HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuman Services Board - Minutes - 9/22/2016BAYFIELD COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES BOARD MEETING
EOC Room
September 22, 2016
Board Members Present: Deb Pyne, Larry Fickbohm, Lona Schmidt, Rusty Williams
Fred Strand, Jim Crandall, Kent Seldal,
Rachel Coughtry arrived at 4:07
Board Members Excused: Pat Carver,
Others Present: Elizabeth Skulan, Nikki Revak, Jeanine Spuhler, Anita Haukaas,
Jeanine Spuhler, Reverend Phil Milam, Mark Abeles Allison left at
4:55, Marlyce M. Olson left at 4:55
Call to Order and Introductions
Williams called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m. Introductions completed.
Review of the August 25, 2016 Meeting Minutes
Motion by Crandall second by Strand, to approve the minutes as presented. Motion passed
unanimously.
Public Comment – Limited to 3 minutes per person
None
Program Presentation – Children’s Community Options Program (CCOP), Carrie Linder for
Kristin Opperman
On December 31, 2015 the Family Support Program sunset and replaced in part by the
Children’s Community Options Program (CCOP). CCOP funding is less restrictive. However,
CCOP will reimburse case management, which was not an allowable expense in FSP. Linder
reviewed the Community Agency Children’s Community Options Program (CCOP) Five Year
Plan. The Children’s Community Options Program (CCOP) Advisory Committee reviewed and
approved by the plan.
Monthly Section Reports
Support Services – Nikki Revak
Staff have been pulling documents and answering questions from the auditors. The Wisconsin
Medicaid Cost Reporting for 2015 has been completed and filed with the Public Consulting
Group (PCG).
Given the recent fiscal findings and allegations of criminal fraud in Iron County Health and
Human Services, Abeles-Allison asked what safeguards are in place in Bayfield DHS. A discussion
followed on the segregation of duties by support and fiscal staff. These were checks and
balances that were lacking in Iron County.
Family Services – Anita Haukaas
Family Services staff and Red Cliff Indian Child Welfare (ICW) staff held their monthly meeting
and reviewed the 161 Agreement to add the sex trafficking reference that went in to effect in
2016. Family Services staff assisting Red Cliff as the tribe is currently short staff with ICW
workers
BAYFIELD COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES BOARD MEETING
EOC Room
September 22, 2016
2
Family Service staff is researching the possibility of using Arrowhead Regional Corrections in
Duluth for up to 72-hour hold of juveniles. The facilities used currently for secured detention
are located in Eau Claire and Marathon Counties. This would reduce travel time and expense.
Additional information will be available at the October board meeting.
Statistics:
Mental health and substance abuse: 53 to date; compared to 47 this same time in 2015
Juvenile referrals: 57 to date; 60 total in 2015
Social Worker Mary Anich started on September 19. Anich has over twenty years of experience
as a certified social worker in Waupaca County and is already carrying a caseload. DHS is very
happy to have her working in Bayfield County. Anich will complete Forensic Interview training in
October.
As the Comprehensive Community Support (CCS) program grows, more evening and weekend
services will be developed and available to support participants. The additional services should
have a positive impact on emergency detentions.
The Family Support Specialist position is still vacant.
Economic Support Services – Jeanine Spuhler
The Northern Income Maintenance Consortium (NIMC) completed a Management Evaluation
Review (MER) for the FoodShare program. The State conducts MERs annually. Two NIMC staff
located in Bayfield County had phone calls reviewed. Both staff did exceptionally well. An all
staff NIMC training will take place next week in Fifield next week. Spuhler is on the planning
committee for the training.
In order to process the higher than average number of applications recently submitted for
public assistance, the NIMC call center closed this morning for priority work. The high number
of applications processed while the call center closed increased the overall performance of
NIMC.
The Wisconsin Home Energy Assistance Program (WHEAP) early-abbreviated application
process is underway and going well. Spuhler stated that the application process works
conducted as a phone interview. Spuhler said that there were 75 households in Bayfield County
on fixed incomes with little variance from last year whose application could be process this
way. The general WHEAP applications will start on October 1, 2016.
Aging & Disability Services – Carrie Linder
September is Falls Prevention month. Wisconsin has the second highest number of falls by
state due primarily to factors such as winter, weather and alcohol.
BAYFIELD COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES BOARD MEETING
EOC Room
September 22, 2016
3
Public Health Nurse Terri Bahe will present a Healthy Living with Chronic Disease training for
Bayfield County employees.
On October 18th WITC is hosting a Hoarding Conference. Linder will introduce speakers. Many
Family Service and Aging and Disability staff plan to attend the conference.
Last week, Dementia Care Specialist, Misty Mogensen, facilitated dementia training for all
circuit court staff.
Disability Benefit Specialist (DBS), Jamie Mackin currently has 67 active cases in Ashland,
Bayfield and Iron Counties. In addition, Mackin is currently mentoring a new DBS hired in
Sawyer County who will work with cases in Price and Sawyer Counties.
On September 1, Social Worker Aide Karen Bodin began to provide oversite at the senior
congregate meal site in Washburn. Meal registration and donation procedures have changed
slightly. Attendees are positive and supportive of the changes.
An update to the guidelines under Chapter 8 in the Elderly Nutrition program allows agencies to
negotiate meal provider contracts without a formal Request for Proposals process up to four or
possibly five years, from the previous three. Skulan has requested that DHS be allowed to
negotiate favorable rates under the new guidelines for 2017 and is waiting for approval from
the County Administrator to the request.
Monthly Reports
Reviewed and placed on file.
Resolution 2016-04Woodland Enhanced Health Services Commission Appointments
Linder introduced a resolution to appoint Fred Strand as primary and Rachel Coughtry as
secondary Bayfield County representative to the Woodland Enhanced Health Services
Commission
Motion by Schmidt, second by Crandall to approve Resolution 2016-04 to appoint Strand as
primary and Coughtry as secondary Bayfield County representative(s) to the Woodland
Enhanced Health Services Commission and forward to Bayfield County Board for approval.
Motion passed unanimously.
Potential Human Services Committee Appointment Recommendation to the County Board
Chair
Skulan reported that today is Deb Pyne’s last meeting. Pyne’s recommendation for a citizen
member from the Cable area is Reverend Phil Milam, Pastor of the Cable United Church of
Christ. Reverend Milam was present for the meeting. The Board reviewed Milam’s application.
BAYFIELD COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES BOARD MEETING
EOC Room
September 22, 2016
4
Motion by Crandall, second by Schmidt to accept Reverend Milam’s application and forward it
to the Bayfield County Board chair with a recommendation for Milam’s appointment to the
Human Services Board. Motion passed unanimously.
Children’s Community Options Program (CCOP) Advisory Committee Appointments
Linder stated that appointments to the CCOP Advisory Committee for: Ann Glavan; Mary Lou
Jahr; Barbara Gadbois; and Lona Schmidt; expired in July 2016. All four individuals are
interested in another appointment to the committee. The CCOP Advisory Committee reviewed
and recommended the re-appointments to the Human Services Board for consideration. Board
member Schmidt remarked that the majority of the CCOP Advisory Committee members reside
in and around Iron River and more diversity is desirable for the committee.
Motion by Coughtry, second by Crandall to approve/renew the appointments of Glavan; Jahr;
Gadbois; and Schmidt; to the CCOP Advisory Committee and forward to the Bayfield County
Board for their approval. Motion passed.
Building Recovery Together –
Skulan attended the event sponsored by Friends of Recovery. Bayfield County Family Service
and Criminal Justice staff organized and facilitated the event. The community forum was held
at the Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center on September 20th. The focus of the event was to
facilitate community discussion about substance abuse in Bayfield County and the
Chequamegon Bay area. Skulan participated on a community panel with Circuit Court Judge
Anderson, Tribal Court Judge Boulley, Deputy Anthony Budreau, District Attorney Fred Bourg,
Dr. Mark Lim, Jennifer Boulley, and Dave Lewis. Jeffrey Vanvonderen, the interventionist from
the Intervention television series was the guest speaker.
Recent Declines in FoodShare and Wisconsin Shares (Child Care) Enrollment
The 2015 DHS Annual report showed a slight decrease in the use of public assistance programs.
Research indicates that some of the decline is due to changes in policy and program
administration, including decreased benefits and more restrictive eligibility criteria. Two articles
were included in the board packet defining how these changes have decreased enrollment in
public assistance programs and have increased the reliance on other community resources such
as food shelves.
2017 DHS Budget Update
Skulan reported that she and Revak attended the Executive Committee meeting to present the
2017 DHS proposed budget. The budget includes an increase of a .63 full-time equivalent
employee. This increases the Family Specialist position form 14 hours per week to a full-time
employee with benefits. DHS will not have final approval on the 2017 Budget until the October
County Board Meeting.
BAYFIELD COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES BOARD MEETING
EOC Room
September 22, 2016
5
Comprehensive Community Services (CCS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) Audit Report
Skulan reviewed the findings following the appeal of the OIG audit. The appeal resulted in a
reduction of non-compliance from 85% to 50%. DHS issued a check for $693.64 to OIG. This
required no further action.
One remaining item of concern is that individual service plans and/or assessments must include
and address 15 different domains in the participant’s life. Corrected documents submitted by
the provider still did not include all 15 domains. DHS is addressing the concern with New
Horizon North and future contracts will include an addendum that will require the provider to
reimburse the county for any disallowance due to insufficient documentation on the part of the
provider.
Comprehensive Community Services (CCS) Update
Skulan reviewed the letter to New Horizons North dated September 12, 2016 regarding an
anonymous complaint received regarding the CCS program. Skulan reviewed the steps that the
provider is taking to address the complaint and to correct deficiencies detected in the
representative/payee account audit performed by Bayfield County when the complaint was
investigated.
Proposed Human Services Board Meetings 2017
Skulan reviewed the 2017 proposed Human Services Board Meeting dates.
Other (Informational Items)
A. E-Mail from Community Care Connections of WI (CCCW) regarding Ann Marie
Mackin
Future Meetings
A. October 27, 2016
B. November/December Meeting, Tuesday, December 6, 2016 (to begin with a
potluck to celebrate the holidays)
C. January 26, 2017
Before adjournment, the Board thanked Pyne for her service on the Bayfield County
Department of Human Services Board.
Adjournment
5:25 p.m.
Submitted by Nikki Revak, Financial Manager