HomeMy WebLinkAboutComprehensive Community Service Committee - Minutes - 7/13/2021Bayfield County
Comprehensive Community Service (CCS) Meeting
Via Zoom– Ashland County – Downtown
July 13, 2021
Members Present: Tom Croteau, Thomas Mittelstaedt, Lorna Gamble, Dale Irwin, Sandra
Notzke
Members Excused: Karlan Williams
Members Unexcused:
Others Present: Shelby Eckland, Elizabeth Skulan, Joshua Gilbert, Terry Barningham, Colleen
Grand, Jan Kupczyk, Val Levno
Call to order and Introductions
Mittelstaedt called meeting to order at 12:31 pm. Introductions made.
Discussion and Possible Action: Review of the April 13, 2021 BCCS Meeting Minutes
Discussion and Possible Action: Term Limits for Tom Mittelstaedt and Andrew Austin.
Even though Austin has decided to resign from the Coordination Committee, we would like
thank him and show appreciation for the many years he has been a member of the Committee.
Discussion and Possible Action: Plan and Policy Update
Review Program Report
Enrollment: Both Ashland County and Bayfield County have had an increase in enrollment and
on the lower end for discharges. There has been plenty of referrals coming from BHU Inpatient
Services, more than likely due to the pandemic.
Motion by Irwin, second by Croteau to approve April 13, 2021 meeting
minutes, as presented. Motion passed.
Motion by Irwin, second by Notzke to approve plan and policy update. Motion
passed.
Motion by Croteau, second by Irwin to approve a new term for Tom
Mittelstaedt. Motion passed.
Staffing: Within the last two months Ashland County CCS has hired two full-time Service
Facilitators, taking over the place of the ones who have retired. Due to lack of Service Array
staff CCS has also hired a position as half Service Facilitator and half Service Array. Finally,
with the new hires, both Ashland and Bayfield County programs are fully staffed.
Provider Network: Still in need of Service Array staff. The program now has a contract with
Innovative Services and they will be mainly providing Individual Skill Development
Enhancement.
GT Independence is working on hiring a managing position at the Ashland office and sometime
in the fall Ashland CCS will be connecting with them to see if they would like to provide CCS
services.
North Country Independent Living has interviewed for additional skill building staff and they
have a potential hire. One provider passed away suddenly, therefore both staff and participants
are coping with this loss. They will be posting an ad soon to hire someone for this open position.
Equine Connection out of Washburn, WI has been providing equine therapy. In contract
negotiations with Jodie Petit out of Mason, WI who will be providing equine therapy as well.
Mittelstaedt asked if the skill based staff is considered Peer Support or if they are two different
services. In which, Levno stated they are different. Skill based staff go into homes and help with
the community supports.
Last fall Headwaters, who provided most of those supports, gave CCS notice. GT Independence
and North Country Living picked up some of these services; due to issues picking up the robust
provider network, most Service Facilitators have been providing these services. CCS has every
intention to contract out for those supports and for Service Facilitators to go back to doing
service facilitation. In the meantime, Service Facilitators have been doing an excellent job
stepping up.
Marketing and Outreach: CCS Program will have a table at Northland College when classes
start to promote the program and reach out to any student or even anyone they know who can
benefit from services. There will also be information regarding the programs internships and for
potential employment when they graduate.
Children Services
Currently still in need of some more providers. Service Facilitators are providing a substantial
amount of services including the following: how to act in social situations, strategies for working
with emotions, as well as self-care. The program also provides Psychotherapy, Equine Therapy,
and Certified Peer Specialists (12+).
2020 CCS Quality Assurance Reports
Both Ashland and Bayfield County CCS Programs have had an increase in people who discharge
within the first thirty days. Almost all of these people come out of Inpatient Services, when we
reach out to them either the program is not something they thought they wanted or we just have
issues engaging in general. Tom Croteau has set up CCS staff to talk at an in-patient group
weekly to talk about what CCS is and how we can help with their recovery.
Ashland and Bayfield County has had a decrease within numbers of people who have seen their
dentist in 2020 and then an increase in seeing their medical providers.
New Business
None.
Opportunity for Public Comment (Limit 3 minutes)
None.
Other (Informational Items)
Kupczyk asked if Roberts Rules necessarily needed to be on the agenda anymore in which Levno
stated it was originally put on for all members to understand the rules of the committee.
Barningham said the current group in the committee is rather understanding of these rules and
the concept of them, but it is something that could be revisited when needed. Levno will be
taking Roberts Rules off the agenda until any newer members attend.
There is potential for the October meeting to be held in a room within the Ashland County
Courthouse. There is plenty of room for everyone to safely social distance and also if any of the
members prefer to attend via Zoom, they are more than welcome to do so. Levno will not know
the availability of the room until the end of September.
Future Meeting Dates:
October 12, 2021 at 12:30 p.m. Presentation on Division of Vocational Rehabilitation in
regards to mental health and/or substance use recovery if possible.
Motion to adjourn.
Minutes submitted by: Shelby Eckland, Administrative Assistant – Ashland County
Motion to adjourn by Grand, second by Kupczyk. July 13, 2021 meeting
adjourned. Motion passed.