HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuman Services Board - Minutes - 4/27/2023BAYFIELD COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES BOARD MEETING
EOC & Virtual
April 27, 2023
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Board Members Present: Jeremy Oswald, Marty Milanowski, Madelaine Rekemeyer*, Stephanie
Defoe-Haskins*, Sue Rosa – arrived at 4:03, Mary Dougherty, James
Crandall, Patrick Irvine*, Lona Schmidt (*attended virtually)
Others Present: Elizabeth Skulan, Mary Anich, Jeanine Spuhler, Heather Gilbertson,
Stephanie Eder
Call to Order and Introductions
Crandall called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m.
Opportunity for Public Comment (Limit 3 minutes please.)
No Public Comment
Discussion and Possible Action – Review and approval of the March 23, 2023, meeting minutes
Motion by Milanowski, second by Schmidt to approve the March 23, 2023, meeting minutes as presented.
Motion passed.
Program Presentation – WiLearn, New Worker Training for Child Welfare Workers, Mary Anich, Family
Services Manager
WiLearn is a state administered, new employee training initiative for child welfare professionals
in Wisconsin.
Training includes community huddles, self-paced prework, grounding activities, packets,
independent study, and culminating activities.
Through WiLearn, new employees break out into small groups, called community huddles, weekly
to explore and discuss training content with their peers.
Employees have a workbook to follow, and conversations are guided.
WiLearn is a benefit to new employees.
Monthly Section Reports
Support Services – Stephanie Eder
Staff are currently closing fiscal year 2022. This process will continue until late June.
Staff are concurrently working in the 2023 fiscal year.
The Support Staff Team was missing one member for three weeks due to jury duty.
Behavioral Health & Community Programs – Tom Croteau
May is Mental Health Awareness month. Take care of yourself and your loved ones!
Hayley BeBeau has accepted a position as a Behavioral Health Case Manager. BeBeau’s first day
will be May 8, 2023.
DRAFT:
Subject to change at
the next BCDHS
meeting
BAYFIELD COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES BOARD MEETING
EOC & Virtual
April 27, 2023
K:\Agendas and Minutes\DHS Board\Minutes\2023 DHS Board Minutes\2023-04-27_BCDHS_Board_meeting_minutes -DRAFT.docx 2
Work continues with ECHO Advantage, a new Electronic Health Records (EHR) software program
for the Comprehensive Community Services (CCS) program. This software will go live June 1,
2023.
Vanessa Sowl received her Substance Abuse Counselor In-Training Certificate (SAC-IT). Sowl will
be assigned assessments and some limited counseling under Croteau’s supervision.
Croteau attended Human Services Legislative Day at the Capitol.
Croteau attended the Chief Justice Summit on Mental Health in Madison.
Aging & Disability (A&D) Services – Carrie Linder
Linder reported staff will be conducting multiple community outreach events in the coming
months.
World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEEAD) is June 15, 2023. Many activities are being planned
or considered, such as: sponsoring music in the park: a community forum at the Harbor View
Event Center in Washburn; training for bankers on financial exploitation; training for law
enforcement on elder fraud; and the production entitled “Grandpa and Lucy”, a play about the
dementia of an elderly man and how it affects his relationship with his young granddaughter, to
be held at the Stage North in Washburn.
As the Public Health Emergency comes to an end, pre-pandemic policies are being reinstated.
There are currently 41 children enrolled in the Children’s Long-term Services (CLTS) Program.
Linder received a notice of resignation from Leslie Wilson. Wilson is contracted through Forward
Horizons to provide Case Management for the CLTS program.
The Transportation Coordination Committee (TCC) met with Wisconsin Department of
Transportation (DOT) representatives who provided a presentation regarding the Bayfield County
DOT Trust Fund including the allowable uses for the trust.
Linder reported the committee will also be reviewing utilization of the Bayfield Door to Door
program to determine who is using the service; how often; and for what purpose, to determine if
the project should continue and how it might be funded after this year.
Economic Support Services – Jeanine Spuhler
Spuhler reported the last big outreach effort for energy assistance increased applications by 18%
in Bayfield County.
Spuhler reported individuals eligible for energy assistance would be receiving a second benefit
payment approximately the same amount as the first.
Wisconsin plans to conduct a summer fill program for bulk fuel customers this year.
The health emergency unwinding process is generating additional work. Letters were sent to
health care participants with information on how the renewal process will work and the
timelines.
Many Economic Support Specialist have only determined eligibility for public assistance benefits
during the Public Health Emergency and are unfamiliar with pre-pandemic policies. They are in
the process of learning those policies.
Due to an unexpected resignation, there is currently a vacancy in Economic Support and DHS is
recruiting to fil the vacancy.
BAYFIELD COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES BOARD MEETING
EOC & Virtual
April 27, 2023
K:\Agendas and Minutes\DHS Board\Minutes\2023 DHS Board Minutes\2023-04-27_BCDHS_Board_meeting_minutes -DRAFT.docx 3
Family Services – Mary Anich
Anich reported that staff, many who are new to Family Services, work in teams when out in the
community.
April is Child Abuse Prevention month.
Ashland and Bayfield Counties have one dedicated Forensic Interviewer. Forensic Interviews are
conducted by individuals who are trained to use an evidence based interviewing protocol with
children and some vulnerable adults. Family Services is having more staff trained to conduct
these interviews. Briana Aldaba has completed her training; Alice Wilson is completing an on-line
training; and Michelle Arganbright will attend an in-person training course in the future. Defoe-
Haskins reported several professionals at the Red Cliff Tribe will also be trained to conduct
forensic interviews.
As of May 1, 2023, all face-to-face child welfare checks must be conducted in-person each month.
Monthly Reports
Monthly Financial and Training reports were reviewed and placed on file.
Discussion and Possible Action – Reassign General Behavioral Health Considerations to Advisory
Committee
Motion by Milanowski, second by Dougherty to approve the reassignment of general Behavioral Health
considerations to the new Family Service /Behavioral Health Advisory Committee (FS/BHAC). Motion
passed.
Discussion and Possible Action – Consideration and request to recommend to the County Board Chair
the appointment of citizen member Stephanie Defoe-Haskins for another term to the Human Services
Board.
Motion by Milanowski, second by Oswald to recommend to the County Board Chair the appointment of
citizen member Stephanie Defoe-Haskins for another term to the Human Services Board. Motion passed.
Discussion and Possible Action – Consideration and request to approve appointment of Darlene Neff
to the Family Services/Behavioral Health Advisory Committee.
Motion by Schmidt, second by Milanowski to approve the appointment of Darlene Neff to the Family
Services/Behavioral Health Advisory Committee. Motion passed.
Discussion and Possible Action – Consideration and request to approve appointments of Marc Bastin
and Johanna Perkins to the local and regional Bayfield County Comprehensive Community Services
(CCS) Coordinating Committees. Both are participants of the program.
Motion by Dougherty, second by Rosa to approve appointment of Marc Bastin and Johanna Perkins to
the local and regional Bayfield County Comprehensive Community Services (CCS) Coordinating
Committees. Motion passed.
BAYFIELD COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES BOARD MEETING
EOC & Virtual
April 27, 2023
K:\Agendas and Minutes\DHS Board\Minutes\2023 DHS Board Minutes\2023-04-27_BCDHS_Board_meeting_minutes -DRAFT.docx 4
Human Services Day at the Capital Recap
A briefing was provided by Wisconsin Counties Association Human Services Liaison Chelsea
Shanks, formerly Fibert.
Linder, Croteau, and Crandall met with Senator Romaine Quinn and Representative Chanz Green
at the capitol.
Crandall stated it is important for the state to increase funding in cases where otherwise county
levy funds must fill the gaps.
Crandall said he was impressed with Croteau and Linders, who were both able to respond to
questions asked by the Senator and Representative.
The five issues presented to legislators were chosen by the Wisconsin Counties Association (WCA)
in coordination with the Wisconsin County Human Services Association (WCHSA) from the list of
Human Services items included in the Governor’s Budget, due to both their importance to the
groups and their likelihood of being funded.
Other (Informational Items)
Email regarding assistance from Bayfield County Human Services Staff and specifically about
Behavioral Health and Community Programs Manager Tom Croteau.
Oswald asked about the Department’s relationship with Nursing Home.
o The nursing home has been a valuable resource to the County and its residents.
o Many elderly Bayfield County residents are not wealthy and they often rely on Medicaid
when their assets have been depleted.
o Allows residents to reside in their own community, where family and friends can still visit
them.
o The institution no longer accepts more challenging residents, due to lack of staff and
training.
Future Meetings
A. May 25, 2023
B. June 22, 2023 – this meeting will include the Public Hearing on the 2024 Budget and Opportunity for
Comments Regarding Bayfield County’s Policies and procedures for Equal Opportunity in Employment,
Service Deliver, and Language Access and will be held in the County Board Room.
C. July 27, 2023
Crandall Adjourned the meeting at 5:22 pm.
Submitted by Heather M. Gilbertson, Clerk III