HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuman Services Board - Minutes - 10/26/2017BAYFIELD COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES BOARD MEETING
EOC
October 26, 2017
Board Members Present: Larry Fickbohm, Lona Schmidt, Rusty Williams arrived at 4:34,
Rachel Coughtry, Jim Crandall, Fred Strand,
Board Members Excused: Kent Seldal, Pat Carver
Others Present: Elizabeth Skulan, Nikki Revak, Jeanine Spuhler, Carrie Linder,
Cheryl Hanson, Julie Szafranski (via phone – disconnected after
presentation)
Call to Order and Introductions
Crandall called the meeting to order at 4:32 p.m.
Review of the September 26th Meeting Minutes
Motion by Fickbohm, seconded by Schmidt, to approve the minutes as amended with the
correct spell of John Knight’s name instead of McNight. Motion passed unanimously as
amended.
Public Comment – Limited to 3 minutes per person
None
Williams stepped in as Chair at 4:34 p.m.
Program Presentation – Regional Child Care, Julie Szafranski, Regional Child Care Supervisor,
Northern Income Maintenance Consortium (NIMC)
Szafranski presented via conference phone from Vilas County.
Wisconsin Shares helps families pay for child care for low income families so that parents or
other approved caretakers may work, go to school, or participate in approved work training
programs. Wisconsin Shares changed the platform in 2014 to one that ties child care payments
to child care quality. Daycares must be certified, licensed or operated by a Wisconsin public
school board to be eligible for state funding. The providers must participate in the YoungStar
program and have a quality rating of at least two stars to receive Wisconsin Shares funds.
Ratings of one to five stars are determined by the qualifications and education of the day care
staff. The more stars a day care has, the larger their payment per child. Wisconsin Shares pays
a portion of the child care costs. Payments to providers are facilitated by issuing a monthly
deposit on a EBT Card issued to the parent. The parent then transfers payment to the provider
as services are rendered.
In the 12 county NIMC region there are approximately 800 eligible children in the child care
system. In Bayfield County, there are eleven certified providers, four are currently being
utilized.
BAYFIELD COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES BOARD MEETING
Bayfield EOC
October 26, 2017
2
In August, there were 17 Bayfield County families and a total of 26 kids funded by Wisconsin
Shares. At total payment of $7,900 was issued to providers. In September, 15 families and a
total of 20 kids were funded by the program. Payment issued to providers was $3,800.
Phase two of the platform change initiated on 2017 is ready to roll out. This allows parents or
caretakers who lose their job to continue to qualify for Wisconsin Shares for up to three months
while they search for employment. Wisconsin Shares served low-income working families with
children under the age of 13. The YoungStar ratings ensure greater consistency of care and
safety to families seeking a provider for their child(ren).
Families or caretakers can apply in person, on line or through the NIMC offices.
Monthly Section Reports
Economic Support Services – Jeanine Spuhler
The first Wisconsin Home Energy Assistance Program check batch will be extracted this week.
To date, in Bayfield County, 218 WHEAP applications have been entered in to the state system.
Home visits have been completed for WHEAP and outreach sites will be held in Cable on
November 15th and Iron River on November 21st.
Two staff are currently out on Family Medical Leave (FML). One employee is expected return in
two weeks; the other is out for an undetermined amount of time.
NIMC has also experienced a staff shortage due to a number of unexpected FML and scheduled
vacations. Voluntary overtime and an opportunity for staff to work up to 45 hours per week
began in October. Current unprocessed state wage matches that have been on the NIMC case
load since 2012 were reduced to zero, in part due to the overtime. Bayfield County’s Danielle
Colby took a lead role by producing a document with step by step instructions for workers to
resolve the state wage matches.
Staff participated in the annual retreat in Cornucopia. They had a wonderful day.
Vacation requests for 2018 NIMC workers are being reviewed for the 12 county NIMC. This is
not an easy task. While it is desirable to approve all requests, doing so is not realistic. It is a
priority to have viable work teams and there are times when requests must be denied -
partiicularly around the holidays. Which staff were allowed time off during the holidays in the
previous year is taken into consideration.
Open enrollment for insurance in the Market Place begins November 1st and ends December
15th. Referrals for individuals that are eligible for Badger Care Plus are forwarded to the
appropriate Income Maintenance Consortium. In addition, a number of applicants will call the
IM consortia to get information or to apply directly.
BAYFIELD COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES BOARD MEETING
Bayfield EOC
October 26, 2017
3
Family Services – Cheryl Hanson
Richard Kamm was hired as a full-time Juvenile Justice Social Worker. Kamm must successfully
pass the Social Worker exam to obtain his social work license. He currently has a temporary
Social Worker license that expires July 2018.
Family Specialist, Heather Wagner gave her notice. November 1, 2017 will be Wagner’s last day.
She is moving to Madison; the entire staff wish her well. The Family Specialist position works
with the parents of families whose children are in danger of being removed from their home or
who have just been returned to the home.
Two cases of non-accidental head trauma (shaken baby syndrome) have been reported and are
under investigation. In both cases the alleged perpetrators are the fathers.
Hanson and Mary Anich attended a truancy program meeting at the Great Lakes Inter-Tribal
Council Inc.
Participated in a State Permanency Roundtable (PRT) with Liz Woodworth. The primary goal for
every PRT is to achieve legal permenance through reunification, adoption, guardianship or
customary adoption. It is designed to expedite permanency for children and youth in out of
home care through innovative thinking, the application of best practice and overcoming
systematic barriers. Staff found out that the state has tools to perform a more thorough search
for locating family members who might care for children in need of a placement. A meeting will
be scheduled with the tribe to discuss permanency plans.
Aging & Disability Services – Carrie Linder - handout
Linder sold her farm and purchased a home in Washburn.
Memory screens will be provided at various sites throughout Bayfield County. Reviewed the
handout for times and locations. Memory screens are a successful way to provide outreach and
to prompt individuals to be more proactive with senior self-care.
Pam Vanderkamp will conduct a Nutrition Assessment on Tuesday, October 31. A site visit at
the new Port Wing Senior Meal Site will be conducted. Meal recipients at Port Wing plan to
have a Halloween costume party at the meal site that day.
Two meal site coordinators were hired for Port Wing. Laurie Perkins, who worked in Rothschild
years ago at a meal site, is the main coordinator. Laurie Gucinski is the backup coordinator. On
the first day at the new site, 16 meals were served. In consecutive weeks, 32, 46 and 59 meals
were served. Most of the consumers are from the south shore region.
Elderly Benefit Specials Sheila Mack assists consumers with open enrollment in Part D
Medicare. Mack identified a computer glitch in the CMS data base when enrolling consumers.
CMS was contacted and the error was corrected.
BAYFIELD COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES BOARD MEETING
Bayfield EOC
October 26, 2017
4
Kristin Opperman, Youth Transition worker, received notice that Bayfield Children’s Long-Term
services waitlist enrollment plan for 2017 was approved. There are currently eight children
who will be served by March 2018. Bayfield County has received three new referrals since the
enrollment plan was approved.
Two Guardianship transfers have been received by DHS. One from another state and one from
another Wisconsin county. Both cases will be accepted.
Support Services – Nikki Revak
Last week began with an apple crisp and gift for National Boss’s Day! DHS has the best support staff
team ever! Thanks team for making the Financial Manager job easier and full of good things!
Worked with Skulan to develop the DHS Board Resolution for the 2017 Budget Adjustments, Authority
to Carry Over 2016 funds and Access DHS Risk Reserves.
Assisted A&D staff with a fiscal letter to the state regarding a request for high cost funds for an adaptive
aid.
Facilitated a demonstration this afternoon for the Eclipse Software, a possible replacement for our
Visual WISSIS financial software. Iron and Ashland County fiscal staff participated.
Kathy Wolfram is on Family Medical Leave for her son, Ryan. Please keep them in your thoughts and
prayers. Worked with Skulan and Abeles-Allison to develop a plan for Kathy to work remotely for a
limited number of hours while she is off and when she was not caring for her son. The plan includes a
written agreement with defines the tasks that can be done and how the work will be reviewed for
quality and quantity. Kathy is authorized to work up to 15 hours remotely per week and she is very
grateful for the opportunity. When asked if this might be too much for her, her actual quote “Actually,
the working remotely is awesome. Keeps my mind in the game and gives me something constructive to
do”.
Worked with staff to complete multiple year contracts for New Horizons North. This will be covered
later in the agenda.
Monthly Reports
Monthly reports reviewed and placed on file. Projected 2017 deficit is lower than anticipated.
Discussion and Possible Action – DHS Resolution 2017-04 2017 Department of Human Services
Budget Adjustment and Authority to Carry Over 2016 Funds and Access Risk Reserves
Skulan reviewed the resolution addressing the projected deficit at year-end. The resolution
requests: an increase in 2017 DHS spending authority; carry over of 2016 DHS excess funds of
$133,323 and permission to access the DHS Risk Reserve to balance the 2017 budget. Per the
County Administrator, the resolution must be presented to the County Executive Committee,
then the full County Board in November.
BAYFIELD COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES BOARD MEETING
Bayfield EOC
October 26, 2017
5
Motion by Crandall, second by Schmidt, to approve DHS Resolution 2017-04 DHS Budget
Adjustment and Authority to Carry Over 2016 Funds and Access Risk Reserves and forward to
the Full County Board Committee. Motion passed unanimously.
2016 Audit – Audit Funding; Management Response; DHS Letter of Acceptance
Skulan reported on a single DHS finding in the 2016 Bayfield County audit. There was no
contract on file for the Comprehensive Community Services (CCS) program. Due to other
financial program requirements, no questioned costs were associated with the finding. A
contract was issued with an addendum that cost exceptions determined by the annual state
reconciliation and/or 2015 state audit will be recouped from the vendor.
Comprehensive Community Services (CCS) Program Expansion Update
Skulan participated in a phone conference today with Ashland, Bayfield, and Douglas Counties
and State CCS staff. The state provided verbal approval to move forward on the regional
expansion. Douglas County plans to issue a Request for Proposals next week. Douglas County
has only 30 days to complete their plan, policies and procedures. Documents must be
complete and submitted to the state by November 30th. The application for regional expansion
was submitted in July and the state’s lack of response has negatively affected Douglas County’s
ability to meet the timelines. Expansions can only be implemented on January 1 in any given
year. There are many people in Douglas County that would benefit from this service.
Follow up on Open Records Request Bryne Law Office
Skulan reviewed the letter from Byrne Law office and the response issued from Bayfield County
Corporation Counsel.
Other (Informational Items)
A. Goldstein, Amy “Trump to end key ACA subsidies, a move that will threaten the
law’s marketplace”, The Washington Post, October 17, 2017
B. Other
Future Meetings
A. December 5, 2017 (November/December meeting beginning with holiday
potluck) 4:00 p.m. Potluck will start at 3:30.
B. January 25, 2018
C. February 22, 2018
Adjournment at 5:30 p.m.
Submitted by Nikki Revak, Financial Manager