Carbon County is giving back nearly $44,000 in state funding to help other counties in need of additional funding for their intermediate punishment programs.

On Thursday, the board of commissioners approved a modification request to the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, decreasing the county’s Intermediate Punishment Program funding to $38,925 for the term July 1, 2020, through June 30, 2021.

The modification will be used for one adult probation officer, purchase drug testing supplies and pay for treatment for offenders who are not eligible for Medical Assistance.

The award in the amount of $82,725 was originally approved on Dec. 3.

Richmond Parsons, chief adult probation officer, said that while the modification first looks “alarming,” it actually isn’t affecting the county at all.

“Due to COVID and also other factors, the number of people coming into the (Intermediate Punishment) program was significantly reduced,” he said, noting that the program is the house arrest or electronic monitoring. “The individuals that we did bring into the program all either had their own private medical insurance or Medical Assistance so no funds have been used to date for the treatment dollars.”

Parsons said that because of the low expenses on the treatment side in Carbon, when PCCD asked counties if they could do a modification to this grant, he felt it was “prudent of us to request a reduction in the funds.”

Carbon County’s treatment fund allocation is now approximately $32,000, down from the original $47,000, but there is no financial impact to the county, Parsons said, noting that this is a pass-through grant and no funds had actually been received.