Commissioners Looking At Combing Offices

Members of the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners this week decided to look at combining the offices of community health services and mental health/substance abuse.

Commissioners on Tuesday agreed to ask members of the Community Mental Health board and representatives from the Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Health Agency to review the proposal.

Commissioner Rick Shaffer said the proposal was initially discussed at the commission’s executive committee meeting Friday last week. Commissioners agreed that the option is at least worth reviewing, especially if such a combination of services are to be merged in the future.

Commissioner John Dobberteen said having discussions already in the books could keep St. Joseph County ahead of the curve if a mandate to consolidate the offices is ever ordered.