HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuman Services Board - Minutes - 10/27/2022BAYFIELD COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES BOARD MEETING
EOC & Virtual
October 27, 2022
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Board Members Present: James Crandall, Jeremy Oswald, Lona Schmidt, Patrick Irvine, Madelaine
Rekemeyer (virtual), Sue Rosa (virtual), Marty Milanowski (arrived at
4:11)
Board Members Not Present: Mary Dougherty, Stephanie Defoe-Haskins,
Others Present: Elizabeth Skulan, Mary Anich, Tom Croteau (left at 5:22), Jeanine
Spuhler (virtual), Heather Gilbertson, Stephanie Eder
Call to Order and Introductions
Crandall called the meeting to order at 4:02 p.m. and introductions were made.
Opportunity for Public Comment (Limit 3 minutes please.)
No Public Comment
Discussion and Possible Action – Review and approval of the September 21, 2022, meeting minutes
Motion by Oswald, second by Irvine to approve the September 21, 2022, meeting minutes as presented.
Motion passed.
Program Presentation – Out of Home Placements, Family Services, Briana Aldaba-Foster Care
Coordinator
• Foster Care Providers
o Tribal 36
o County 17
• Kinship Providers – 8
• Number of Children in Out of Home Placement in Bayfield County foster homes due to Court
Orders
o Tribal 31 (Bayfield County pays for foster care)
o Other Counties 10 (The other counties pay for the foster care)
o Bayfield County 4 (foster home or subsidized guardianships)
o High needs-treatment home facility 2 (Both Bayfield County youth)
• Current monthly expenses paid by Bayfield County DHS
o Tribal $19,682
o Bayfield County - $609
o Treatment Home - $25,852
o Subsidized Guardianship - $1,888
o Kinship - $3,000 (The Tribes receive their own allocation for kinship care)
• Aldaba stated that she will be applying for a Grant to support relative care givers. An application
will also be filed for another grant to pay for the high needs costs of children placed in
treatment foster homes.
• Individuals apply to become foster parents for many reasons. Some include they want to help
children in their community; they know of a family that has fostered before; a teacher has
formed a connection with a student and the student needs a safe place to stay.
• There is a need for foster care parents throughout Wisconsin.
FINAL:
Approved at the
12/6/22 BCDHS Board
meeting
BAYFIELD COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES BOARD MEETING
EOC & Virtual
October 27, 2022
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• In June Aldaba and Marne Belanger facilitated outreach for new foster parents by sponsoring a
community picnic. In August, there was a back-to-school event where backpacks filled with
school supplies were distributed to children in foster care and kinship care placements.
• Aldaba reported that, if workload permits, a holiday party with a dinner will be held for Bayfield
County foster and kinship families. If a holiday party is not an option, gifts will be provided to
children in Bayfield County foster and kinship homes and gift cards may be issued to the foster
families.
Monthly Section Reports
Support Services – Stephanie Eder
• Nikki Falk, front desk receptionist is doing well. Falk learns quickly and works independently.
• Sarah Traaholt is learning the Ewisacwis program which works with foster care and kinship care
payments.
• Heather Gilbertson scanned, formatted, and electronically delivered a large document in
response to an open records request from a law firm.
• Support Staff Focus is focused on succession planning and backup training.
Behavioral Health & Community Programs – Tom Croteau
• August Gordon is doing very well, she joined the Comprehensive Community Services (CCS)
team as an intern on September 14, 2022.
• CCS currently has 40 participants. The program continues to receive referrals and the program is
running smoothly.
• Facilitators are working through the referral process for four or five youth.
• Recertification for the CCS program will take place in December, this is a bi- annual
recertification.
• Jamie Allen and Evan Maki have become familiar with the workflow. They are being proactive by
reaching out and providing services to participants.
• Croteau and Skulan attended the County/Tribal meeting in Red Cliff at Legendary Waters on
Wednesday October 26, 2022.
• Croteau stated that the county has received grants that help cover room and board fees for
participants who need treatment.
• Croteau reported there has been an increase in referrals of children not attending school. This is
thought to be due to the lack of mental health supports in schools.
Aging & Disability (A&D) Services – Carrie Linder
• The Living Well Newsletter will be mailed and emailed out mid-November.
• Linder is developing a 3-part caregiver training series.
• Linder stated they are seeing an increase in referrals regarding homelessness.
• Employees are concerned about the number of referrals that will be received during the
unwinding of covid benefits when it begins.
• Ellie Webb, Dementia Care Specialist, will be attending the congregate meal sites throughout
November to provide information to attendees.
Economic Support Services – Jeanine Spuhler
• Receiving many Energy Assistance applications and calls because furnaces are not working.
• Jessica Soulier provided outreach for the Heating Assistance Program at Congregate Meal Sites.
• The section is fully staffed.
BAYFIELD COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES BOARD MEETING
EOC & Virtual
October 27, 2022
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• Spuhler stated in November the state will announce if the Public Health Emergency is coming to
an end.
Family Services – Mary Anich
• In addition to advertising for the three open positions for case managers/social workers, DHS is
advertising for a Social Work Tech position. There have been several interviews, but no one has
been issued an offer of employment.
• Anich is conducting Child Protective Services (CPS) investigations and training a new worker on
CPS and Youth Justice cases.
• Ashland county is providing back up for night and weekend on-call when Anich is out of the
area.
• Anich re-certified the one Child Care provider located in Bayfield County.
Monthly Reports
Monthly Financial and Training reports were reviewed and placed on file.
Discussion and Possible Action – Appointments of Sherri Paulson and Michelle Lampson to the
Children’s Community Options Program (CCOP) Advisory Committee.
• Michelle Lampson’s approval request is retroactive to June 1, 2022.
Motion by Schmidt, second by Milanowski to approve appointments of Sherri Paulson and Michelle
Lampson to the Children’s Community Options Program (CCOP) Advisory Committee with Lampson’s
appointment retroactive to June 1, 2022. Motion passed.
Discussion and Possible Action – Proposed Amendments to the Interim Assistance Program Policy
Manual (formerly the General Relief Policy Manual)
• Interim Assistance is a County Funded program. The changes make the program consistent
with other state public assistance programs.
Motion by Irvine, second by Schmidt to approve the amendments to the Interim Assistance Program
Policy Manual as presented. Motion passed.
Discussion and Possible Action –2022 Budget Amendment Resolution
• All but $285,000 of the amendment is fully funded.
• The Risk Reserve will be used for three unanticipated unbudgeted items: a juvenile corrections
placement, a disabled youth in a Wisconsin Center for an assessment, and an elderly
protective placement.
• It is anticipated county levy funded but unspent wage and fringe costs due to vacancies will
fund a portion of the unanticipated cost, if there are no additional unplanned mandated
services provide before the end of the calendar year.
Motion by Oswald, second by Schmidt to approve the 2022 Budget Amendment Resolution. Motion
passed.
Opioid Settlement Funds– Status Report
• The first payment was approximately $9,000.
BAYFIELD COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES BOARD MEETING
EOC & Virtual
October 27, 2022
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• Public Health and Human Services met to discuss recommendations made at the Opioid
Settlement Summit.
• Per recommendations at the summit a county wide survey is being developed.
• A postcard to every household in Bayfield County with a link to an electronic survey or a
number to call for a paper copy.
• Skulan is gathering sample surveys from other counties and the state.
• Funds can be used for Prevention, Intervention, or treatment but are not a significant amount
for Bayfield County.
Executive Session
Pursuant to Wisconsin Statutes §19.85(1)(c); Milanowski made a motion at 5:50 p.m. to go into
Executive Session to approve prior meeting minutes considering employment, promotion,
compensation, or performance evaluation data of any public employee over which the governmental
body has jurisdiction or exercises responsibility. Rekemeyer seconded the motion. Motion passed.
Pursuant to Wisconsin Statutes §19.85(1)(c); Milanowski made a motion at 5:52 p.m. to close the
Executive Session and reconvene the meeting in Open Session. Schmidt seconded the motion. Motion
passed.
Motion by Schmidt, second by Milanowski to approve the September 21, 2022, Executive Session meeting
minutes as presented. Motion passed.
Other (Informational Items)
• Application Guide for DHS Programs
Future Meetings
A. Combined November/ December Meeting, Tuesday December 6, 2022. Note: The meeting will
begin with a holiday potluck.
B. January 26, 2023
C. February 23, 2023
Discussion and Possible Action: Motion or Chair’s Statement to Adjourn
Crandall Adjourned the meeting at 6:00 pm.
Submitted by Heather Gilbertson, Clerk III