HomeMy WebLinkAboutAging & Disability Advisory Committee - Minutes - 9/26/2023K:\Agendas and Minutes\A&D Advisory Committee\ADAC Minutes\2023 ADAC minutes\2023-09-26 ADAC Meeting Minutes.doc 1
BAYFIELD COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES
AGING AND DISABILITY SERVICES ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Conf Room A and Remote via Teams
September 26, 2023
3:00 p.m.
Committee Members Present: Bill Bland, Karen Anderson by phone, Tracy Snyder, Lynette
Benzschawel, Mary Dougherty by Teams, Alice Evenson BRICK
Representative, Dee Sweet
Others Present: Carrie Linder, Heather Gilbertson
Call to Order and Introductions
Bland called the meeting to order at 3:03 p.m. and introductions were made.
Discussion and Possible Action-Review of the June 27, 2023, Meeting Minutes
Motion by Snyder, seconded by Benzschawel to approve the June 26, 2023, meeting minutes. Motion
passed.
Discussion and Possible Action-2024 GWAAR Budget
Committee member Bland asked for an explanation of the difference between the ADRC and GWAAR
o There are specific funding streams for each.
o The ADRCs role is to provide people with unbiased information to help meet their
needs.
o GWAAR funding provides direct services such as Home delivered meals, congregate
meals, caregiver services, etc.
o Expenditures to date compared to prior years staffing, an additional position was
funded with ARPA funds, position has been approved.
o Congregate Meal funding is under budget, we have not seen the return of Congregate
meal participants since reopening after the Pandemic. Reasons being participants have
since passed away, applied for Home Delivered Meals, or moved away to be by family or
are still self-isolating.
o The DOT budget seldom changes, we have an allocation and a local match.
o Some NFCSP ARPA funding will carry over into 2024.
o Home Delivered Meals – this budget should be right on target for the remainder of the
year.
o Some Health Services ARPA funding will carry over into 2024. Linder wants to spend
some time revisioning how this funding can be used to provide other evidence-based
programming.
o Linder states that the Budget will be adequate for the coming year.
Motion by Snyder, seconded by Benzschawel to approve the 2024 GWAAR Budget. Motion passed.
Other (Informational Items)
2022-2024 Aging Plan Review – Linder reviewed what has been accomplished in 2023,
discussed the barriers, and plans for the coming year.
DRAFT:
Subject to change at the
next ADAC meeting
K:\Agendas and Minutes\A&D Advisory Committee\ADAC Minutes\2023 ADAC minutes\2023-09-26 ADAC Meeting Minutes.doc 2
ADRC Workload and Scope of Practice
o Linder attended an ADRC of the North supervisors meeting. All counties indicated the
volume of calls to the ADRC have increased. This is partially due to unwinding, and it is
also because our population is growing older.
o Linder reported Information and Assistance staff are diligently working to complete all
tasks involved and appointments for new referrals are being booked out approximately
two weeks.
o DHS policy requires calls to be returned within one business day. Linder reported it is
proving increasingly difficult to return calls within that timeframe.
o Linder reported the 2024 ADRC allocation will most likely be different for the ADRC-N. A
state-level workgroup has worked to develop a new formula to equalize the generations
of ADRC. ADRC-N is a third generation ADRC, so is inadequately funded compared to
earlier generations. More information should be available in October.
Regional Disability Benefits Specialist Vacancy
o Linder reports that she is monitoring the Disability Benefits Specialist Program. Sawyer
County provided notice last month that the Disability Benefit Specialist (DBS) accepted a
new position (Elder Benefit Specialist) and Sawyer County is no longer interested in
employing the DBS position for the region. Price County is interested in taking on this
position and is requesting support from their county board in October. In the meantime,
Linder is working with Sawyer County, WIDHS, and the Bayfield County DBS, Jamie
Mackin, to ensure a smooth transition. Mackin’s caseload for half of the 5 county ADRC
is over 100 so it is going to be extremely difficult to cover all 5 counties through this
period of transition to hire and train a second staff.
Social Connections Update
o Linder stated the Social Connections ad-hoc committee hosted a meeting with
representatives from Washburn, Cornucopia, Cable, and Barnes. However, with the
daily workload, progress is on the back burner. It is not lost and will get picked back up.
Linder stated Patrick Irving is very interested and may help Linder facilitate the group
and next steps.
o Cable is moving forward on their own small social connections group.
o Snyder suggested a program that is doing well that focuses on Dementia. A volunteer is
connected to a person with Dementia and they work together within a choir group.
Another suggestion was the Parkinson’s group and singers. Kathleen Russell, runs the
program and the practices are held in Bayfield at the Lutheran Church.
o Linder stated that music taps into the older memories that are locked in the minds of
the people who have dementia. Music can help them self-sooth and overcome some of
the barriers they are experiencing in their diminished capacity to communicate.
ADRC Supervisor Meeting – Review of some of the elements listed above occurred.
2023 Meeting Dates
November 28, 2023
Bland adjourned the meeting at 4:13 pm
Minutes respectfully submitted by Heather Gilbertson, Clerk III