Community Services Restructures Roles and Secures $40K State Grant

Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - The Codington County Community Services Office is officially reorganizing its staff structure and expanding its funding footprint, following several unanimous approvals by the Board of Commissioners.

The board approved revised job descriptions for two pivotal roles within the department:

·         Administrative Specialist: This position absorbs the duties of a previously removed administrative support role and adds new responsibilities. The role will now handle insurance claims related to Community Health Worker (CHW) services, manage website and social media platforms, and retain its Grade 30 pay scale.

·         Community Services Specialist: This newly elevated position expands on existing CHW duties, serving as the county’s primary resource for assistance programs while continuing to provide direct health education and support. It is classified as a Grade 30 position.

To align with these updates and the previously approved Pretrial Case Manager position, the commissioners voted to approve a revised 2026 county wage scale.

Following this, the board approved two personnel changes within the department: Mallory Towle and Paige Welling were promoted into these revised Specialist roles, with their pay grades adjusting accordingly, effective June 1, 2026.

In a major financial win for the department, the board also authorized the acceptance of a $39,998 grant from the South Dakota Department of Health.

As described by Community Services Director Sara Foust, “This is the same grant we had last year... it is reimbursable for Community Health Worker time”. The funds are specifically designated to support opioid overdose prevention education and to connect at-risk individuals to local treatment options.