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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuman Services Board - Minutes - 8/25/2016BAYFIELD COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES BOARD MEETING EOC Room August 25, 2016 Board Members Present: Pat Carver, Deb Pyne, Larry Fickbohm, Fred Strand, Jim Crandall, Rachel Coughtry Board Members Excused: Kent Seldal, Lona Schmidt, Rusty Williams Others Present: Elizabeth Skulan, Nikki Revak, Jeanine Spuhler, Anita Haukaas, Jeanine Spuhler, Midge Montano New Day Shelter Call to Order and Introductions Crandall called the meeting to order at 4:03 p.m. Introductions were made. Review of the July 28, 2016 Meeting Minutes Motion by Carver, second by Strand, to approve the minutes as presented. Motion passed unanimously. Public Comment – Limited to 3 minutes per person None Program Presentation –BadgerCare+ Eligibility for Childless Adults, Jeanine Spuhler, Economic Support Spuhler reviewed BadgerCare Plus, a health care program for low-income Wisconsin residents. This program was established at the same time as the Affordable Care Act. It enables low- income childless adults to access publically funded health care for the very first time. Basic health care services are covered. Enrollment for the BadgerCare Plus Program and other public assistance programs can be completed: online at ACCESS.wi.gov; in person at the local Economic Support Agency; by phone or by mail with a paper application. Monthly Section Reports Aging & Disability Services – Carrie Linder After the third round of interviews for a full-time social worker aide, DHS offered Karen Bodin the position and she accepted. Bodin started on Monday, August 22nd and comes to the agency with a wealth of knowledge. She was a registered nurse case manager for long-term care in Illinois. Bodin will work in all three sections of the unit. Starting September 1st, one of Bodin’s duties will be to attend the elderly congregate nutrition site at the Time Out Restaurant in Washburn in accordance with new state guidelines. A DHS Board Member, who is a County Board Member must replace Kathy Wendling who was Bayfield County’s appointment to the Woodland Enhanced Health Services Commission in Clark County. Bayfield County is a member of the commission which meets twice a year by phone. Fred Strand expressed his interest and Rachel Coughtry volunteered to act as backup. The next meeting is February 23, 2017. There will be a recommendation for the appointments during the next Human Services Board meeting. BAYFIELD COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES BOARD MEETING EOC Room August 25, 2016 2 Support Services – Nikki Revak Backup DHS payroll clerk is one of the duties of the DHS Financial Manager, so Revak had the opportunity recently to key payroll data. It was a great way to get hands on experience and insight on how to improve the process to insure that the payroll clerk gets required information in an accurate and timely fashion. DHS was the host site for the Financial Manager’s quarterly meeting on Tuesday, August 16th. The Meeting was via IPV and financial managers from Ashland and Iron Counties attended. The meetings are in Rhinelander and the remote connection saves a tremendous amount of windshield time. Completed the 2017 DHS Budget in compliance with directions from the County Administrator, which was a zero percent increase in county levy. Family Services – Anita Haukaas Mary Anich will fill the vacant Child Protective Services position. Anich will start on September 19th and comes to DHS with many years of experiences in child welfare and juvenile justice. Anich is a certified social worker and will not need to attend the new worker foundation training. With some job shadowing, Anich should quickly adapt to her new position. Haukaas worked with staff on prioritizing their time and calendars to insure that paperwork deadlines are being met. Family Services and Red Cliff Child Protective Services staff have once again reinstated joint monthly staffing meetings. An additional full-time Family Specialist position was included in the 2017 Family Services budget. The position focuses on prevention and early intervention and works with families referred to treatment court and child protective services. Corp Counsel John Carlson will speak to the Family Services Advisory Committee meeting in September regarding the Wisconsin Maltreater Substantiation Abuse Appeals Review Process. Statistical numbers included: juvenile delinquency cases referred to law enforcement, 53 year to date compared to a total of 60 at this same time in 2015; and 54 emergency detention cases year to date compared to 71 at the same time in 2015. Economic Support Services – Jeanine Spuhler Spuhler reported that a candidate declined the offer for the vacant Limited Term Economic Support position. At this time, the position will remain vacant. If funding is available beyond 2017, it is possible that we will fill the position. BAYFIELD COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES BOARD MEETING EOC Room August 25, 2016 3 Bayfield County received another $5,000 for Crisis Emergency Assistance for heating. This is a great resource for low-income Bayfield County residents who need assistance with energy costs. Support staff mailed the abbreviated 2016-2017 WHEAP (Wisconsin Home Energy Assistance Program) applications. It is estimated that 40% of the entire season’s applications will be received before the General Application process start October 1st. The WHEAP season runs from October 1, through September 30, of the following year. Starting in February 2017, that State will eliminate the Child Care Attendance report. This will decrease administrative duties. Consumers will receive an electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT_ card “MYWICHILDCARE” to pay providers for day care. First Quarter evaluation was completed for a new employee. Monthly Reports Were reviewed and placed on file Resolution 2016-02 Budget Adjustments and Authority to Access Risk Reserves – The increase in spending authority and the authority to access the DHS risk reserve are due to projections of spending trends in 2016. Motion by Strand, second by Carver to approve Resolution 2016-02 and forward to Bayfield County Board for approval. Motion passed unanimously. Resolution 2016-03 Resolution in Support of Increased Funding in the Children and Family Aids Allocation The Wisconsin Counties Association and Wisconsin County Human Services Association have requested that all counties present a resolution to increase funding due to the statewide increases in caseloads and costs. Motion by Carver, second by Fickbohm, to approve Resolution 2016-03 and forward to the Bayfield County Board for approval. Motion passed unanimously. 2017 DHS Budget Presented the 2017 DHS draft budget, with a zero county levy increase as directed from the County Administrator. Skulan reported that the DHS budget includes a full-time Family Specialist position. The position focuses on prevention and early intervention and works with families referred to treatment court and child protective services. BAYFIELD COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES BOARD MEETING EOC Room August 25, 2016 4 Skulan also noted the proposed partnership with UW-Superior to: build relationships with educated university personnel on the social work needs or counties; locate potential interns from the area; and improve recruitment. A one-time $52,000 Capital Improvement Project to replace the DHS Agency software is also included in the 2017 budget. Motion by Pyne, second by Coughtry to approve the 2017 DHS draft budget as presented and forward to the Bayfield County Board for approval. Motion passed unanimously. FoodShare Midwest Partners for Program Improvement (MPPI) Award – Northern Income Maintenance Consortium The State of Wisconsin presented an award to NIMC (Northern Income Maintenance Consortium) in recognition of efficiencies in the FoodShare and Medicaid application and eligibility processes. Comprehensive Community Services (CCS) Update Skulan reviewed the letter in the packet to New Horizons, Inc. Skulan also reviewed a complaint she received regarding a representative payee account for a CCS consumer. Other (Informational Items) A. Memo Regarding Second Party Customer Service Review of Economic Support Worker Tammy Fisher B. Bad River new services C. Pages 23, 24, and 44 of DHS 2015 Annual Report D. Washburn School – Heidi King – Truancy Committee in January 2017 E. Voices of Recovery Presentation – September 10th. Future Meetings A. September 22, 2016 B. October 27, 2016 C. November/December Meeting, Tuesday, December 6, 2016 (to begin with a potluck to celebrate the holidays) Adjournment Meeting adjourned at 5:22 p.m. Submitted by Nikki Revak, Financial Manager