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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuman Services Board - Minutes - 10/28/2021BAYFIELD COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES BOARD MEETING EOC October 28, 2021 K:\Agendas and Minutes\DHS Board\Minutes\2021 DHSBoard Minutes\2021-10_28_BCDHS_Board_meeting_minutes-final.docx 1 Board Members Present: Marty Milanowski, David Zepczyk by phone, Stephanie Defoe Haskins, Larry Fickbohm by phone, Lona Schmidt, Jim Crandall, Board Members Not Present: Susan Rosa, Jeremy Oswald, Mark Ludeking Others Present: Elizabeth Skulan, Stephanie Eder, Tom Croteau, Jeanine Spuhler, Mary Anich, Carrie Linder, Heather Gilbertson, Mary Dougherty, Lyle Poppe- New Day Shelter Call to Order and Introductions Jim called the meeting to order at 4:05 p.m. Opportunity for Public Comment No Public Comment Discussion and Possible Action – Review of the September 23, 2021, meeting minutes Motion by Milanowski, second by Haskins to approve the September 23, 2021, meeting minutes as presented. Motion passed. Program Presentation –Family First Prevention Act Updates, Family Services Manager Mary Anich • The Family First Prevention Act emphasizes placing children with family members and avoiding out of home placements whenever possible. • Research indicates children do best with family and their own biological unit. • Under Family First, biological family members and relative caregivers will be provided with adequate support and prevention services to help children remain safe and prevent out of home placements. • Under the Family First Prevention Act a Qualified Residential Treatment Programs (QRTP) qualify for federal Title VI funding. • Family First incentivizes maintaining children safely at home. Monthly Section Reports Support Services – Stephanie Eder • Heather Doubek started in the Receptionist position on October 18, 2021. Heather is doing a fabulous job. The support staff has welcomed her to their team. • Support Staff have been training Heather Doubek. Job duties are being transferred to her. • In early November, the list of all clerical and support tasks will be evaluated. Job duties will be assigned or reassigned to ensure there are equitable workloads. FINAL Approved at 12/7/21 BCDHS meeting BAYFIELD COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES BOARD MEETING EOC October 28, 2021 K:\Agendas and Minutes\DHS Board\Minutes\2021 DHSBoard Minutes\2021-10_28_BCDHS_Board_meeting_minutes-final.docx 2 • This exercise will also help determine if there is a need for anther full-time Support Staff position. Family Services – Mary Anich • Family Services certifies small childcare providers with three of less children under age seven (unrelated to the provider) in Bayfield County. • The State of Wisconsin licenses childcare providers who provide care and supervision of four or more children under the age of seven. • Recertification is required every two years. Bayfield County has had only one certified home for the last four years. • Bayfield County Economic Development Corporation and the Ashland Area Development Corporation are applying for a grant to increase childcare options in Ashland and Bayfield Counties. • Family Services currently has three vacant positions: Youth Justice, Behavioral Health and Foster Care Coordinator. • Three candidates were recently interviewed for the Youth Justice position. • Referrals have increased. • Family Services staff are working some evening and weekend hours to accommodate clients. Economic Support – Jeanine Spuhler • Aaron Kalmon is three-quarters through the new worker training. • The heating season has begun. Households have begun to apply for heating assistance through the Wisconsin Home Energy Assistance Program (WHEAP). • WHEAP can be applied for with a paper application, online, over the phone, or in person. Many individuals still choose to apply in person. • Energy Services Inc. (ESI) has been contracted by the State of Wisconsin to process online applications and to operate a statewide Customer Care Center which accepts on demand applications over the phone for all Wisconsin Counties. This reduces the workload in counties. • Due to the recent cold weather, there have been some calls for furnace repair and replacement. • In early December, the state will implement Genesys, a new software in the Northern Income Maintenance Consortium (NIMC). • Notice was received Emergency Assistance FoodShare Benefits will be issued for the month of November. • A new assistance program is available to assist homeowners pay water bills. This program will also be administered by ESI through the Customer Call Center in Wisconsin. • The State is developing a plan for when the health emergency ends on Jan 15, 2022. Aging & Disability Services – Carrie Linder BAYFIELD COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES BOARD MEETING EOC October 28, 2021 K:\Agendas and Minutes\DHS Board\Minutes\2021 DHSBoard Minutes\2021-10_28_BCDHS_Board_meeting_minutes-final.docx 3 • Linder has been training volunteers in the Iron River community who will deliver Home Delivered Meals. This has gone well. The volunteers are engaged and invested in the program and in helping others in their community. • Linder completed orientation and a refresher class with the Cable Area Lions who deliver Home Delivered Meals in the Cable area. • The On Demand Transportation Project will begin in 2022. • The Friday Iron River to Ashland route was reinstated October 8, 2021. Bay Area Rural Transit (BART) is now running the project. • The home delivered meal routes will increase from three to five in early 2022. • Linder is hoping to reopen senior congregate meal sites in 2022. This will depend partially on the vendor response to the request for proposals. Linder will hold a Public Forum in mid-November for vendors interested in contracting to provide congregate meals. • Long Term Care Functional Screens are being done in person again, which is best practice. Staff have noted it does take longer to complete a functional screen in person than virtually. However, the screens are generally more thorough when done face to face. • Linder answered ADRC phone lines for a brief time when regional staff were out of the office. Comprehensive Community Services (CCS) – Tom Croteau • New CCS Service Facilitator Stephanie Tutor had a very smooth transition to Bayfield County from Ashland County. • Croteau has invested some time training the new intern, Madison Atterbury. • CCS currently has 27 participants and there are six active referrals. The program is stable and continues to grow. • Referrals are being made by other sections in Human Services. • CCS providers have hired five or six new employees to provide skill development. • The program is currently working with three providers to who offer equine therapy, which is a popular service for CCS participants. Monthly Reports Monthly Financial and Training reports were reviewed and placed on file. Iron River to Ashland Transportation Route - The Friday Iron River to Ashland Transportation Route resumed as of Friday, October 8, 2021. The route, which runs every Friday, was suspended due to the pandemic. Previously, the route was driven by Home Delivered Meal driver, Lorraine Benson with one of the home delivered meal vans. However, Bay Area Rural Transit (BART) is providing the route now. This allows for a larger vehicle to hold more riders, will not be limited to seniors or those disabled, and will afford more distance between riders during the route. Seniors and individuals with disabilities will pay $5.00, the general public will pay $10.00 per round trip. BAYFIELD COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES BOARD MEETING EOC October 28, 2021 K:\Agendas and Minutes\DHS Board\Minutes\2021 DHSBoard Minutes\2021-10_28_BCDHS_Board_meeting_minutes-final.docx 4 Final Approval Bayfield County 2022-2024 Aging Plan – Linder reported two Bayfield County residents attended the public hearing on the 2022 – 2024 Aging Plan. Residents spoke about the lack of good housing stock for seniors and requested a skill building class for older adults to learn how to advocate for themselves. The plan was changed to include opportunities for seniors to learn how to advocate for themselves. Motion by Milanowski, second by Zepczyk to approve the Final Bayfield County 2022-2024 Aging Plan as presented. Motion passed. The meeting reconvened in open session at 5:20 p.m. Other (Informational Items) A. Health and Human Services State Budget Review, Wisconsin Counties Magazine, September 2021 B. E-mail to Economic Support Worker – Audra Blanche Future Meetings A. December 7, 2021 – November/December Meeting B. January 27, 2022 C. February 24, 2022 Crandall Adjourned the meeting at 5:25 p.m. Submitted by Heather Gilbertson, Clerk II Pursuant to Wisconsin Statues §19.85(1)(c) Milanowski made a motion at 5:10 p.m. to go into Executive Session to consider employment, promotion, compensation, or performance evaluation data of any public employee over which the governmental body has jurisdiction or exercises responsibility. Zepczyk seconded the motion. Motion passed. Pursuant to Wisconsin Statues §19.85(1)(c) Milanowski made a motion at 5:20 p.m. to resume the meeting in open session. Defoe-Haskins seconded the motion. Motion passed. Fickbohm made a motion to support the following reclassification requests effective January 1, 2022, and recommend them to the Personnel Committee: Melissa Huempfner, Social Worker I to Social Worker II Richard Kamm, Social Worker I to Social Worker II Heather Gilbertson, Clerk II to Clerk III Deanna Regen, Clerk I to Clerk II Milanowski seconded the motion. Motion passed.