Human Services Committee

hsbminutesjune2011.pdf (30 KB)

MINUTES
SAUK COUNTY BOARD OF HUMAN SERVICES

Meeting: June 6, 2011, 5:00 p.m., County Board Gallery, Baraboo, WI

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

Members Excused: None

Members Absent: None

Others Present: Orth, Brattset

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

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

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

Public Comment
None

Communications:
None

Business Items:

A. Review and Approval of Monthly Vouchers: Orth distributed the monthly voucher report and noted that Contracted Labor increased due to psychiatric consultation fees increasing this month. Administrative costs were down due to last month including three months of payments due to a contracting issue. Community Residential had a slight increase due to a new adult family home placement. Community Treatment increased due to expenses from Wisconsin Early Autism. Institutions were up due to rate adjustment and one developmentally disabled placement. Income Maintenance was down due to one month payment this month. Motion by Fabisiak , seconded by Stoeckmann to approve the monthly vouchers in the amount of $1,063,414.40. Discussion: Bowers questioned about Income Maintenance variance. Orth indicated that he would check with Box and report back next month. Fordham also indicated that W2 appears to have a variance. This will be checked as well. Motion Carried. Orth distributed an explanation for Alternative Care statistics in a handout that reflects correction of the error in previous report last month (see attached).

B. Transfer of Fund Balance to General Fund: Orth reported that it is time to transfer the Fund Balance of $471,928.19 to the General Fund. Motion by Sinklair, seconded by Fordham to approve transfer to the General Fund of $471,928.19. Motion Carried.

C. Program Priorities: Orth distributed the Human Services Program Review of Services and Review of Departmental Goals and Mission (see attached). In review of this document, as Orth described each specific program, there were discussions in specific regarding alcohol and drug abuse treatment. Brattset reported that outcomes are varied and complicated, however, a bench mark is 60% over one year of people will not return to substance abuse. Orth indicated it is important to note that in this area, as well as the mental health and crisis areas, that if these services are not provided it could result in higher cost hospitalizations. The Comprehensive Community Services Program, FPI Program, and FCF Program were also described as programs which while not mandated, due provide services to populations that are mandated and prevent higher costs for services for these populations. The Low Income Energy Assistance Program was considered budget neutral due to money from the state subsidizing this program without county levy. Orth spoke further about the W2 Program being a program that is supported by county levy and if Economic Support were not to be provided in Human Services locally, it would make sense to not participate in this program. However, since the Economic Support proposal has been accepted by the state, Sauk County Department of Human Services will continue with W2. Orth summarized the Kinship Program as having a very low county levy contribution to a program which supports the best possible outcome for children and is cost efficient. Food Stamp Employment and Training and Income Maintenance were briefly described as programs that will remain with Sauk County Department of Human Services as a result of the state accepting the county compromise model for service delivery. Orth described the Birth-to-Three Program and reiterated some efforts that WCHSA is pursuing to allow more flexibility for counties to better fund this program. The Family Support Program was described briefly as a low county contribution effort, but an important effort to support families with disabled children. The Children’s Long Term Support program was briefly described as was the Community Support Program. Both programs assist individuals from higher cost options. Alternate Care was briefly described as an essential service for children and families. Resource/Access Unit was described briefly as was Supportive Home Care and Community Options (COP) funding for individuals with disabilities. Adult Protective Services was briefly described and the importance of Family Care management with the Governor’s Biennial Budget and the prioritization of cases with the state looking at the waiting list protocol as important features as this program may provide more services, given these factors. Youth Services was described as was the closing of Ethan Allen and Southern Oaks and consolidation into Lincoln Hills as one facility for juvenile corrections. This was described as favorable. However, there will be some reduction in funding in the next biennial budget for this area. Child Protective Services was described as a challenging service which the county contributes significant levy.

Department Updates:

A. Biennial Budget Proposal: Orth noted that the Joint Finance accepted the Family Care enrollment cap which means there will be waiting lists. Currently, Sauk County has about 80 people on the waiting list. Orth noted that there will be a considerable amount of people on the waiting list in the state, however, there will be an allowance for attrition to allow some slots. There has been 12.6 million dollars provided by the state to assist in prioritizing those on the waiting list. A committee will be exploring, through a WCHSA work group, to establish priority management system for these slots of individuals going to Family Care from the waiting list. In addition, CLTS children age 18 will be considered a priority population for the wait list. This essentially caps Family Care expansion. Orth further noted that the Income Maintenance Proposal was approved by the Joint Finance Committee with several compromises to include the development of consortiums and county allocations will be determined in the next month to two months.

B. Homeless Haven Update: Bowers reported that the Homelessness Initiative has been positive with a steering committee. Bowers is the chair of the committee and asks that this be labeled the Homelessness Initiative for Sauk County. According to Bowers, Virgil Hartje is considering donation of the facility and land and Baraboo Area Homelessness as opposed to Sauk County Area Homelessness.

C. Sauk-Prairie Day Treatment Program : Brattset reported that the Sauk-Prairie Day Treatment Program has enjoyed a higher census. There are four and possibly five children enrolled in the program with the hope of more over the summer months. Discussions will continue to occur between Sauk-Prairie School District and LSS, as well as partners CESA and Sauk County Department of Human Services regarding start-up funds and the reconciliation period for these funds.

D. Columbia County Director Position: Orth spoke about Columbia County advertising for a Director of Human Services and that the Director of Columbia County Human Services, Erik Pritzl, accepted a position as Director of Dodge County. There was a brief discussion about the possibility of Orth/Brattset talking to Columbia County about providing some leadership in Columbia County as a joint effort with Sauk County. These are preliminary discussions and there may be more discussions in the future. A brief discussion occurred regarding the movement in the state of county collaborations in the future.

E. WCHSA Spring Conference: Orth and Brattset spoke briefly about the WCHSA Spring Conference, in particular, Brattset reported the presentation by an individual from Minnesota who works with an agency there to assist counties in making collaborations and consolidations in various components of Human Services. A number of models are being piloted in Minnesota to include a co-op model in which counties buy percentages of services from other counties. Orth spoke about the health care presentations regarding projections of potential future national health care issues and the impact on county human services. Bowers spoke about some interesting projects to include juvenile corrections and the focus on literacy as an important factor in predicting positive outcomes. In addition, Bowers spoke about the presentation by the Department of Workforce Development and job trends in the state. Bowers indicated that he found a presentation by Eau Claire County very interesting which spoke about how the county uses measurements of outcomes and results in their activities. This is applied throughout the county departments, in addition to the Human Services Department. Bowers indicated that he has some literature that he will give board members who are interested as well as Orth and Brattset to look at regarding these measurement reports from Eau Claire County.

The next meeting of the Sauk County Human Services Board is scheduled for Monday, July 11, 2011 at 5:00 p.m.

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




Andrea Lombard