Human Services Board Meeting

minuteshsbnov10.pdf (26 KB)

Members Present: Alexander, Bowers, Fabisiak, Dippel, Fordham, Stoeckmann, Vertein, Sinklair, Lombard

Members Excused: None

Members Absent: None

Others Present: Orth, Brattset, Box

Chair Alexander called the meeting to order and certified compliance with the Open Meeting Law.

Motion by Dippel, seconded by Lombard to adopt the agenda. Motion Carried.

Motion by Dippel, seconded by Fabisiak to approve minutes of the previous meeting. Motion Carried.

Public Comment

None.

Communications:

None

Business Items:

• A. Review and Approval of Monthly Vouchers:
  • Box distributed the monthly voucher report (see attached) and noted that Contracted Labor was down due to overall hours being down this month. Administrative costs were up due to maintenance service agreements and crisis grant expenses which were reimbursed. Community Living and Support was increased due to some vendors having late billing. Community Residential was down due to decrease in Adult Family Homes and overall CBRF AODA decrease. Community Treatment was down as several vendors were not paid this month. Income Maintenance was up due to an increase in medical transportation invoices. Motion by Fabisiak, seconded by Lombard to approve the monthly vouchers in the amount of $1,157,675.65. Motion Carried.
• B. Reappoint Donna Miller to the Comprehensive Community Services (CCS) Coordinating Committee:
  • Orth noted that this is a reappointment to the CCS Coordinating Committee. Motion by Bowers, seconded by Stoeckmann to reappoint Ms. Donna Miller to the CCS Coordinating Committee. Motion Carried.
• C. Marsh Country Health Care Alliance Representative
  • Scott Alexander: Orth reported that Scott Alexander has been the Marsh Country Health Care Alliance representative for a number of months and this was approved by the Human Services Board. Orth will insure that this goes to the full County Board as this has previously been recommended.

Department Updates:

• A. In-House Collection’s Update:
  • Box distributed the “TRIP Set-Up Timeline” (see attached). This is currently done by State Collections, however, per the TMG report this could be done internally at Sauk County Department of Human Services. This is where the majority of collection dollars are collected on past due accounts for Human Services. Box noted that the process is fairly clear in what Sauk County Department of Human Services staff would do. Unless certified, Sauk County Department of Human Services would be inline with others awaiting payment and would get dollars currently received by the state. If the state will not do collections then a different collections agency could be pursued.
• B. Department Organizational Analysis Update-Public Health Retirement:
  • Orth reported that the TMG recommendations also looked at situations where related departments could benefit from cross utilization of resources and collaboration of resources such as billing. Orth noted that there will be a retirement in the billing staff in Public Health. An initial meeting occurred in which there was a discussion of the possible option of using Human Services CMHC billing system to bill for Public Health services. Another meeting in the near future would get billing lead workers and staff together to discuss the possibility of the next steps. Some concerns were expressed from Public Health at the initial meeting about the control of information, which Orth noted could be accomplished with CMHC reports. Stoeckmann inquired as to whether this would also involve the Health Care Center. Orth noted, not at this time due to the fact that is a much larger system and would entail much more detail. This is an example of a first step however, that could be taken to begin to explore departments utilizing resources. Stoeckmann indicated she is excited about these options, but these activities must be done well so as to maintain quality of services for all departments. Orth indicated that he understood this and this is why a continued process of dialogue is necessary to be successful. Bowers indicated that he likes the opportunity to demonstrate further discussions of other issues where departments may use collaboration on resources.
• C. Southwest Family Care Alliance Transition:
  • Orth noted that the transition continues to move forward in the Southwest Family Care Alliance (SFCA) with discussions regarding records transfer and moving processes. Several staff from Sauk County Department of Human Services have begun specific displacement of less senior staff in the Human Services Department. This process will continue until the December transition date. Alexander asked if Sauk County Department of Human Services will have to pay unemployment benefits. Orth noted that the percent of unemployment benefits is yet to be determined regarding SFCA and Human Services, but this would continue to be under discussion. This would require the SFCA board to make a decision regarding the specific agreements. Stoeckmann asked if Human Resources would work to support the displaced staff. Orth noted that this has been discussed with Personnel.
• D. Dane County/Tellurian Crisis Bed:
  • Brattset reported a recent meeting with Tellurian in Madison. Under discussion is an eight bed crisis diversion CBRF. Sauk County Department of Human Services has current contracts with Tellurian for detoxification and treatment. There is an option for authorizing counties in the crisis grant consortium to purchase diversion beds at per diem rates, if available. At this time, Dane County would have first priority to fill Tellurian beds for crisis diversion. There are some additional crisis diversion options being discussed by the crisis grant consortium.
• E. Day Treatment:
  • Brattset reported that the Sauk County Department of Human Services/CESA/Sauk-Prairie Schools/LSS Day Treatment Project continues to be discussed. Recent developments include the use of rental property associated with the Lutheran Church in Prairie du Sac which is several blocks from the school. This appears to be an ideal location and currently there are licensure packets into the state for day treatment. A lease for this property will be signed in the very near future.
• F. VARC Rent:
  • Orth reported that since Sauk County Department of Human Services is no longer in Family Care the question was raised about the rate of the VARC building rent. Tim Stieve spoke to the VARC CEO and Property Committee and discussed options for a rent increase. This increase would raise the property about 3% with continual yearly percent incremental increases so that VARC will not sustain difficulty in costs, however, the rent will be raised over time. There is a universal opinion that the rent should be raised incrementally so as not to provide a great hardship for VARC as they provide a good service for the community.
• G. Future Topics for Presentation/Discussion:
  • Orth asked the Human Services Board members to consider what options they may want for future discussions and topics/presentations at board meetings. Alexander noted that the continued discussion of the TMG report should be a monthly item. Stoeckmann would like to know the continued process with the Department interfaces regarding billing that was described in this meeting. Also, looking at Medicare billing at various Sauk County departments. Stoeckmann further indicated updates on the jail Human Services case management project would be nice and would like to see more about this issue in the future.

The next meeting of the Sauk County Human Services Board is scheduled for Monday, December 6, 2010 at 5:00 p.m.

Motion by Bowers, seconded by Dippel to adjourn. Motion Carried.

Submitted: Andrea Lombard