HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuman Services Board - Minutes - 2/28/2019BAYFIELD COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES BOARD MEETING
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February 28, 2019
Board Members Present: Kent Seldal (arrived at 4:02 p.m.), Jim Crandall, Jeremy Oswald
(arrived at 4:04 p.m.), Susan Rosa, Tom Gordon, Aimee Kaufmann
Board Members Excused: Lona Schmidt, George Newago, Larry Fickbohm
Others Present: Elizabeth Skulan, Jeanine Spuhler, Cheryl Hanson, Ann Marie
Mackin, Sarah Traaholt
Call to Order: Crandall called the meeting to order at 4:03 p.m.
Introductions: Ann Marie Mackin, Aging and Disability Services
Discussion and Possible Action – Review of the December 4, 2018 Meeting Minutes
Motion by Gordon to accept the minutes, seconded by Rosa, Motion passed unanimously.
Public comment - None
Program Presentation – Music and Memory – Ann Marie Mackin, Aging & Disability Services
Presentation on Music and Memory program.
MUSIC & MEMORY® is a non-profit organization that brings personalized music into the lives
of people living with a wide range of cognitive and physical challenges with the goal of
improving quality of life. All five counties in the ADRC-N are implementing the program using
mp3 players and either headphones or Bluetooth speakers which are available for program
participants to check out. Music for the program can be obtained from an original CD or iTunes
purchase. Ann Marie Mackin can be contacted for donations and additional information about
the program. Ann Marie left the meeting at 4:28 p.m.
Monthly Section Reports
Family Services (FS) – Cheryl Hanson
Attended Superior Days with Human Service staff and Board Members. Met with the DCF
Secretary Emilie Amundson and staff and the DHS Deputy Secretary Julie Willems Van Dijk,
legislators and/or their representatives to discuss the issue of increasing the funding for costly
out of home placements along with the a request to increase reimbursement rates for
Medicaid. Bayfield County and the North was well represented in the Capitol those days!
Working with Criminal Justice Coordinator Barb Flynn on how to best serve and share resources
for clients.
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Accepted Social Worker Rebecca Kruit’s resignation. Rebeccas’ last day in the office will be
March 26, 2019. Rebecca is moving out of the area to be closer to grandchildren.
Red Cliff Indian Child Welfare is hosting a Child Welfare Training next week. Three Bayfield
County staff members will be attending one day of the three-day training.
Tuesday, March 19 at 7:00 p.m. there will be a showing of Written Off at the Harbor View Event
Center in Washburn. The documentary features a Wisconsin man’s personal struggle with
opiate addiction. The showing is open to public.
Economic Support Services (ES) – Jeanine Spuhler
Economic Support still has vacant position for a limited term employee funded through 2021.
Position will be reposted in March.
Economic Support has been busy responding to inquiries from the public requesting additional
energy assistance funding through the crisis program. Targeted mail outreach letters were
mailed to people who applied for the Wisconsin Home Energy Assistance Program (WHEAP)
program last season but haven’t applied this year. Wisconsin Home Energy Assistance Program
has provided Bayfield County residents approximately $300,000 in assistance this heating
season. The 2018-2019 Heating season ends May 15, 2019. Sarah Traaholt and Jessica Soulier
were unable to attend the February WHEAP conference in Wisconsin Dells due to inclement
weather. Bayfield County was randomly selected to receive charitable funds from a silent
auction held at the conference. Cable Area Resources in Emergencies (C.A.R.E.) was selected to
receive $500 in proceeds from the event.
Preliminary paperwork is complete for the Keep Wisconsin Warm Fund (WWF). WWF provides
additional energy assistance dollars to Bayfield County residents in need.
Aging & Disability Services (A&D) – Elizabeth Skulan for Carrie Linder
Gordon and Linder attended the Woodland Enhanced Health Services Commission (WEHSC)
phone conference regarding Clark County Rehabilitation and Living Center (CCRLC) on February
28th. The Commission is a collaboration of counties in Wisconsin that maintain and expand on
the special services of the CCRLC. The CCRLC provides services for behaviorally challenged
individuals who may not be accepted at traditional nursing homes.
Barnes meal site was temporarily moved to the Barnes Community Church after the town hall
pipes burst. Barnes congregate meals will resume at the town hall when repairs are completed.
Home Delivered Meals had minimal disruption due to inclement weather.
Children’s Long-Term Care rate setting with the State has been a difficult process. Kristin
Opperman will meet with each of the families and providers, before the end of June, to explain
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the impact that the new rates will have on services to their child/family. New rates will be
effective July 1, 2019.
Wisconsin is required by state and federal law to recover certain Medicaid benfits paid on
behalf of a Medicaid enrollee. For individuals 55 and over, Wisconsin seeks recovery from an
individual’s estate for nursing home stays, home and community-based services, and related
hospital and prescription drugs. This is referred to as Estate Recovery. Tribal members have
been hesitant to access long-term care services due to Estate Recovery. However, some tribal
assets may be exempt from Estate Recovery. Human Services now has a brochure to provide
tribal members who have questions related to estate recovery. The brochure will be distributed
during options counseling with all tribal members. Due to the complexity of the issue and to
avoid any legal implications, DHS staff will not provide answers to questions related to whether
tribal assets might be exempt from Estate Recovery. Instead DHS staff will recommend that
tribal members consult their Tribe, tribal attorneys or independent legal counsel with
questions.
Linder and staff are working with new ADRC Coordinator, Heather List, to orient her to
functions of ADRC.
Multiple referrals for Adult Protective Services investigations have been received since
beginning of the year.
A transportation summit will be held on April 16th at the Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center.
Linder is working with UW Extension to develop the summit.
Support Services – Elizabeth Skulan for Nikki Revak
Staff have been working on 2018 year-end financials to close out the year.
Revak is on vacation. She will return on March 13, 2019.
Prior to vacation, Revak completed the paperwork needed by the County’s new auditors.
Staff have started processing invoices and financial in the 2019 fiscal year. Overlapping fiscal
years lend some complexity to the work that support staff process.
Revak and support staff have been helping collect and analyze data for the Comprehensive
Community Support (CCS) program. A report regarding the status of the program will be
discussed later in the agenda.
Monthly Reports
Monthly reports reviewed and placed on file.
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Aging and Disability Resource Center of the North (ADRC-N) – Update on Coordinator and
Dementia Care Specialist positions.
Barb Peterson, the ADRC–N Coordinator and Misty Mogensen, the regional ADRC-N Dementia
Care Specialist (DCS) both gave notice in December and left December 31, 2018. The ADRC-N
Management Team posted a Request for Proposal (RFP) the Coordinator position and held
interviews in late December. Heather List of List Project Management LLC accepted the contract
as of January 1, 2019. Recruitment of the DCS position was delayed until the Coordinator was
hired and received orientation and training. Heather has hired a support staff worker, Danielle
Virshek. Heather has begun to recruit for the regional DCS position.
Superior Days 2019 – Summary report by DHS staff who attended.
Family Services Manager Cheryl Hanson, Financial Manager Nikki Revak and Director Elizabeth
Skulan attended the 34th Superior Days event in Madison on February 12 and 13, 2019. A
summary of the event was provided. Issue papers used for the DHS staff presentations and
agency meetings, as well as an article about the meeting to request additional Child Welfare
funding were included in the board packet.
Comprehensive Community Services (CCS) Program Update
There are several handouts included in the provided board packets that illustrate the chain of
events leading up to the status of the CCS program. A timeline and report on plans for
continuing to provide CCS services to Bayfield County participants was presented.
Miscommunication and rumors are circulating regarding the program. New Horizons North
(NHN) has asked for an extension until the end of April 2019 to work on restructuring the
program. Both Washburn offices are closed. All NHN staff will be working from the Ashland
office. It is anticipated that direct CCS program staff will be in the community more providing
service. The NHN Executive Director has stepped down. Two employees have been named
Interim Co-Directors. The contract to provide Community Support Program (CSP) services to
Bayfield County resident will be transferred to Northland Counseling as of March 18, 2019.
Northland Counseling submitted the application for program certification. The certification visit
with the State is scheduled for March 12, 2019.
Other (Informational Items)
A. Excerpts from WCA magazine re: Child Protective Services
B. Other
Future Meetings
A. March 28, 2019
B. April 25, 2019
C. May 23, 2019
Adjournment at 5:25 p.m.
Submitted by Sarah Traaholt, Clerk III