DATE: January 5, 2009, 5:00 p.m., County Board Gallery, Baraboo, WI
Members Present: Alexander, Bowers, Vertein, Dippel, Fordham, Endres, Stoeckmann, Sinklair
Members Excused: Fabisiak
Members Absent: None
Others Present: Orth, Brattset, Box, Hebel, Krueger
Chair Alexander called the meeting to order and certified compliance with the Open Meeting Law.
Motion by Dippel, seconded by Stoeckmann to adopt the agenda. Motion Carried.
Motion by Endres, seconded by Stoeckmann to approve minutes of the previous meeting with the following changes. Vertein was not present at the November meeting, change to Members Excused - December Meeting: Vertein, Fordham, Fabisiak, Stoeckmann. Motion Carried.
Communications:
Outside Agency Appropriations-Kerry Beghin: Orth noted that the Human Services Committee can notify outside agencies of appropriations. Orth suggested he will send a letter to these agencies with appropriation allocation details.
Business Items:
A. Review and Approval of Monthly Vouchers: Box distributed the monthly voucher report (see attached). Stoeckmann reported that salaries and benefits were down $33,000 due to the timing of payroll this month. Administration was down due to holidays and decreased mileage. Community Residential was down $13,000 due to Shelter Care having been paid previously and a bill paid in error. Community Treatment was down $18,000 due to a bill paid to Catholic Charities in the previous month. Institutions were down $48,000 due to a Mendota bill being low as well as CCI placements being down. In addition, some credits from Mendota and Winnebago. Income Maintenance was up to cover an increase in the number of funerals and W-2 was down. Motion by Stoeckmann, seconded by Fordham to approve vouchers in the amount of $1,023,069.90. Motion Carried.
B. Approve Addition of Lynn King to Comprehensive Community Services Coordinating Committee: Orth spoke about the CCS Coordinating Committee and nomination of Lynn King, consumer. Motion by Fordham, seconded by Vertein to accept the nomination of Lynn King to the CCS Coordinating Committee as a consumer member. Motion Carried.
Department Updates:
A. Family Care Presentation - Sue Hebel: Sue Hebel spoke about Family Care (see attached summary sheet). Discussion followed by Endres, what order are people taken off the waiting list. Sue replied in chronological order and with a second priority potential for cases identified by the ADRC requiring urgent services, particularly those at risk for institutional care. In addition there is a Nursing Home Relocation Program which we give individuals a priority. Orth spoke briefly about the financial picture. In summary, care management rates and productivity looks good for 2009 for Sauk County. However, Southwest Family Care Alliance is more fiscally challenged. All six CMO's in the state were losing money as of the end of 2008 and beginning of 2009. Southwest Family Care Alliance has a projected deficit of $400,000 to $600,000. Reserves will be used to cover, however this is an issue for state funding for future years. Orth reiterated that counties are not at risk, rather care management organizations in the state are. Fordham spoke about the fact that the fiscal picture should even out as the wait list people who are more costly initially are taken into the system, as well as when fiscal case management begins to take effect.
B. Shelter Care Closing: Orth spoke about non-secure shelter care previously run by Lutheran Social Services and owned by Sauk County as closing due to decrease in census. This is a trend in other counties as well. Other facilities owned and operated by LSS in Beaver Dam will serve Sauk County youth. Lutheran Social Services decided to close the Baraboo facility on 12/31/08. Orth noted that the Sauk County Property committee is looking at selling the property. Alexander spoke about the possibility for shelter for homelessness. Fordham noted that this requires case management and there is a challenge with staff costs on an ongoing basis. Bowers concurs with this concern and has seen this happen in other programs. Bowers noted that it is an opportunity to look at how this building could be utilized. Orth noted that Sauk County Department of Human Services is working with St. Vincent's and others, but this building would not be of interest to these partners. Fordham noted that Hope House is an example of other non-profits perhaps could look at the building, but it would be difficult for the county to run the services alone.
C. Jail Diversion Pilot: Brattset reported that planning for the Jail Diversion Pilot has started. There are weekly meetings to review process, records, and screening instruments, as well as program guidelines. A field trip to Portage County will occur in the next 30-40 days in order to learn from their experiences. Fordham suggested that perhaps some of the Family Care buy down savings could be used in future years to fund this project.
D. Personnel Changes: Orth reported that in 2009 the fiscal position vacated is currently still vacant and the new Family Care computer system will result in two support positions in Reedsburg being eliminated. Another position became available in data/fiscal and one person will take this position, moving from the support position. The other person will take a position that has been brought in due to FSET returning to Human Services. Therefore, there will be no lay offs at this time.
E. Healthier Wisconsin Partnership Program Grant: Orth spoke about a grant for child abuse and neglect and the community for better relationships between child protective services and physicians. This will include developing special skills for child abuse and neglect and physician identification of these concerns. If the grant is approved, Sauk County would get a coordinator to assist with child abuse/neglect staff and physicians in their operations. More will be reported as information becomes available in the future.
F. 2008 Year End Estimate: Orth reported that the estimated projection at this time is approximately $60,000 deficit for 2008. However, a new estimate will be forthcoming as the books close.
G. LaCrosse Lakeview Update: Orth noted that there has been negotiations with the state in the form of creating a commission as opposed to a corporation. This may be acceptable to the state. There would be a resolution to form a commission as opposed to a corporation, perhaps being forwarded to the Human Services Board next month.
The next meeting of the Sauk County Human Services Board is scheduled for Monday, February 9, 2009 at 5:00 p.m. Bowers noted that the final number for Sauk County Giving Tree were in and over 390 families and more than 900 children were served with the generosity of the community.
Motion by Bowers, seconded by Sinklair to adjourn. Motion Carried.
Bev Vertein