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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuman Services Board - Minutes - 10/26/2023BAYFIELD COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES BOARD MEETING EOC & Virtual October 26, 2023 K:\Agendas and Minutes\DHS Board\Minutes\2023 DHS Board Minutes\2023-10-26_BCDHS_Board_meeting_minutes -FINAL.docx 1 Board Members Present: James Crandall, Patrick Irvine, Mary Dougherty, Lona Schmidt, Marty Milanowski* (*attended virtually) Not Present: Jeremy Oswald, Sue Rosa, Stephanie Haskins-Defoe, Madelaine Rekemeyer Others Present: Elizabeth Skulan*, Jeanine Spuhler*, Stephanie Eder, Sarah Traaholt, Tom Croteau, Mary Anich, Robyn Thompson, Larry Fickbohm* Call to Order and Introductions Crandall called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m. Introductions were made. Opportunity for Public Comment (Limit 3 minutes please.) No Public Comment Discussion and Possible Action – Review and approval of the September 28, 2023, meeting minutes. Motion by Milanowski, seconded by Dougherty to approve the September 28, 2023, meeting minutes. Motion passed. Program Presentation – Community Support Program Contract and Provider Update, Northland Counseling, Robyn Thompson, Director Crandall welcomed Thompson to the group. Croteau noted he asked Thompson to present today due to significant changes at Northland Counseling. Thompson stated that Northland Counseling has been providing its services in the area since 2001. In August 2023, owner and Director, Carol Lund, passed away. Thompson and another clinical provider from the Hayward office are in the process of purchasing Northland Counseling from Lund’s estate. Lund’s family is choosing to sell the Washburn office building. Services delivered in Washburn will be transferred to the Ashland office. Thompson indicated there will be no change in the services offered. Northland will continue to serve the community. Bayfield County contracts with Northland to provide the Community Support Program, which provides community-based support to individuals with chronic mental illness. These valuable services allow individuals to live in their homes and participate in social, recreational, and employment opportunities. Thompson also reported Northland has discontinued pursuing a children’s inpatient crisis facility due to lack of staff. Anich inquired how many therapists Northland Counseling has in Ashland. Thompson stated she is currently the only therapist in Ashland. A part-time therapist was hired for the Hayward location. FINAL: Approved at the 12/05/223 BCDHS Board Meeting meeting BAYFIELD COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES BOARD MEETING EOC & Virtual October 26, 2023 K:\Agendas and Minutes\DHS Board\Minutes\2023 DHS Board Minutes\2023-10-26_BCDHS_Board_meeting_minutes -FINAL.docx 2 Northland Counseling is looking to regionalize therapy. Irvine inquired how many staff are taking crisis calls. Thompson is currently the only one taking crisis calls and noted she does not mind doing so. Northland Counseling is actively trying to hire staff and minimize on call time, which may aid in recruitment. Thompson is passionate about crisis and wants to take the time to hire quality staff. Irvine asked Thompson to identify barriers and/or needs to recruitment. Thompson noted that housing is a significant barrier. Even if someone is willing to relocate for a position, there is no available housing for relocation. Irvine inquired about telehealth providers. Thompson stated that for crisis, in person is more effective. Dougherty stated that she would speak to the CheqBUILT board to see if they would consider building behavioral health and emergency worker housing into their planning. Thompson noted that post-COVID Northland Counseling crisis calls have decreased. Croteau asked what Thompson attributed this decrease to. Thompson stated that CCS and CSP have made a big difference. Thompson indicated Bayfield County has been extremely helpful and responsive. Croteau is in regular contact with Northland Counseling staff and helps guide staff through situations that arise. Thompson reported there is a good partnership between Northland Counseling and Bayfield County. Monthly Section Reports Support Services – Stephanie Eder • Eder noted the Support Staff Section is now fully staffed. Angela Lazorik, the newest hire, continues to impress the team and fits in well. Lazorik worked in the Ashland County jail office before coming to Bayfield County. • Support Staff continue to train Lazorik for reception duties. Redistribution, restructuring, and training for other duties continues for the rest of the Support Staff team. • Work on 2024 budget continues. Aging & Disability (A&D) Services – Stephanie Eder for Carrie Linder • Linder is attending the National Association of Social Workers of Wisconsin Chapter annual conference in Milwaukee. • Adult Protective Services (APS) Staff and Linder attended a staff meeting of Inclusa. A new process is being implemented for Inclusa staff to make referrals or receive consultations for their members. Information Technology (IT) has created a new email address that will be used for APS staff to receive referrals. Inclusa staff will use email, rather than calling DHS. If this process works well, the process will be expanded to other agencies that have a high rate of referrals such as Memorial Medical Center and law enforcement. • Linder organized a meeting for northern counties to meet with owners from Corporate Guardianship, Inc. The purpose was to determine if there was enough need for the services for the company to develop a satellite office in this region. Current resources are overwhelmed, leaving APS staff with few options when a guardian must be appointed by the court. The consensus was they will begin to look at expansion. • Linder participated in a Social Connections meeting hosted by Cable area individuals. A public forum on social isolation and loneliness may be held in the Cable area in January. The group is BAYFIELD COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES BOARD MEETING EOC & Virtual October 26, 2023 K:\Agendas and Minutes\DHS Board\Minutes\2023 DHS Board Minutes\2023-10-26_BCDHS_Board_meeting_minutes -FINAL.docx 3 also looking at ways to enhance connections for those currently not participating in community activities. • Met with Red Cliff Elder Nutrition Program and Bayfield Recreation Center staff to discuss opportunities to support evidence-based programming utilizing the swimming pool. There are operations to be considered. • Linder met with Lakewood’s owner to discuss home delivered meal operations and the potential of opening a congregate meal in Cable. This may be a viable option. Further discussions are forthcoming. • Linder and ADRC staff met with Northern Income Maintenance Consortium representatives to improve efficiencies between the two agencies. Family Services – Mary Anich • Anich attended permanency plan reviews for the Ashland Co DHHS panel October 26, 2023. • The Family Services and Behavioral Health Services Advisory committee met for the second time on October 11, 2023. • Anich noted that in the last seven days three children were emergency detained for mental health services. • Anich attended the Criminal Justice Advisory CORE team meeting on October 24, 2023. They discussed the increasing behavioral health needs of area youth, particularly in the Red Cliff area with Red Cliff Chief of Polices, Jess Hall. • Anich explained that Court orders define the goals that must be met when a child is placed out of a parent’s home. The orders are intended to be fluid and are updated when major goals of the case are reached or the direction of a case changes. There are usually two paths running at the same time. Typically, whenever possible, one path is the goal of reunification with the parent. At the same time, there must be a plan for permanence for the child if there are barriers to reunification. Permanence could mean a long-term placement with a fit and willing relative or a guardian, or the termination of parental rights and adoption. These plans must be reviewed every six months either by a panel or by the Court. In Bayfield all plans are reviewed by the court every six months. • Anich attended the monthly Law Enforcement/DHS staffing. • Family Services staff have been working with some challenging families. • Anich was on vacation September 30, to October 11, 2023. Jerry Esala provided back-up while Anich was out of town. Esala was not needed but it was reassuring to staff to have him available for consultation or emergencies. • The youth formerly placed at Lincoln Hills School is now in adult jail pending criminal charges. The youth may age out of the program from jail. • Family Services is currently planning for their holiday decorating. They hope to beat the Aging and Disability Services Section this year in the decorating contest! Economic Support Services – Jeanine Spuhler • Spuhler states that Economic Support (ES) staff are very busy with Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) applications, furnace repairs and replacements, and heating BAYFIELD COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES BOARD MEETING EOC & Virtual October 26, 2023 K:\Agendas and Minutes\DHS Board\Minutes\2023 DHS Board Minutes\2023-10-26_BCDHS_Board_meeting_minutes -FINAL.docx 4 emergencies. Many calls have been received as XCEL Energy has begun to disconnect households who are in arrears in preparation for the start of the moratorium that prohibits disconnects during the winter heating season which begins November 1, 2023. • The state has begun to issue energy assistance payments for the 2023/2024 heating season. Over $90,000 has been distributed to Bayfield County residents. The first cold snaps of the year generally result in more applications and calls for furnace repairs or replacements. • Maggie Morrison, the newest ES hire, has completed new worker training and is now building her confidence and skills before beginning to work independently. New workers are monitored, and their work is reviewed before they are certified to work independently on cases. New hires go through an extensive training process. Morrison will soon be working independently. • Spuhler noted changes due to unwinding are still being made. There have been changes to work requirements, premiums, extended children’s coverage, and vault card issuance. Staff are doing well and adapting to all the changes. The unwinding will be fully implemented by the Spring of 2024. • Northern Income Maintenance Consortium (NIMC) Administrator, Steve Budnik, came to Washburn for a site visit on Tuesday, October 10, 2023. The visit went well. Budnik met with management, toured the Economic Support Services Section, and met with all Economic Support staff. Behavioral Health & Community Programs – Tom Croteau • Croteau stated emergency detentions (EDs) have decreased for adults, but not youth. Some youths were released because the action was deemed a behavioral issue rather than a mental health problem. In some cases, the facility may not have the entire history on the youth to make an informed decision so the pattern repeats. Staff often work with Corporation Counsel to develop settlement agreements when this is the case. • BHP staff collaborate with Family Services staff to ensure cross-over clients and families are connected to programs and providers. • BHD staff continue to get self and family referrals. The majority are for substance abuse. Croteau stated there are some grant funds that will help with the cost of services. Croteau says the team is trying to identify support and services. They help people to the best of their ability. • Croteau noted that the benefits of having CCS staff complete AODA assessments are already becoming apparent. Since the service facilitators often have a rapport with the participants they work with, participants are often more open to sharing information. • The 2024 budget will be presented to the full County Board for approval next Tuesday, October 31, 2023. Two new staff positions are included in the DHS budget proposal. This will require more office space. • Croteau reported $10,000 was allocated this year to work with an architectural firm to design modifications to the lower level of the courthouse to afford DHS additional office space. Mark Ables-Allison asked Croteau and Skulan to review the plans. There is currently no set time frame for the remodel. Ables-Allison is working on securing funding. • There were some questions and discussion regarding the lack of children’s mental health inpatient facilities in the county, the region, and the state. • The Behavioral Health (BH) team is focused on becoming more efficient to ensure they are providing quality services to consumers. Staff have been making referrals and transitioning BAYFIELD COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES BOARD MEETING EOC & Virtual October 26, 2023 K:\Agendas and Minutes\DHS Board\Minutes\2023 DHS Board Minutes\2023-10-26_BCDHS_Board_meeting_minutes -FINAL.docx 5 consumers to other programs in a timelier manner as opposed to just providing case management. • Croteau met with the Alliance for a Safe and Healthy Bayfield County. The Alliance works to promote safe and sober prevention events. They are currently working with Mt. Ashwabay to host the Haunted Trail event. Monthly Reports Monthly Financial and Training reports were reviewed and retained. 2024 Budget Update The DHS 2024 Budget was increased by $1,000,000 for the Children’s Long-Term Services (CLTS), per instructions from Baker Tilley, the County’s auditor, the result of a change in accounting practice. An update of the 2024 DHS Budget Narrative with changes was included in the board packet. The budget and narrative do not include adjustments to wage and fringe due to changes that were made by the County Administrator after Departments had submitted their budget. Wages and fringe costs increased by $24,377 in DHS. No additional county levy was afforded to offset the additional costs. To balance the budget, this amount was taken out of mental health services, which are mandated. If there is a deficit, the Department’s risk reserve will be accessed. If risk reserve is accessed, the Department will submit a request to the County Board to make the fund whole the following year (2025). 2024 DHS Proposed Meeting Dates – Review of the updated list, the update includes the July/August meeting date. The proposed meeting date list for 2024 has been updated. The public hearing on the proposed 2025 DHS budget will be held on June 26, 2024, in the County Board Room. The combined July and August meeting will be held on August 15, 2024, to meet the County budget deadline. Please add the meeting dates to your calendar. Discussion and Possible Action – 2023 DHS Budget Amendment A budget amendment resolution #2023-02 was presented. The proposed resolution increased the DHS 2023 spending authority by $1,644,074 due to a change in accounting required by the auditors for third party payments and additional expenses due to increased enrollment purchases in the Childrens Long- Term Support (CLTS) program; additional expenses in the Comprehensive Community Support Program due to increased enrollment; and to allow DHS to access the Department’s risk reserve to pay for mandatory services if necessary. Motion by Milanowski, seconded by Schmidt resolution 23-02 to approve DHS Resolution #2023-02 and recommend it for approval to the full County Board. Motion passed. Discussion and Possible Action – Authorize Use of $15,000 of the DOT Trust Fund Bay Area Rural Transit Manager Patrick Daoust recently requested Bayfield County BAYFIELD COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES BOARD MEETING EOC & Virtual October 26, 2023 K:\Agendas and Minutes\DHS Board\Minutes\2023 DHS Board Minutes\2023-10-26_BCDHS_Board_meeting_minutes -FINAL.docx 6 contribute funds toward the local share of a replacement van for the Door2Door Project. The recommendation made to the Transportation Coordination Council (TCC) was to pay an amount toward the local share that represents more than the 20% needed to replace the vehicle with one the same size as the current van, but less than the 20% local share needed for the vehicle ordered prior to the request for funds. The data of vehicle usage since the project’s inception indicates there have been less than a handful of instances when transport requests either filled or exceeded the capacity of the van BART has been using. There were no instances where there was a need to transport two wheelchairs at the same time. Per Daoust, there will be very little savings recognized annually (fuel, repair, and maintenance) by using an electric van. The TCC approved the recommendation as presented and recommended its approval by the DHS Board. The DOT has reviewed and approved the request to use funds from the Department’s DOT trust for this purpose. Patrick Daoust has indicated BART will provide the balance of local share using their capital fund. Motion by Dougherty, seconded by Irvine to authorize use of $15,000 of the DOT Trust fund towards Door2Door program replacement van as recommended by the Transportation Coordination Council. Motion passed. Discussion and Possible Action The committee reviewed the application and recommendation to reappoint Dale Johnson to the Family Services and Behavioral Health Advisory Committee, retroactive to June 2023, for a three-year term. Motion by Schmidt, seconded by Irvine to reappoint Dale Johnson to the Family Services and Behavioral Health Advisory Committee, retroactive to June 2023, for a three-year term. Motion passed. Other (Informational Items) A. Transcribed voicemail message from the recipient of a new furnace through the Wisconsin Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) B. Email from Greater Wisconsin Area on Aging staff Pam VanKampen regarding Aging Coordinator Carolyn Novak’s assistance at the Region 4 Training. Future Meetings • November/December - December 5, 2023 (Meeting starts at 3:30 with a holiday potluck) • January 25, 2024 • February 22, 2024 Crandall Adjourned the meeting at 5:15 p.m. Submitted by Sarah Traaholt, Clerk III