Human Services Board

Human Services Board Meeting Minutes October 12, 2020 (210 KB)

SAUK COUNTY BOARD OF HUMAN SERVICES

Meeting:                October 12, 2020, 4 p.m., 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 p.m.

Roll Call.   PRESENT:  Patricia Rego, Valerie McAuliffe, Michelle Bushweiler, Joel Chrisler, Delmar Scanlon, James Bowers, Cliff Thompson, Kristin White Eagle; Via Zoom:  None.  ABSENT:  Jennifer Watts.

Others Present:  Dan Brattset, Stephanie Box, Lori Dee, Lori Follendorf, Jenna Greenwood

Motion by Valerie McAuliffe, seconded by Kristin White Eagle, to adopt agenda.  Motion carried.

Motion by Kristin White Eagle, seconded by Cliff Thompson, to approve the minutes for the previous Human Services Board meeting held on September 14, 2020, with the addition of Dave Bretl being present.  Motion carried.

Public Comment:

None

Director’s Report:

a. Board Materials:  Distributed electronically. Dan Brattset mentioned attending a Zoom meeting for the Capital Consortium for Economic Support, will be reviewing the Continuity of Service plan, and an upcoming quarterly Comprehensive Community Services (CCS) meeting.

Business Items:

a. Discussion and Action to Approve Monthly Vouchers:  Distributed electronically.  Stephanie Box reviewed the Monthly Voucher Report.  Motion by Valerie McAuliffe, seconded by Joel Chrisler, to approve monthly vouchers for $1,682,581.47.  Motion carried.  

b. Accounts Receivable Report:  Distributed electronically.  Stephanie Box reviewed the Accounts Receivable Report for August 2020.  No hardships have been requested or approved to date.

c. Discussion and Action to Approve Collection Requests:  Motion by Michelle Bushweiler, seconded by Valerie McAuliffe, to approve collection requests of sending 20 accounts for $18,612.36 to Credit Management Control.  Motion carried.

d. Monthly Reports:  Distributed electronically.  Stephanie Box discussed the August 2020 Volatile line report.

e. Discussion and Possible Action to Approve Resolution Authorizing to Contract with Netsmart to Enhance the Electronic Record System:  Stephanie Box discussed Netsmart is moving AVATAR to a web based platform.  Carryforward of $68,400 was put in for the enhancement.  The new format will be available on all tablet platforms including iPads.  It will enhance performance and reliability.  Netsmart will stop supporting what we are currently using and will only support this new platform.  Hope to schedule implementation in the first or second quarter next year.  Executive and Legislative (E&L) committee has approved the resolution.  Motion by Valerie McAuliffe, seconded by Kristin White Eagle, to approve Resolution Authorizing to Contract with Netsmart to Enhance the Electronic Record System.  Motion carried.

Department Updates:

a. Presentation:  Child Protective Services (CPS) – Jenna Greenwood & Lori Follendorf, Supervisors:  Jenna Greenwood supervises ongoing CPS social workers and Lori Follendorf supervises initial assessment CPS social workers.  Jenna discussed the referral flow chart distributed electronically and indicated requests for services include CPS reports (allegations of maltreatment) and services outreach.  Four types of allegations:  neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional damage.  Screened out reports are documented; screened in reports are followed up on by an assigned social worker.  Lori gave history of the increased caseloads and the split of supervisor duties.  Lori indicated the term “investigations” is no longer used and now are referred to as “assessments.”  Lori stated responses are based on safety concerns.  Decisions are made within 60 days to: 1) close the case, 2) refer for possible Child in Need of Protection Services (CHIPS), or 3) refer out to community services.  Jenna described ongoing staff and case aide duties to help maintain safety and keep families together when possible; however, some children may be placed out of home.  Lori indicated they are using Targeted Safety Support funding from the State to keep kids and families together in their home and two new programs coming in 2021. Jenna indicated when the pandemic started, cases slowed for about six weeks; now the numbers are higher than they were last year at this point.  The cases are substantially more intense.  They are seeing a lot of child mental health in cases where a parent has mental health and alcohol concerns.

b. Discuss Children’s Long-Term Support (CLTS) Waitlist:  Dan Brattset indicated Governor Walker pushed to eliminate the waitlist so families did not have to wait for services. As the waitlist was brought down, more and more people requested services.  Some counties have long waitlists so the State decided to take over the waitlist January 1, 2021, to keep equity between counties.  Dan indicated he was not sure how it will affect Sauk County.

Next Meeting: 

The next meeting of the Sauk County Human Services Board will be November 9, 2020, at 4 p.m. in the County Board Room 326A.  Delmar Scanlon indicated he will not be present at the next meeting.

Public Comment

None.

Motion by James Bowers, seconded by Kristin White Eagle, to adjourn at 5:03 p.m.  Motion carried.