HomeMy WebLinkAboutFamily Services Advisory Committee - Minutes - 12/17/2013
BAYFIELD COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES
FAMILY SERVICES ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES
Courthouse Conference Room A
Tuesday, December 17th, 2013 at 4:30 pm
Committee Members Present: John Blahnik, Lona Schmidt, Anne Green, Susan Davis, Dee
Kittleson, Nancy and Dale Johnson.
Staff Present: Anita Haukaas and Nina Bucher. Brenda Spurlock, Criminal Justice Coordinator.
Call to order: Chairperson Lona called the meeting to order at 4:30 pm. Introductions were made.
Adoption of 9/17/13 minutes: Dee made a motion to adopt the minutes, John seconded, motion
carried.
Public Comment Opportunity: No one was present for public comment.
Family Treatment Court Presentation: Bayfield County Criminal Justice Coordinator Brenda
Spurlock explained that the goal of Family Treatment Court is public safety carried out by identifying
high risk, high needs repeat offenders and offering them the chance to complete a treatment program
to reduce jail time. The treatment agreements are a minimum of one year and hold the offender
accountable for their actions. It is much harder to complete a treatment agreement than to serve jail
time because the person must be committed to change and complete the requirements/therapy
necessary. It is funded by a Department of Justice grant and with an approved enhancement to the
current grant, it is planned to target veterans and domestic violence offenders in 2014. The treatment
is a team approach including not only the court system and criminal justice, but includes the Judge, the
DA, the Sheriff’s Department, Family Services, the Department of Corrections, Public Defender and
Veteran’s Service Department of Bayfield County. This team will select Treatment court requirements
for the whole family in order to break generational problems such as domestic violence and
alcohol/drug abuse so the family can become healthy. As shown by similar programs throughout the
nation, reducing out of home placements and recidivism are positive end results.
Advisory Committee mileage: Anita reminded members to sign in and include their mileage on the
meeting attendance sheet or they will not receive payments.
Red Cliff Indian Child Welfare update: Anita relayed the findings of the Wisconsin Indian Child
Welfare Act Continuous Quality Improvement Review that took place in September. The conclusion
was basically good, pointing out only a few areas for improvement.
Dave Ujke Red Cliff Tribal Attorney attended the WICWA Continuous Quality Improvement Review
session on December 12th and stated there are some proposed organizational changes and Red Cliff
ICW will be under his direction.
Child Protective Services (CPS) update: Six youth were discharged to home, one juvenile justice
youth is in out of home placement, three youth in court ordered kinship, 10 in voluntary kinship, one
youth is in a tribal court placement, and one youth was discharged from Lincoln Hills. Overall, the
numbers of youth placed by the court are down. Anita showed the judicial checklist used in the court
system to insure the WI Indian child welfare act is being adhered to, in Child in Need of Protection
(CPS).
Minutes are subject to
change before approval
at next FSAC meeting
K:agenda&minutes/FS/mintes/2013/2013-12-17_FSAC_minutes 2
Foster Home providers update: During our WICWA review it was stated that we are in need of
more Indian Family foster home providers. Anita has contacted Lorna Gamble and has discussed
collaboration with Red Cliff Indian Child Welfare for recruitment of Native Foster homes in 2014.
Mental Health (MH) & Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse (AODA): Jessica Leinon-Novascone has
been hired as the Mental Health Coordinator in Family Services. Emergency detentions are up, as well
as the MH/AODA costs for 2013. Human Services responsibility is to make sure people are placed in
least restrictive settings however, if someone is hospitalized 2 or 3 times in a short period of time we
need to re-assess the least restrictive setting. We also have to be concerned about if the individual is
at risk of harming themselves or others for the appropriate settings.
Juvenile Justice Update: Numbers for Juvenile Court Referrals are down for the year. Our Juvenile
Justices workers are busy with the on-going case loads and we have staff cross trained to assist with
on-going CPS cases, so this workers will so case loads are well balanced.
Future Meetings: Future meetings: 3/18/14, 6/17/14, 9/16/14, and 12/16/14.
Adjournment: Meeting adjourned at 5:40 pm.
Minutes submitted by,
Nina Bucher
Nina Bucher