Human Services Board

hsb0617.pdf (29 KB)

SAUK COUNTY BOARD OF HUMAN SERVICES

Meeting:                        June 5, 2017, 4 p.m., Room 213, West Square Building, Baraboo, WI

Members Present:        Joan Fordham, John Miller, James Bowers, Peter Vedro, Julie Fleming, Jean Berlin, John Deitrich, Beverly Vertein, Clark Petterson

Members Excused:    

Members Absent:      

Others Present:             Brattset, Box, Lori Dee, Greg Gintz, David Zeller, Cindy Jones, Alene Kleczek Bolin

Chair, Joan Fordham called the meeting to order and certified compliance with the Open Meeting Law.

Motion by Beverly Vertein, seconded by Jean Berlin to adopt agenda.  Motion carried.

Motion by Peter Vedro, seconded by John Miller to approve the minutes for the previous Human Services Board meeting held on April 10, 2017.  Motion carried.

Public Comment

None.

Communication

Board Materials:  Distributed electronically.

Business Items:

Review and Approve Monthly Vouchers:  Distributed electronically.  Stephanie Box reviewed the Monthly Voucher Report. 

James Bowers arrived at 4:05 p.m.

Motion by Peter Vedro, seconded by Jean Berlin to approve April monthly vouchers in the amount of $1,234,507.57.  Motion carried.

Motion by Peter Vedro, seconded by John Miller to approve May monthly vouchers in the amount of $1,622,149.00.  Motion carried.

Accounts Receivable Report:  Stephanie Box distributed and reviewed the Accounts Receivable Report for through April 2017.  

John Deitrich arrived at 4:10 p.m.

Approval for Collection Requests:  Stephanie Box reviewed the collection requests for the last two months.  Motion by Jean Berlin, seconded by Beverly Vertein, to approve sending 17 accounts to Credit Management Control for $2,074.00 and an additional 14 accounts to Credit Management Control for $3,891.40.  Motion carried.

Monthly Reports:  Distributed electronically.  Stephanie Box discussed the Volatile line report through April 2017.

Year-End Reports:  Stephanie Box discussed the year-end report. 

Consideration for Approval to Transfer Human Services fund Balance to the General Fund:  Stephanie Box reviewed the funds left over from the previous year.  Human Services has $1.4 million in a reserve fund that is separate from the County reserve fund.  Discussed possible changes in legislation to Medicaid which raises concerns about future cuts in funding.  The reserve can be used for Department of Human Services’ emergencies to cover existing programs in the budget but cannot fund any new programs.  Motion by Peter Vedro, seconded by Jean Berlin, to approve adding $250,000.00 to the Human Services’ reserve fund and transfer the remaining Human Services’ fund balance in the amount of $299,701.67 to the General Fund.  Motion carried, with 8 in favor and John Deitrich opposed. 

Consideration for Approval to Combine Comprehensive Community Services and Families Come First Coordinating Committees:  Dan Brattset discussed the Comprehensive Community Services and Families Come First committees are a combination of staff and citizen members and are required by Statute to have more citizen members.  Now that many of the services from these two programs overlap, the State has encouraged to combine the function of the two committees into one.  Motion by Peter Vedro, seconded by John Deitrich, to approve combining Comprehensive Community Services and Families Come First Coordinating Committees.  Motion carried.

Consideration of Mission, Vision, and Goals:  Dan Brattset reviewed Human Services’ mission and vision statements which has been amended over the past few years.  Consensus of the board no changes are needed at this time.

Department Updates:

Presentation of Therapeutic Mentors – Greg Gintz, Therapy Without Walls:  Dan Brattset introduced Greg Gintz of Therapy Without Walls.  Human Services contracts with Therapy Without Walls for mentoring services which are not provided internally.  Greg has a Master’s Degree in Social Work, did his clinical internship at Human Services, and then became employed by the County in the Community Support Program but was laid off when Family Care went private.  Greg remarked this was the best thing that ever happened to him as he then started Therapy Without Walls in June 2011 by himself but six years later has just opened a second office in Reedsburg, a third coming in Rapids, and employs 31 staff who work in 11 different counties providing a variety of services but primarily therapeutic mentoring.  Therapy Without Walls provides therapeutic mentoring combined with therapeutic activities such as art, meditation, kayaking, hiking.  This provides opportunities to work with at-risk youth in their own environment and build upon their strengths, work on coping skills, and anger management.  They serve consumers starting with age 4 up to possibly 96 right now.  An open house is planned for their second newly renovated office on June 15, 2017 with a ribbon cutting ceremony at 3 p.m. followed by an open house, 4-5:30 running different groups including guided meditation and art therapy.  They are located at 2155 East Main Street in Reedsburg.  Board members are invited to attend.

Strategic Goals 2017:  Dan Brattset discussed four major emphases:  1) Continued collaboration with CJCC and treatment resource expansion for opiate addiction; 2) Aging population and adult protection services; 3) Medicaid reduction; and 4) Shortage of psychiatry.  These will be reviewed again as the budget is developed.

Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) April 2017 Update”:  Dan Brattset discussed we are at 118% compliance for the numbers in the MAT grant; 134 participants, and we are coming into the third year of the three-year grant.  These are folks in our community who have gotten treatment and services, some were receiving treatment, but has accelerated our ability to touch others.  Dan reviewed the changing key indicators.  This is having a big impact on our community where people who haven’t been very productive in society are becoming productive members of society.  In an upcoming meeting with DCF and their panel, Dan will be expressing to the State that counties can’t do this alone and the continued need for funds.

WCHSA – Human Services: A Primer, Statutes Summary:  Dan Brattset discussed the “Human Services:  A Primer” handout includes statutory reference for what we do at Human Services.

Wisconsin State Journal “Sent Away” Article:  Dan Brattset discussed the article about challenges with troubled kids who are sent out of state for treatment services.  Wisconsin has a treatment gap.  Dynamics include some facilities we could use are being utilized by out of state placements from private agencies.  One reason for this occurring is out-of-state placements pay more.  Discussed how difficult it is to know what is going on in an out-of-state placement and a face-to-face contact is required every 90 days which would mean the social worker would have to travel to see that child in their placement setting.  WCHSA is looking into it and gathering information.  Judges make the decision where to place children based on the social worker’s recommendation.

Julie Fleming departed at 5:15 p.m.

Discussion:  Homelessness Ages 18-22:  Dan Brattset discussed targeted funds for Community Action Council (CAC) homelessness.  If we were to expand this program, one vulnerable group is 18 to 22 year olds.  Schools are having a difficult time with children being homeless.  Kinship program is available for children living with relatives.  Six to eight youth cases have been referred but are not able to be served with our guidelines.  Members discussed an alcohol recovery home could be a model for serving 18 to 22 year olds.  Discussed other age groups, but we are unable to serve everybody.  Dan expressed his concern for the 18-22 years old who are not yet off the ground and may still be in high school.  Dan will start investigating and see what options are available and what the fiscal impact would be.  There is no funding stream, we are not required to serve them, and we would use levy dollars.  Jim Bowers referenced a Department of Public Instruction article he read about school districts receiving funds for a homelessness liaison.  Dan agreed it is a good idea to bring school staff to the table for a discussion.

Next Meeting: 

The next meeting of the Sauk County Human Services Board will be July 10, 2017, at 4 p.m. in Room 213.  John Miller will not be present.

Public Comment

None.

Motion by Jim Bowers, seconded by John Deitrich to adjourn at 5:45 p.m.  Motion carried.