Human Services Board - 12/14/2020

Human Services Board Minutes for December 14, 2020 (208 KB)

SAUK COUNTY BOARD OF HUMAN SERVICES

Meeting:    Monday, December 14, 2020, 4:00 p.m., Virtual Meeting; County Board Room 326A, West Square Building, Baraboo, WI

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this meeting was conducted in person, virtually, or by phone.

Chair, Patricia Rego called the meeting to order and certified compliance with the Open Meeting Law at 4:00 p.m.

Roll Call:  PRESENT: Patricia Rego, Valerie McAuliffe, Delmar Scanlon (arrived at 4:03 p.m.).  Via Zoom:  Joel Chrisler, Michelle Bushweiler, Kristin White Eagle, James Bowers, and Cliff Thompson.  ABSENT:  None

Others Present: Dan Brattset, Stephanie Box, Nicole Rachuj.  Via Zoom:  Jessica Mijal

Joel Chrisler joined by Zoom at 4:07 p.m.

Motion by Valerie McAuliffe, seconded by Cliff Thompson, to adopt agenda. Motion carried.

Motion by Valerie McAuliffe, seconded by James Bowers, to approve the minutes for the previous Human Services Board meeting held on November 9, 2020.  Motion carried.

Public Comment:   

None

Communications/Director’s Report:

a. Board Materials:  Distributed electronically.  Dan Brattset reported Child Protection social workers are able to be fully staff.  Economic Support Quarterly meeting – we were compliant with the federal requirements.  No other director announcements.

Business Items:

a. Discussion and Action to Approve Monthly Vouchers:  Distributed electronically.  Stephanie Box reviewed the Monthly Voucher Report.  Motion by Kristin White Eagle, seconded by James Bowers, to approve monthly vouchers for $1,888,334.26.  Motion carried.

b. Accounts Receivable Report:  Distributed electronically.  Stephanie Box reviewed the Accounts Receivable Report for October 2020.

c. Discussion and Action to Approve Collection Requests:  Motion by Valerie McAuliffe, seconded by Cliff Thompson, to approve sending 13 accounts to Credit Management Control for $3,869.72.  Motion carried.

d. Monthly Reports:  Distributed electronically.  Stephanie Box discussed the October 2020 Volatile Line report.

e. Discussion and Possible Action to Approve 2021 Agency Rates:  Stephanie Box discussed how the rates are calculated.  Motion by Valerie McAuliffe, seconded by Joel Chrisler, to approve 2021 Agency Rates.  Motion carried.

f. Discussion and Action to Approve 2021 State County Child Welfare Contract:  Stephanie Box reported the contracts are beginning to come into the office.  The first is with Department of Children and Families (DCF) (main county contract) for a total amount projected of $1,998,784.  Stephanie explained the services that contract covers.  Motion by James Bowers, seconded by Kristin White Eagle, to approve 2021 State County Child Welfare Contract.  Motion carried.

Department Updates:

a. Presentation:  Mental Health/Telehealth Services – Jessica Mijal, Mental Health and Recovery Services Manager:  Jessica discussed how quickly staff had to move to service consumers virtually and all those involved to make it happen.  Staff and consumers adapted well.  Two platforms are HIPAA compliant for the video sessions:  Zoom and Doxy.  The goal with consumers is to utilize the video sessions as much as possible.  This is not always an option and phone calls are necessary.  Some consumers with different types of mental illness or age groups are in need of having face-to-face services in the building.  Department of Human Services (DHS) has had a few consumers that needed a way to communicate with their practitioner.  Several phones were donated for their use and DHS is paying for the phone service.  Management Information Systems (MIS) Department helped set those up.  iPads, provided through a grant and purchased prior to COVID-19, are also being used in the office by consumers.  Jessica reviewed some of the benefits and challenges and how processes and procedures needed to be re-evaluated.  Jessica discussed myStrength, which is an application that was purchased using grant funds.  This was launched as planned in March.  It is available through the Internet or phone app.  It contains a lot of self-help modules, mind and body wellness, spirituality, anxiety, depression, bi-polar disorders, substance users, parenting, COVID-19, etc.  It is available to anyone in Sauk County that would like to register for an account.  Data is received on the number of people signing up for accounts, topics they are utilizing, but does not have any specifics who those people are.  DHS has also partnered with Public Health for a wellness webinar using a myStrength presentation.  

b. Service Status: COVID-19:  Dan discussed how all of the units have adapted, some using clever ways, using technology, working from home, some working in a blended mode working from home.  He expressed how it is a testimony of dedication of staff doing everything they can do to support the consumers and the community.

Next Meeting:

The next meeting of the Sauk County Human Services Board will be, Monday, January 11, 2021, at 4 p.m. in County Board Room 326A.

Public Comment:

None

Motion by James Bowers, seconded by Valerie McAuliffe, to adjourn at 4:44 p.m.  Motion carried.