HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuman Services Board - Minutes - 5/26/2022BAYFIELD COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES BOARD MEETING
EOC & Virtual
May 26, 2022
2022-05_26_BCDHS_Board_meeting_minutes - finalK:\Agendas and Minutes\DHS Board\Minutes\2022 DHS Board Minutes\2022-05_26_BCDHS_Board_meeting_minutes - final.docx 1
Board Members Present: Marty Milanowski, James Crandall, Jeremy Oswald, Lona Schmidt (by
phone), Susan Rosa (by phone), Mary Dougherty, Madelaine
Rekemeyer, Stephanie Defoe Haskins (virtual)
Board Members Not Present:
Others Present: Elizabeth Skulan, Mary Anich (Virtual), Tom Croteau, Jeanine Spuhler
(Virtual), Carrie Linder (Virtual), Heather Gilbertson, Patrick Irvine (via
phone)
Call to Order and Introductions
Crandall called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m. and introductions were made.
Opportunity for Public Comment (Limit 3 minutes please.)
No Public Comment
Discussion and Possible Action – Reviewed the May 3, 2022, meeting minutes.
Motion by Milanowski, second by Rekemeyer to approve the May 3, 2022, meeting minutes as presented.
Motion passed.
Program Presentation – FoodShare Annual Management Information Review (MER), Economic Support
Services Manager Jeanine Sphuler summarized the report.
• The MER is an annual event completed by the State to ensure programs are compliant with
federal rules. Bayfield County participated in the review as a partner in the Northern Income
Maintenance Consortium (NIMC).
• An offsite evaluation was completed. This evaluation included a review of: recertification files,
program reports, client surveys, ghost calls, and website information.
• No errors were found in recertification cases.
• Onsite tours were held virtually. This was done by having an employee at the county being
reviewed carry a laptop equipped with a camera walk around the building to display signage,
waiting areas and reception areas in real time to state staff.
• Ghost calls were in compliance; staff consistently read scripted information to clients and
relayed the multiple ways to apply for benefits.
• Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) systems security was reviewed including whether EBT cards
were stored securely; if EBT cards were destroyed per policy when not picked up; and
establishing whether or not the EBT card number spreadsheet was submitted quarterly.
• The following feedback was provided on how to improve services:
o Refer customers to local offices when appropriate
o Make notices easier to read with bullet points
o Provide a link to the benefits handbook on the websites
• Summary of 2022 MER Evaluation included
o One corrective action took place.
o Staff was consistently friendly and helpful.
o Agencies are accessible and focused on customer service.
o NIMC continued to give exemplary service throughout the pandemic.
FINAL:
Approved at the
6/23/22 BCDHS
meeting
BAYFIELD COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES BOARD MEETING
EOC & Virtual
May 26, 2022
2022-05_26_BCDHS_Board_meeting_minutes - finalK:\Agendas and Minutes\DHS Board\Minutes\2022 DHS Board Minutes\2022-05_26_BCDHS_Board_meeting_minutes - final.docx 2
• NIMC has set the bar high for the rest of the state with elements reviewed.
Monthly Section Reports
Aging & Disability (A & D) Services – Carrie Linder
• Ruth Oppedahl was hired as the fourth Home Delivered Meal driver. Effective May 23, 2022,
there will be four routes instead of the original two routes. This will ensure higher quality meals
delivered closer to mealtimes. Even with the hire of Oppedahl, Linder reported there are routes
that take approximately four hours. The goal is to have routes be four hours or less. This should
improve once all drivers are familiar with their routes and the home delivered meal participants,
they deliver meals to.
• Each month the Aging unit meets with law enforcement. Tom Croteau and Linder discussed
Chequamegon Accountable: the Community for Health (CA:tCH) plans and training for CA:tCH
plans. CA:tCH plans are used currently used for residents with mental health issues, but might
also be used for individuals who are non-verbal, may have dementia, or may have other
diagnosis’s that may make a safe interaction difficult for first responders and law enforcement.
This is being evaluated. Additional training will allow first responders and law enforcement to
better assess situations and afford them more tools to defuse situations, to de-escalate
individuals who are upset, anxious, etc. or to stabilize individuals who are in danger of
escalating.
Support Services – Elizabeth Skulan for Stephanie Eder
• Kathy Wolfram-Moran and Eder attended the annual Financial Managers Conference in
Oshkosh.
• Financial audits for 2021 have begun. Documents have been scanned and uploaded at the
auditor’s request.
• Wisconsin Medicaid Cost Reporting (WIMCR) for 2021 has started.
Comprehensive Community Services (CCS) – Tom Croteau
• Vanessa Sowl joined the CCS team as a Service Facilitator on May 16, 2022. Sowl was working
for a CCS vendor. She is familiar with the program.
• CCS is now contracting with Elizabeth Kallio for substance abuse screening. Prior to the contract,
Croteau was the only one who has been conducting the screens. Contracting with Kallio will
allow Croteau time to supervise and manage the Behavioral Health staff transitioning to the CCS
Section.
• Croteau attends the Treatment Court as a Substance Abuse Mental Health Professional. In May,
Croteau had the opportunity to join the Criminal Justice Team at the Wisconsin Treatment Court
Conference in Wisconsin Dells.
• Croteau is working on initiatives and collaborating with other departments to determine how to
spend the opioid settlements. The group is considering:
o Preventions/public information campaigns
o Treatment and options
o Define options for an increase treatment capacity
• CCS currently has 41 participants. Referrals continue and the program is still growing.
• Croteau and staff continue providing education to individuals at the Behavioral Health Unit
(BHU) regarding the program.
BAYFIELD COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES BOARD MEETING
EOC & Virtual
May 26, 2022
2022-05_26_BCDHS_Board_meeting_minutes - finalK:\Agendas and Minutes\DHS Board\Minutes\2022 DHS Board Minutes\2022-05_26_BCDHS_Board_meeting_minutes - final.docx 3
Family Services – Mary Anich
• Dramatic increases in Mental Health holds occurring.
• Foster Homes are at capacity. Briana Aldaba – Foster/Kinship Coordinator is working on securing
additional Foster Homes in our area.
• Multiple counties are struggling with finding placements for children. A few have needed to
house youth in offices and hotels/motels with 24-hour staff coverage until a placement can be
identified.
• Continued transitioning Behavioral Health workers to the CCS Section.
• Anich gathered information for the Annual Report.
• Richard Kamm and Anich continue to attend Applied Learning Communities Training. The
training will end this fall.
• Anich completed fiscal year end reporting for various Behavioral Health Grants.
• Anich attended Regional Mental Health Grant Training on Traumatic Stress.
• Anich and staff attended Colors Training sponsored by the County and put on through the UW-
Extension office.
Economic Support Services – Jeanine Spuhler
• The State Public Health Emergency was extended. The next deadline date for a federal decision
to end or extend the emergency is mid-August.
• Katy Hanson joined the Economic Support team on April 25, 2022. Isabel Ford will join Economic
Support on May 31, 2022.
• Recruiting continues for a new position Bayfield County is filling.
• Wisconsin Home Energy Assistance Program (WHEAP): State crisis funds were depleted. Mid-
May, the state added an additional $4 million in crisis funds.
• State will not be conducting a summer fill program for WHEAP propane participants this year.
Monthly Reports
Monthly Financial and Training reports were reviewed and placed on file.
Discussion and Possible Action – A recommendation to the County Board to approve a request to hire
an additional Youth Services and Support Coordinator for the Children’s Long-term Services (CLTS)
program was considered.
• Requests normally go to Personnel Committee. However, due to the urgency of the matter,
the recommendation will go straight to the County Board at their May 31, 2022, meeting.
• The CLTS case load is increasing at alarming rates. The continued enrollment into the program
is causing significant workload issues and staff cannot keep up with the current case load.
• CLTS is a fully funded program.
Motion by Milanowski, second by Dougherty to forward a recommendation to the County Board to hire
an additional Youth Services and Support Coordinator mid-year. Motion passed.
BAYFIELD COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES BOARD MEETING
EOC & Virtual
May 26, 2022
2022-05_26_BCDHS_Board_meeting_minutes - finalK:\Agendas and Minutes\DHS Board\Minutes\2022 DHS Board Minutes\2022-05_26_BCDHS_Board_meeting_minutes - final.docx 4
Discussion and Possible Action – The Board considered the proposal to appoint Josh Gilbert as a
community member to the local and regional Comprehensive Community Services (CCS) Coordination
Committees.
• Gilbert has experience as a peer support specialist and as a previous member of the Ashland
and Regional CCS committees.
• Gilbert was a participant in the Ashland County program.
• Gilbert graduated from the program but enjoyed being on the committee.
Motion by Milanowski, second by Defoe-Haskins to appoint Gilbert as a community member to the local
and regional Comprehensive Community Services (CCS) Coordination Committees. Motion passed.
DHS 2023 Draft Budget Outreach Documents
• Outreach materials reviewed for seeking input on the 2023 DHS Budget.
Other (Informational Items)
A. April 30, 2022, thank you to Economic Support Services Specialist Jessica Soulier
B. May 4, 2022, email regarding Economic Support Specialist Aaron Kalmon
C. May 10, 2022, email regarding Tom Croteau
Future Meetings
A. June 23, 2022 (this meeting will be held in the County Board Room and will include the Public
Hearing on the 2023 DHS Budget and Opportunity for Comments Regarding Bayfield County’s
Policies and Procedures for Equal Opportunity Employment, Service Delivery, and Language
Access)
B. August 11, 2022 (July/August combined meeting due to 2023 Budget Timelines)
C. September 22, 2022
Crandall Adjourned the meeting at 5:27 pm.
Submitted by Heather Gilbertson, Clerk III