NORWICH – Chenango County owes the New York State Office of Mental Health nearly $300,000 according to the estimates of state bookkeepers. But local officials are rebuking that figure and plan to appeal the state’s claim.

According to the New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH), Chenango County received more than was due in medical reimbursement for outpatient services at the county’s community mental hygiene service center, located on East River Road in Norwich. State authorities say the local center received a surplus totaling $293,409 in comprehensive outpatient program services (COPS) between the years of 2006 and 2008.

COPS is a program which enables a provider of licensed mental health outpatient services to be eligible to receive supplemental medical assistance reimbursement - paid to providers through the Medicaid payment system - in exchange for the provision of enhanced outpatient service. The New York OMH sets a fiscal threshold for COPS every three years and if local outpatient service centers exceed that threshold, they must reimburse the state for the amount over.

Although county officials don’t deny being overpaid in COPS funding, they say the state’s estimates are too high. According to Tom Crounse, administrative services officer for the Chenango County Mental Health Outpatient Clinic, funding in the amount of $170,435 was set aside by county bookkeepers particularly for repayment to the COPS program. That amount, however, is a far reach from the state’s claim of nearly $300,000.