HomeMy WebLinkAboutFamily Services Advisory Committee - Minutes - 7/14/2021
BAYFIELD COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES
FAMILY SERVICES ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES
Courthouse Conference Room A-remote
Wednesday, July 14th, 2021 at 4:30 pm
Committee Members Present via telephone: Lona Schmidt, Mary Dougherty, Wayne
Crozier, Bev Lindell, Dale and Nancy Johnson.
Others Present: Mary Anich (Family Services Section Manager), Elizabeth Skulan-Peppy
(Human Services Director) and Nina Bucher (Support Staff).
Committee Members Excused: Kylie Vadnais.
Committee Members Absent: Bev Patterson.
Introductions and Call to order: Lona called the meeting to order at 4:30.
Public Comment Opportunity: No public comment.
Staffing Update: Mary A. relayed that she has been acclimating to her new position during
the last three months since Cheryl Hanson left. Isabel Gregersen, Behavioral Health Social
Worker who began work on February 8th, has given her notice and her last day is this Friday
(7/16/21). This will leave an opening for her position, along with the existing vacancies of
Youth Justice Worker. New Behavioral Health Social Worker Lindsey Friederich is fitting in well
and partnering with other Family Services staff on all types of child welfare cases, to help
cover the staff shortages.
Program reports: Child Protective Services and Youth Justice are experiencing similar
struggles with intense drug use issues. Staff is working together, yet taxed.
Two complicated child placements have ended and new options are slim to non-existent. The
medically fragile child’s current placement is closing their doors due to staffing issues, and
after much work, she has been placed at a treatment foster home in northern Wisconsin. The
aggressive youth justice child is at Winnebago having run out of options that will accept him.
After searching nationwide, there is one tentative option in Tennessee considering whether or
not they could care for him. He may also end up taking the criminal justice path.
A flurry of mental health/substance abuse referrals in March and April have been followed by a
lull. This has given Isabel time to train in Lindsey before she leaves.
Informational Items: Mary A. and Peppy completed a six week training on ROOT Compas,
which supports a shift of philosophy in child welfare to keeping kids within family and
community first whenever possible prior to other out of home placements. This initiative
Minute Approval: Lona made a motion to approve the April 14th, 2021 FSAC
meeting minutes as written. Mary D. seconded the motion and the motion passed.
Approved at the
10/13/21 FSAC meeting
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begins in October. The training was a transformational leadership course that covered how to
support your staff during change.
Bev L. asked if anything had changed regarding social worker pay and benefits to
attract/retain workers. Skulan responded. The resolution passed by the Family Services
Advisory Committee was forwarded to the Human Services Board. The resolution was
approved as presented and was forwarded to the Personnel Committee. Skulan presented it to
the Personnel Committee. They accepted the information. After many months, the Personnel
Committee considered and approved an increase of one grade to all social worker positions.
This afforded a higher wage for the recruitment of new social workers and both a small
increase and the ability to earn more in the future for existing social workers. This makes
Bayfield County more competitive. Skulan also noted the shortage of social workers is not just
a local issue, there is a statewide and national shortage of social workers as well.
Future Meetings: Meetings will continue quarterly on the second Wednesday of the month
with the last of 2021 being held on October 13th.
Adjournment: Lona adjourned the meeting at at 4:50 pm.
Minutes respectfully submitted by,
Nina Bucher
Nina Bucher