AUTHORIZING THE CREATION OF ONE PART TIME EDUCATION NAVIGATOR POSITION FOR THE SAUK COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT (SCHD) IN THE 2020 BUDGET PROCESS

RESOLUTION NO. _____ - 2019

 AUTHORIZING THE CREATION OF ONE PART TIME POSITION FOR THE SAUK COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT (SCHD) IN THE 2020 BUDGET PROCESS

EDUCATION NAVIGATOR [Text Box: Fiscal Impact: [ ] None [ X ] Budgeted Expenditure [ ] Not Budgeted] [Text Box: Background: The long term goal of the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC) is to support a safe and healthy community, offer accessible opportunities to positively change individual’s lives while being fiscally responsible. The Criminal Justice Coordinating Council and Stepping Up Initiative (Resolution #5-16) includes, Justice & Public Safety - Criminal Justice Coordinating Council release planning and re-entry. Sauk County Health Department is uniquely positioned to lead efforts to provide resources and services to individuals upon release/returning home which can ultimately break the cycle of incarceration and result in safer and healthier communities. The Education Navigator would support the Health Department by addressing top priorities of Mental Health and Substance Abuse identified in the Community Health Needs Assessment and Improvement Plan. “CJCC will use data driven, evidence based practices to inform decision making and will examine and respond to the root cause of crime, in an effort to reduce crime, create a safer community, and provide effective treatment for individuals and families involved in the Sauk County Criminal Justice System. The CJCC will improve communication between participating agencies and use a collaborative approach to respond to criminal conduct and to provide coordinated services”. This correlates to the major goals of the County Board-approved Stepping Up Initiative: decrease jail length of stay, decrease number of those incarcerated, decrease recidivism, increase referrals to behavioral health services. In order to reduce recidivism, the CJCC is developing an Education Navigator position to assist incarcerated individuals with a successful transition back to the community after release. This Educational Navigator position will develop pathways to educational resources ( instruction, tutoring, training, testing/credentialing, incentives, transportation) understanding that some people involved in the criminal justice system will use education as a pathway out of incarceration and into employment. Incarceration – particularly without an education – can adversely affect individuals and their families. Often the children of incarcerated persons suffer unmet social needs (food insecurity, housing insecurity, insufficient access to health care) leading to adverse childhood experiences and trauma that could span generations. A goal is to reduce the intergenerational cycle of incarceration, recidivism, and revocation rates. It is anticipated that this change will also lead to more formerly incarcerated individuals becoming, and staying employed which should lead to greater access to health care, improved health conditions, and reduced adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and trauma for the children of the incarcerated. This model will support returning citizens to becoming productive, tax paying, citizens, with access to substance use and mental health treatment services. This position would be a collaboration between Sauk County Health Department/CJCC, Sheriff’s Department, SSM Health, UW Platteville Sauk County Baraboo Campus, and UW Madison’s Population Health Institute’s MATCH program. This position will aid in decreasing recidivism designing and delivering connections, information and programming that will incentivize and guide participates through an educational instruction, tutoring, testing, and credentialing process. Target groups that may be involved would be those currently incarcerated, Huber inmates, Adult Treatment Court participants, Medication Assisted Treatment participants and residents on extended supervision (prison release). Responsibilities would also include identifying barriers to education and training opportunities, as well as referrals to local support for job placements. Currently Sauk County inmates have access to computers in the jail and support with test proctoring but lack additional tutoring time or incentives. With the GED test changing recently, very few inmates have successfully completed the required tests to obtain a GED. This position could provide current inmates with additional tutoring, and provide incentives for positive testing outcomes (phone minutes and canteen dollars). Currently, lack of a local GED testing sight, testing fees, tutoring, transportation, and incentives are barriers to Huber, ATC, and extended supervision residents successfully receiving a GED/HSED. The SSM Health grant will fund this position. ]

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Sauk County Board of Supervisors met in regular session, that the Sauk County authorize the creation of one part time (0.75 FTE) Education Navigator, effective January 1, 2020.

For consideration by the Sauk County Board of Supervisors on October 15, 2019.

Respectfully submitted,

FINANCE COMMITTEE                                                   PERSONNEL & INSURANCE COMMITTEE

___________________________                      ___________________________

JOHN DIETZ, Chair                                                      TOMMY LEE BYCHINSKI, Chair

_________________________________                              _________________________________

THOMAS KRIEGL                                                          SHANE GIBSON

________________________________                                _________________________________

JOHN “TONY” DE GIOVANNI                                       PATRICIA REGO

_________________________________                              _________________________________

KEVIN LINS                                                                    CARL GRUBER

_________________________________                              _________________________________                             

KRISTIN WHITE EAGLE                                                TIMOTHY MCCUMBER

Fiscal Note:  budget request, elim 2021. 

The 2020 budget contains adequate funding for the part time (.075 FTE) Education Navigator position.

FY 2020

Salary for FY 2020

$33,123

Benefits for FY 2020

$23,211

Computer Equipment

Other MIS Costs (Software, wiring, etc.)

$3,000

Office Furniture

Existing

Office Supplies

$0

Other Operating Expenditures

$0

Renovation/Relocation Costs

$0

Revenues (Use Negative #)

Tax Levy

SSM Health Funds

($ 59,334)

TOTAL

$ 0

Information System Note:  Noted in 2020 MIS Budget.