HomeMy WebLinkAboutFamily Services Advisory Committee - Minutes - 1/12/2023
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BAYFIELD COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES
FAMILY SERVICES ADVISORY COMMITTEE (FSAC) MEETING NOTES
Courthouse Conference Room A & Remote
Wednesday, January 12th, 2023, at 4:30 pm
Committee Members Present: Mary Dougherty (via Teams), Bev Lindell & Nancy & Dale
Johnson (via telephone)
Committee Members Absent: Bev Patterson, Lona Schmidt.
Others Present: Mary Anich (Family Services Section Manager), Elizabeth Skulan-Peppy
(Human Services Director), and Nina Bucher (Support Staff).
Introductions and Call to order: Skulan ran the meeting as Chairman Schmidt was absent.
Minute Approval: Skulan asked if there were changes or a motion to approve the 7/13/22
FSAC meeting minutes. Dougherty made the motion and D Johnson seconded. Motion carried.
Skulan asked if there were any changes needed to the 10/12/22 meeting notes from the last
FSAC meeting where there was not a quorum. No one had changes so the notes were put on
file.
Public Comment Opportunity: No public comment.
New Committee Member Recruitment: Anich asked if anyone had any suggestions to fill
the two vacancies on the Family Services Advisory Committee. If so, please direct them to
complete the application for Citizen Committee Member on the Bayfield County website under
employment https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/bayfieldco.
Staffing Updates: Anich noted two Case Manager hires since the last meeting: Michelle
Arganbright and Alice Wilson. Arganbright has been working on Youth Justice referrals and
Wilson on Child Welfare/Child Protective Services. Both are doing very well.
Recruitment continues for a Youth Justice and a Child Protective Services worker.
Program reports: Anich gave an overview and description of the Youth Justice numbers
from 2011-2022. Cases went from 113 in 2011 down to 42 in 2022. Anich believes Law
Enforcement is not referring all situations they come across any longer, and the robust job of
the Indian Child Welfare workers going on at Red Cliff to assist families at younger ages may
keep children out of the system.
Once a referral comes into Family Services, staff has 40 days to research the situation, meet
with the family, and develop a plan to address the delinquent act. Many times this is a
Deferred Prosecution Agreement (DPA) that includes meeting stipulations within six months to
avoid the case being referred to Court. The stipulations may be an apology, restitution,
Minutes are subject to
change before approval
at next FSAC meeting
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learning, or other related actions to teach the child why what they did was wrong, and to
correct it. The DA reviews all DPAs and could disagree with the case manager’s decision, but
has not yet.
Informational Items:
Anich explained that Family Services received temporary Safe and Stable Funds of $40,000 to
address creating safety plans/safe places for children to be placed. Anich said this is not a
need very often in our area, so they will have to work at spending it properly.
Praise was given to employees Briana Aldaba, Marne Belanger, and Val Gurske-Westlund for
their work on recruiting foster homes in Bayfield County and helping Red Cliff with their foster
care program.
Anich relayed that Gretchen Morris, the Director of Red Cliff Indian Child Welfare has left and
there is an Interim Director in her place now. Anich stated they had their monthly meeting
with Red Cliff just that morning.
Future Meetings: Meetings will continue quarterly on the second Wednesday of the month:
April 12, July 12, and October 11, 2023
Adjournment: Skulan adjourned the meeting at 5:07 pm.
Minutes respectfully submitted by,
Nina Bucher
Nina Bucher