HomeMy WebLinkAboutFamily Services Advisory Committee - Minutes - 6/21/2011
BAYFIELD COUNTY FAMILY SERVICES ADVISORY COMMITTEE
MEETING MINUTES
Courthouse Conference Room A
Tuesday, June 21st, 2011 at 4:30 pm
Committee Members Present: Lona Schmidt, John Blahnik, Mary Skerik, Beth Meyers, Ann
Green, Nancy and Dale Johnson. Staff Present: Anita Haukaas and Nina Bucher Call to order: Lona called the meeting to order at 4:35pm.
Adoption of 12/14/10 minutes: Beth made a motion to adopt the minutes, John seconded,
motion passed.
Deferred Prosecution Agreement presentation: Anita explained that the Bayfield County
Sherriff’s Department and Police Departments within Bayfield County make referrals to BCDHS of
juveniles committing delinquent acts. These referrals are entered into eWISACWIS (a state-wide
reporting system) and screened by the Family Services intake worker. Within 40 days of the referral,
an intake inquiry is held to hear the youth’s story and render a decision to: 1) Counsel and close; 2)
file a petition with the DA; or 3) enter into a written Deferred Prosecution Agreement (DPA). (see
chart on page 1 of DPA handout). A DPA is a contract allowing the case to be diverted away from
formal juvenile court action. The intake worker makes the best decision for the referral based on the
severity of the offense, whether it is a first offense, the youth’s attitude (takes responsibility,
understands bad decision), the family’s attitude and capability to see a DPA through, and other
relevant factors.
All parties involved (BCDHS, youth, youth’s parent/guardian, victim, DA) need to agree to the terms
of the DPA which may include paying restitution, counseling, AODA assessment, community service,
teen court,etc. (see DPA example on page 4 of DPA handout). DPAs may not exceed 1 year. DPAs
are signed by the juvenile and their parent(s)/legal guardian(s). They are filed in the DA’s office.
The DA may review the DPA and send it back to the intake worker with suggested modifications or
may file a delinquency petition which cancels the DPA within 20 days of receiving the DPA. A DPA
may be terminated at any time by the juvenile or the juvenile’s parent(s)/guardian(s), and the intake
worker if the terms of the DPA are not being met. In the case of a DPA termination, the intake
worker may recommend that the DA file a delinquency petition. Anita said Bayfield County currently
has approximately 26-30 DPAs in place.
Family Services Staffing update: Social worker Jessica Unkelhaeuser moved out of the area in
December 2010. Joseph Scribbens has been hired as a back-up Child Protective Service (CPS)
worker and ongoing juvenile justice worker. He is currently completing his Master’s degree in social
work. Heidi Howes, who was the Youth Offender Grant Program Coordinator, has moved and
BAYFIELD COUNTY
Department of Human Services
117 East Fifth Street
P.O. Box 100
Washburn, Wisconsin 54891-0100
(715) 373-6144 Voice/TDD
(715) 373-6130 Fax
baycodhs@bayfieldcounty.org
/www.bayfieldcounty.org
K:agenda&minutes/FS/mintes/2011/2011-6-21_FSAC_minutes 2
interviews for her position are being held on Friday. Carrie Welter, who runs the Mentoring Program
for the Youth Project will be leaving at the end of July to pursue her Master’s degree.
Child Protective Services: Anita said she was becoming more acquainted with the eWISACWIS
system report function to gather data. Child Abuse & Neglect (CAN) referrals are made to BCDHS
from law enforcement and information is taken and a recommendation is made by the intake worker.
Referrals are then screened by a second BCDHS worker to help determine whether they are CPS
cases. Anita distributed a Statutory Definition of Abuse and Neglect and a glossary of terms. Child
welfare is different from abuse and neglect and if possible BCDHS follows up on these situations,
though it is not mandated. In mid-May, BCDHS received a letter from Red Cliff Indian Child Welfare
stating that they cannot take on any more reports due to caseloads. This means they are sending
new reports to BCDHS to process. Anita said there is a good relationship with Red Cliff and that they
are working together to make sure the reports get screened and assessments are being completed as
needed.
Juvenile Justice and Out of Home Placement update: Anita relayed that out of home
placement costs are down from the previous year due to juveniles transitioning out of the placements
for various reasons such as age. She did say there was an issue this year with juveniles running away
from their placements, many of whom have ended up back at home. The cost for “bed holds” for
runaway youth will be charged to the parents as a bed hold is not an allowable cost and is ineligible
for IV-E funding.
Juvenile Community Services Program: Community service may be attached to any decision of
the court. Within certain parameters, the juvenile and their parents develop a plan to complete the
community service requirement. Then BCDHS approves/disapproves/modifies the request to meet
the intent. Social Workers do not assign or search for community service opportunities, but may
suggest service projects that may work. The County Administrator has asked BCDHS to develop a
policy to ensure that Bayfield County is not liable for things that may happen while the youth is
performing community service. This is a policy that will be developed in the near future.
Youth Offender Grant Program update: The number of youth involved in the program has
decreased from 13 to 9, yet the program can serve 20-25 youth. There is 18 months left on this
grant and the hope is that the new Coordinator will be able to make more youth and families commit
to the program.
Juvenile Justice Referrals: The number of referrals is lower this year and the average age is, on
average, higher (16-17 year olds).
Mental Health & AODA: A chart comparing the number of emergency detentions (EDs) from last
year to this was handed out. It showed a total of 60 EDs for 2010 and 45 year to date for 2011.
One possible reason is the economy. Several of the MH/AODA EDs are in Community Based
Residential Facilities aimed at stabilizing them and getting them back in the community to the
severely and persistently mentally ill. CSP (community services program) is an organization that
provides service the community. New Horizons North runs the CSP in Ashland and Bayfield counties.
There are currently 10 people on the waiting list for services.
ED process: The process for law enforcement to emergently detain a person who is a danger to
themselves or others has changed a bit as it now includes a call to the BCDHS Social Worker on call.
The new ED form was handed out. Anita said that the call to BCDHS is not to question the decision
of law enforcement, but to aid in the decision making regarding which facility the client should be
taken to. The new process is going smoothly.
K:agenda&minutes/FS/mintes/2011/2011-6-21_FSAC_minutes 3
Day care: Crystal Clark is the new day care coordinator. Since many changes have been made to
the requirements, Crystal has been improving the process.
Red Cliff Indian Child Welfare (ICW) update: Anita reiterated that caseloads are high and Red
Cliff ICW is currently short two people in the office. Lynn Basina is still learning her new job, Red
Cliff Administrator of Family Services.
New committee member update: Anita will check to make sure the FSAC is meeting the
requirements for membership.
161 Agreement: Anita handed out the draft 161 agreement between the Red Cliff Tribe and
BCDHS. This agreement is signed annually and relates to how children’s services are administered.
Currently, Red Cliff is reviewing/updating it and then the County will do the same. Hopefully the
agreement will be signed soon.
Future Meeting: The next meeting date is September 20th, 2011 at 4:30pm.
Adjournment: Lona adjourned the meeting at 6:08 pm.
Minutes submitted by,
Nina Bucher, Clerk III