Board tables $550,000 Children's Services Act funding request from DSS until April 2

Kristen Schumate, director of the Department of Social Services, asked the Grayson County Board of Supervisors for an additional appropriation of roughly $550,000 to complete fiscal year 2026 spending under the Children's Services Act (CSA).

Schumate told the board the CSA program has served 43 children this fiscal year and that costs can spike when a small number of high‑level placements—residential treatment, group homes or therapeutic foster care—are required. She said the county’s local match would be about $115,500 and that state reimbursement runs at approximately 79%, which she estimated would cover roughly $434,000 of the request.

Supervisors asked for detail on drivers of the increase, placement counts and timing. Schumate explained that some placements are court ordered or IEP‑driven and that residential placements can cost in the neighborhood of $100,000 per child. She offered to meet with supervisors and to hold off on paying additional expenditures for 30 days while the board reviewed the request. A motion was made to table consideration of the DSS CSA appropriation until the next budget meeting on April 2; the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote.

The board did not approve new spending at the meeting and directed that the item be revisited at the April 2 budget meeting.