Lebanon County officials continue to feel the strain of rising mental health services costs, saying a significant increase in state funds are needed to address the problem.

Lebanon County Mental Health/Intellectual Disability/Early Intervention officials are projecting expenses at $8.78 million for the 2024-25 fiscal year, a 2.75% increase from the 2023-24 fiscal year. MH/ID/EI budget is projecting a $377,364 deficit agency-wide.

While MH/ID/EI is looking for ways to keep expenses to a minimum, administrator Holly Leahy said it will be difficult in the future to balance the budget without additional state funding.

"We have stretched our funding to the utmost, and we just can't stretch it further to do anything anymore," Leahy said.

Commissioners on June 20 approved 94 MH/ID/EI agency provider contracts for fiscal year 2024-25, totaling $5.82 million. Leahy said this is a $465,121 increase from the last fiscal year.