie. The modification passed with an affirmative roll call.

The board did not set a new lease expiration; the month-to-month term will remain in place "until they either get a yes or a no," a board member said, so the county and OptiMate can determine next steps once the state clarifies funding for peer support services. No additional county funding or changes to service scope were discussed or adopted at the meeting.