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Home My WebLink AboutHuman Services Board - Minutes - 6/26/2025BAYFIELD COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES BOARD MEETING Board Room & Virtual June 26, 2025 K:\Agendas and Minutes\DHS Board\Minutes\2025 DHS Board Minutes\2025-06-26_BCDHS_Board_meeting_minutes -FINAL.docx 1 Board Members Present: James Crandall, Mary Dougherty, Teri Hanson, Marty Milanowski, Jeremy Oswald, Sue Rosa (4:07) Board Members Absent: Jeff Holte, Donna Lundin Others Present: Stephanie Eder, Jeanine Spuhler, Jo Beth Gonzalez, Tom Croteau, Brynna Watters-Moffitt, Jan Lee, Christopher O’Dell, Melissa Berthiaume, Sophia Hennemen, Hayley Weyers, Keldi Merton, Brittany Anderson (Virtual), Amy Nigbor, Bruce Terry Call to Order and Introductions Crandall called the meeting to order at 4:02 p.m. Introductions were made. Discussion and Possible Action – Review and approval of the May 22, 2025, meeting minutes. Motion by Milanowski, seconded by Oswald, to approve the May 22, 2025, meeting minutes. Motion passed. Announcement: Tom Croteau accepted the position of Director of Human Services, his first day in this new position was May 31, 2025. Action – James Crandall Opened the Floor for Public Hearing for Public Comment, Input on the 2026 DHS Budget and/or Bayfield County’s Policies and Procedures for Equal Opportunity in Employment, Service Delivery, and Language Access Opportunity for Public Comment: Comments on the 2026 DHS Budget, and/or Comments Regarding Bayfield County’s Policies and Procedures for Equal Opportunity in Employment, Service Delivery, and Language Access (Limit 3 minutes please.) - None Review Any Written Comments: There are two written comments, one from Northlakes Community Clinic in Iron River and one from REDI Transports. Stephanie Eder will email these written comments to the DHS Board. Paper copies are also available upon request. DHS Citizen Board Openings: Introduction of Applicants Amy Nigbor and Bruce Terry.  Amy Nigbor and Bruce Terry spoke upon their behalf and gave background information as to why they would be a good fit as a citizen member of the DHS Board. Program Presentation – “Family Services- We are…” – Jo Beth Gonzalez, Section Manager and Team  Family Services vision aligns with WI Department of Children & Families (DCF) vision that, “All WI children and youth are safe and loved members of thriving families and communities”. BAYFIELD COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES BOARD MEETING Board Room & Virtual June 26, 2025 K:\Agendas and Minutes\DHS Board\Minutes\2025 DHS Board Minutes\2025-06-26_BCDHS_Board_meeting_minutes -FINAL.docx 2  The Family Service team consists of a Manager, Foster and Kinship Care Coordinator, Social Worker, Case Manager, Family Specialist, Youth Justice Worker (open), CST Case Manager (open), Social Worker Aid (open)  Another Section within Family Service is the CLTS/CCOP team which consists of a Children with Disabilities Program Supervisor and three Support & Services Coordinators.  Family Service staff work with some of the most vulnerable populations in Bayfield County.  CLTS- Children’s Long-Term Support Caseloads have grown considerably in the last five years. o This program is for children who have a disability that substantially limits their daily functioning, requiring support above and beyond straight Medicaid services for them to stay in their home and community. o Not a typical program that would be eligible for Medicaid dollars, this program is waived and therefore able to use Medicaid dollars for services.  CCOP –Children’s Community Options Program is an additional program to help support children with disabilities.  B3 – Birth to Three, an early intervention special education program for children who have a 25% or greater developmental delay, a formal diagnosis or an unusual or atypical development. o Services provided under B3 are service coordination, occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech therapy and special education instruction. Monthly Section Reports Aging and Disability Services (A&D) – Brynna Watters-Moffitt  Alex Erickson started as the APS Social Worker on June 16, 2025, he has been shadowing with his counterpart and is doing very well.  Madi Mackin started as the Social Worker Aide on June 2, 2025, and has hit the ground running.  APS cases have increased  The Nutrition program meals have switched from Chartwells to the Bayco Kitchen. Carolyn Novack has received good feedback about quality and portion sizes. Novack has also re-added clients to the program that quit due to the quality of Chartwells meals.  Ashland County has contracted with the Bayco Kitchen and is receiving 100+ meals a week for their Home Delivered Meal participants.  ADRC – Jamie Mackin, Disability Benefit Specialist, covers 3 counties (Bayfield, Ashland & Iron) and has 102 cases. His counterpart covers 2 counties (Sawyer and Price) has resigned and Mackin will be taking on another 21 cases as of June 27, 2025.  The Barnes meal site is still paused. There are no appropriate applicants for site managers currently. Support Services (SS) – Stephanie Eder  We said goodbye to Nina as she retired on June 18 after working for Bayfield County for 26 years.  Nina’s position is being filled internally by Christopher O’Dell.  O’Dell’s Full-time position and a part time Tech position were posted and interviewed for. Ann Ehler accepted the Tech position working with our Electronic Health Records system and will start BAYFIELD COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES BOARD MEETING Board Room & Virtual June 26, 2025 K:\Agendas and Minutes\DHS Board\Minutes\2025 DHS Board Minutes\2025-06-26_BCDHS_Board_meeting_minutes -FINAL.docx 3 on July 8, 2025. An offer for the Full-time position was extended to a candidate this week. We are just waiting to hear back.  Eder is working on the 2026 budget.  We have been working on the 2024 DHS Annual Report, a collaborative effort requiring input from all Support and Section Managers. If you haven't had the opportunity to review a DHS Annual Report, I highly recommend it - it provides a comprehensive overview of the achievements and progress DHS made throughout the previous year. Economic Support Services Section Manager – Jeanine Spuhler  Energy Assistance will not have a summer fill this year. Instead, a supplemental energy payment was made for every household this year.  Due to the high influx of furnace issues and unstable funding of the furnace program, the Emergency Furnace Assistance program is on hold.  The state is very focused on program accuracy.  Colleen Detjens completed training in the Elderly, Blind & Disabled (EBD) program. Behavioral Health and Community Programs (BHCP) – Tom Croteau  We are actively hiring for a BH and Community Programs Manager. Last time this position was open, it took over a year to find a licensed provider.  We have an open Behavioral Health Case Manager position. Croteau talked with multiple counties which are all having similar problems with hiring for this position.  Congratulations to Jamie Allen, Behavioral Health Case Manager, written in as Human Services employee of the year.  We have two costly out-of-home placements, DHS is working with Red Cliff to assist with one of the clients and working with Family Care on services for the other client.  CCS continues to do well. Allen Spaude-Filipczak has taken on all the Mental Health cases. Spaude-Filipczak has expressed interest in working full time in 2026. Family Services (FS) – Jo Beth Gonzalez  The biggest consensus with the Family Service staff is that there is not enough time in the day to meet with the families and give the families the time and services they need.  Youth Justice is taking up the most time right now.  Time = more staff. We need to find workers, find good candidates, recruit more, more professionals in our community that want to be in this line of work.  We need to have the time to mentor with the team.  Gonzalez is now part of the Criminal Justice Counsel meetings and Core group. Gonzalez states that opening communications has been helpful, and she is hoping to carry it forward in the future. Monthly Reports Monthly Financial and Overnight trainings were reviewed and retained. BAYFIELD COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES BOARD MEETING Board Room & Virtual June 26, 2025 K:\Agendas and Minutes\DHS Board\Minutes\2025 DHS Board Minutes\2025-06-26_BCDHS_Board_meeting_minutes -FINAL.docx 4 Tabled until the August meeting. Discussion and Possible Action – DHS Resolution 2025-03 Department of Human Services Replenish of Risk Reserve to Original Balance will be brought back once the auditors look over and give exact amount. Discussion and Possible Action – Review of citizen applications, review of current and potential DHS Board member locations in Bayfield County, recommendations for appointment to forward to the County Board Chair  Discussion was had about the three applicants.  The consensus was to forward the name of Amy Nigbor. 2026 Budget Guidance - Preparation Memo to Department Heads from County Administrator Mark Abeles-Allison, June 3, 2025  Letter from Mark. Action – Close the Floor for Public Hearing for Public Comment, Input on the 2026 DHS Budget and/or Bayfield County’s Policies and Procedures for Equal Opportunity in Employment, Service Delivery, and Language Access Motion by Milanowski, seconded by Dougherty, to close the floor for public hearing for public Comment, Input on the 2026 DHS Budget. Motion passed. Other  Summary of commendation for Sierra Pugh and Jamie Allen  Tom addressed the Board as New Director. Future Meetings  August 12, 2025  September 25, 2025  October 23, 2025  December 2, 2025 (November/December meeting, begins with potluck at 3:30) Crandall adjourned the meeting at 5:38 p.m. Submitted by Heather M. Gilbertson, Clerk III