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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuman Services Board - Minutes - 10/24/2024BAYFIELD COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES BOARD MEETING EOC & Virtual October 24, 2024 K:\Agendas and Minutes\DHS Board\Minutes\2024 DHS Board Minutes\2024-10-24_BCDHS_Board_meeting_minutes -FINAL.docx 1 Board Members Present: Marty Milanowski, Mary Dougherty, Susan Rosa (arrived at 4:14pm), Patrick Irvine, Lona Schmidt Board Members Absent: Stephanie Defoe-Haskins, James Crandall, Madelaine Rekemeyer Others Present: Elizabeth Skulan, Stephanie Eder, Tom Croteau, Sarah Traaholt, Mary Anich, Carrie Linder, Mark Johnston* and Amber Reints* Avel eCare Call to Order and Introductions Milanowski called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m. Introductions were made. Quorum present at 4:14 p.m. Opportunity for Public Comment (Limit 3 minutes please)-None Discussion and Possible Action – September 26, 2024, meeting minutes. Motion by Schmidt, seconded by Irvine to approve the September 26, 2024, meeting minutes. Motion passed. Program Presentation – Mark Johnston, Avel, 2025 Crisis Care Services Contract • Mark Johnston, Business Development Director and Amber Reints, Director of Behavioral Health Services from Avel eCare introduced themselves to the Board. • Avel eCare provides a virtual co-responder mental health crisis response model that helps improve access to care and support, conserves resources and reduces involuntary commitments in rural communities. Avel has more than three decades of experience in virtual care services. • Avel currently provides Crisis Care services in Michigan, South Dakota, Nevada, Montana and North Dakota. Bayfield County would be their first contract in the State of Wisconsin. • Bayfield County would use Avel as a resource for law enforcement dealing with a mental health crisis. • Reints noted the goals of the program are to assist already overwhelmed law enforcement and mental health professionals and decrease involuntary holds to combat already full crisis beds. • Reints reviewed how Avel eCare works - o Law enforcement officers are trained on how and when to access Avel. o Law enforcement is dispatched to a call for an individual experiencing a mental health crisis. o Deputy responds to individual and contacts eHUB if they need assistance to determine in the individual is appropriate for an emergency detention. o Within minutes a licensed mental health professional connects with the officer. o eCare collects information from deputy. o Deputy introduces Crisis Care tablet or personal device to the individual and initiates services. FINAL: Approved at the 12/3/24 BCDHS Board meeting BAYFIELD COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES BOARD MEETING EOC & Virtual October 24, 2024 K:\Agendas and Minutes\DHS Board\Minutes\2024 DHS Board Minutes\2024-10-24_BCDHS_Board_meeting_minutes -FINAL.docx 2 o Avel behavioral health expert performs an assessment and develops a safety plan, if applicable. o Avel staff provides recommendation to law enforcement on whether higher level of care is recommended or if it is recommended that individual remain in place with supports and ongoing care. o Report is provided to law enforcement officer that is included with their documentation. • Skulan noted that the Statewide Crisis Intervention Program (SCIP) County – and Tribe – Led Response and Harm Reduction 2023 Grant will help pay for most 2025, the first year of Avel services. • Johnston reviewed statistics and outcome data of Avel. • Johnston noted that Avel also extends crisis care to law enforcement who use the program. Monthly Section Reports Behavioral Health and Community Programs – Tom Croteau • Croteau has been speaking with AVEL representatives since May of 2023. The goal is to implement services in 2025 and have all law enforcement trained by the end of January. • Behavioral Health costs have increased compared to last year. • Molly Randa joined the Comprehensive Community Services (CCS) staff last month as a Service Facilitator. Randa has completed her online training and paperwork and is currently shadowing other Service Facilitators. Randa is eager to work independently. She will be assigned her first official client next week. • Alan Spaude-Filipczak was hired as a Mental Health Professional. His first day of work will be November 18, 2024. Spaude-Filipczak will be working twenty-four hours per week with the intent to eventually go to fulltime. Croteau notes that after almost a year of searching, he is excited to have another licensed mental health professional on staff. • Vanessa Sowl, CCS Service Facilitator, was selected to attend an emerging leaders’ program. Economic Support – Elizabeth Skulan for Jeanine Spuhler • The state has just transitioned the Northern Income Maintenance Consortium (NIMC) to its new call center software. • The Call Center continues to receive a large volume of calls now that unwinding is complete. • Consortia wide, there are six vacancies. Voluntary overtime, up to 10 hours a week, will continue to be offered to consortium staff as needed through the end of the year to try to help address the workload. Family Services – Mary Anich • Briana Aldaba and Marne Belanger wrote a competitive grant to support the retention of foster parents in Bayfield County. Aldaba, with Belanger’s help, have drastically increased the number of foster homes licensed in Bayfield County in the last several years. • Children’s Long Term Support (CLTS) program has a growing number of open cases. Sierra Pugh was hired as Youth Support and Services Coordinator in September. CLTS staff have been temporarily relocated to the basement of the Annex building during construction. BAYFIELD COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES BOARD MEETING EOC & Virtual October 24, 2024 K:\Agendas and Minutes\DHS Board\Minutes\2024 DHS Board Minutes\2024-10-24_BCDHS_Board_meeting_minutes -FINAL.docx 3 • Anich has fielded several inquiries into childcare certification recently. Bayfield County currently has no home based certified childcare providers. At the urging of the state, Bayfield County is in discussions with both Ashland County and the regional childcare resource and referral agency located in Hayward, Northwest Connections, to contract for this service. • Anich reported that Foster Care coordinator, Briana Aldaba; CST Case Manager, Liv Garramone; and CLTS Support and Service Facilitator, Kristin Opperman; all resigned on Monday, October 21, 2024. Anich reported that in addition to these newly opened positions; Family Services is still recruiting for a Child Welfare Case Manager and a Family Support Specialist. • Interviews went well last week for a Child Welfare Case Manager. • Anich announced her retirement date of January 3, 2025. Anich has worked 35 plus years in county child welfare. Jo Beth Gonzales was hired to replace Anich as Family Services Manager. Jo Beth’s starting date is November 18, 2024. Anich noted that this is not easy work. Anich gave kudos to the people who dedicate themselves to improving the lives of the clients they serve. Support Services – Stephanie Eder • Eder reported interviews are complete for the Support Staff vacancy and an offer has been made. She stated the pool of qualified applicants was much larger than it has been in the last four years. • Cross training has also proven valuable. During the vacancy, duties were assigned to all other support staff. The team will continue to perform the tasks until the new employee is trained. • Eder reported that DHS is working with Finance Director Kim Mattson to transition to the County’s accounting software, New World. New World does not have the amount of detail that DHS needs for tracking grants, contracts, and case management. Other programs or tracking methods will be needed for this. It is anticipated the transition to New World will provide some cost savings. Aging & Disability Services – Carrie Linder • Linder noted that the Plan on Aging is in draft form on the website. A Public Hearing was held in Cable and feedback received is being used to update the plan. Linder will have the updated draft ready for the November/December DHS Board meeting. • 2025 DOT grant application is also available on the website. • Linder was happy to announce that all Home Delivered Meal vacancies have been filled. There are currently five regular drivers and four substitute drivers. • Carolyn Novak has been tasked with onboarding for all Home Delivered Meal Drivers and Congregate Meal Coordinators. • The Cable community hosted the very first Bayfield County Repair Café. The program was well attended, and attendees provided positive feedback. • The purpose of a Repair Café is to combat social isolation while using community talents to learn new skills or to allow others to use their skills to fix items. The next Repair Café in Cable is scheduled for November 16,2024. Grant monies are being used to pilot this initiative and then, if it is successful, to target other Bayfield County communities for similar initiatives. Rosa added that the pilot was a success; people were able to get things fixed while being socially connected to others in the community. • Wellness on Wheels partnered with Aging and Disability Services to offer thirteen wellness/vaccination events for seniors and adults with disabilities in Bayfield County. Events began October 1, 2024, and run through November 7, 2024. BAYFIELD COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES BOARD MEETING EOC & Virtual October 24, 2024 K:\Agendas and Minutes\DHS Board\Minutes\2024 DHS Board Minutes\2024-10-24_BCDHS_Board_meeting_minutes -FINAL.docx 4 Monthly Reports Monthly Financial and Training reports were reviewed and retained. Discussion and Possible Action –Statewide Crisis Intervention Program (SCIP) County – and Tribe – Led Response and Harm Reduction 2023 Grant in the amount of $24,096 for 2025 Budget to Pay for the First Year of AVEL services The Department sought approval from the committee to apply for a Statewide Crisis Intervention Program (SCIP) County - and Tribe – Led Response and Harm Reduction 2023 Grant in the amount of $24,096 to include in the 2025 Budget. The application for $24,096 requires proof of formal committee approval of the application. Grant dollars will be applied toward the 2025 Virtual Mental Health Crisis Response Contract with AVEL. Motion by, Schmidt seconded by Dougherty, to approve the Department’s request to apply for the Statewide Crisis Intervention Program (SCIP) County - and Tribe – Led Response and Harm Reduction 2023 Grant. Motion passed. Discussion and Possible Action –Appointment to the Local and Regional Comprehensive Community Services (CCS) Coordination Committee. Committee met to consider the proposed appointment of Shannon Esala as a Bayfield County citizen member to the CCS Coordination Committees. Lacking a quorum, Croteau reported the consensus of those in attendance at the committee meetings was to recommend the appointment. All committee applications are vetted by the County Administrator. Motion by, Irvine seconded by Rosa, to appoint Shannon Esala as Community Member to the Local and Regional Comprehensive Community Services Coordination Committees. Discussion and Possible Action –Approve Proposed 2024 Budget Resolution and Recommend to the Full County Board. Skulan reviewed budget shortfalls, grants and savings and requested a recommendation to approve the proposed budget resolution and recommend it to the full County Board. Motion by, Dougherty seconded by Schmidt, to approve proposed Resolution No. 2024-05 DHS Budget Adjustments and recommend it for approval to the full County Board. Motion passed. Human Services Department Updates – Elizabeth Skulan, District Attorney Kimberly Lawton • Skulan noted that Lawton was in court this afternoon, but she sent an email which Skulan read on her behalf. • Lawton reported, she and Skulan continue to have productive discussions. The Departments continue to partner as changes are made. BAYFIELD COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES BOARD MEETING EOC & Virtual October 24, 2024 K:\Agendas and Minutes\DHS Board\Minutes\2024 DHS Board Minutes\2024-10-24_BCDHS_Board_meeting_minutes -FINAL.docx 5 Other (Informational Items) • Email from son of a consumer regarding Ann Marie Mackin, Aging and Disability Services Section on services provided. • Email from Family Services Section Manager, Mary Anich, regarding Hailey BeBeau, Behavioral Health and Community Programs Section, for excellent case noting and presentation in court. • Email from Carolyn Novak to Carrie Linder both of Aging and Disability Services Section regarding a generous donation made by a couple in appreciation of the home delivered meals they received while recovering from illness. Future Meetings • November/December Meeting, Tuesday, December 3, 2024, will begin with a holiday potluck at 3:45 with the meeting immediately following. • January 23, 2025 • February 27, 2025 Milanowski adjourned the meeting at 5:26 p.m. Submitted by Sarah Traaholt, Clerk III