By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
Central Kansas Community Corrections will be working with a smaller budget in fiscal year 2025 that begins in July. In a study session with the Barton County Commission last Tuesday, CKCC Director Brooke Haulmark said her department received $669,776.35 from the Kansas Department of Corrections, or about $10,000 less than the year before. She hopes plans for 2025 will correct some inefficiencies in the system and result in better funding for 2026.
"Based on our comprehensive plan, or the review we received, there are some deficiencies that need to be addressed," Haulmark said. "The case plan I came up with for this next fiscal year should address the majority of those."
Haulmark said the previous KDOC plan focused on outcomes but will now focus on inefficiencies or gaps at the local level. Her plan for 2025 includes an assessment for 90 percent of CKCC clients within the first 30 days of assignment.
"When I started in January, we were more than 100 assessments behind," she said. "The significance of that means 100 offenders, or clients is what we call them, weren't receiving the best programming they could receive to have positive change."
Haulmark chose a goal of less than 100 percent because some offenders will have obligations in other jurisdictions. A second goal involved developing a case plan for 90 percent of high-risk offenders within 45 days. The new budget allows for just $35,000 in operating costs, including utilities, equipment replacement, and staff training, but CKCC will have an additional $26,000 to use for behavioral health issues.
"For example, if their high-risk area is mental health, then we would assist with getting them a program," Haulmark said. "If money is a concern for the assessment, we can assist with paying that. That's where the extra $26,000 comes in."
A final goal includes having 90 percent of high-risk offenders entered into a statewide database with service referrals within 60 days of assignment to CKCC.
Though CKCC is funded through KDOC, Haulmark needs commission approval from all five counties in the 20th Judicial District to submit her plan to KDOC.