Authorizing to Join the Woodland Enhanced Health Services Commission

The Sauk County Department of Human Services has evaluated use of the Clark County Rehabilitation and Living Center (CCRLC) for placement of qualified consumers.  This facility has 172 beds and is located in Owen, Wisconsin.  The facility offers short-term rehabilitation and/or extended stays with special care services for individuals with dementia or who require skilled nursing (services are offered to create customized care to meet unique and challenging individual needs).  It is anticipated that the need for this type of specialized care within Sauk County will steadily increase as the population continues to age and the propitiate rate of Alzheimer’s and dementia rise.  The facility is Medicare and Medicaid certified and includes services such as respite care, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy and psychiatric services. To expand and maintain the special services of the CCRLC a collaboration of various counties throughout the state of Wisconsin was formed, the Woodland Enhanced Health Services Commission (WEHSC) under authority of Wis. Stat. §66.0301.  Sauk County Department of Human Services is requesting to join the WEHSC and apply for membership (see Associate Member Agreement and Amended and Restated Intergovernmental Cooperation Agreement Creating Woodland Enhanced Health Services Commission).  Sauk County Department of Human Services will fund a one-time fee of $5,000.  Commission members have priority access to services at Clark County Rehabilitation & Living Center.  WEHSC is governed by representatives from member counties with each member county having a representative on the Board. 

About the Commission:

The Woodland Enhanced Health Services Commission (WEHSC) is a collaboration of various counties throughout the state of Wisconsin to maintain and expand on the special services of Clark County Rehabilitation & Living Center.  It is a Commission created by an intergovernmental agreement under Wis. Stat. §66.0301 consisting of member counties that hold the license for operating the Nursing Home and Facility for the Developmentally Disabled (FDD) portion of the Clark County Rehabilitation & Living Center.  The Commission is contracted with Clark County to provide the infrastructure and staffing for Commission activities related to the Nursing Home and FDD.  The State has recognized and accepted this type of "commission ownership" model as set forth in Wis. Stat. §49.49(7).  WEHSC was formed in January 2012 and is currently made up of sixteen counties.  Member counties include:  Barron, Bayfield, Buffalo, Chippewa, Clark, Douglas, Eau Claire, Florence, Jackson, Oneida, Pepin, Polk, Portage, Price, Rock, Rusk, Taylor, Walworth, Waushara, Wood, and Trempealeau.