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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHealth & Human Services 09-26-1996ST. CROIS COUNTY NOTICE OF COMMITTEE MEETING TO: Robert Boche, Chairman St. Croix County Board FROM: Robert Stephens (John Borup 246-8223) COMMITTEE TITLE: St. Croix County Health and Human Services Board DATE: 09/26/96 TIME: 6:30 p.m. LOCATION: St.. Croix County Health and Human Services Complex New Richmond CALL TO ORDER ROLL CALL ADOPTION OF AGENDA DATE OF NEST MEETING: 10/10/96 ACTION ON PREVIOUS MINUTES: 09/10/96 ANNOUNCEMENTS APPOINTMENTS UNFINISHED BUSINESS: 1. Review of 1997 Budget 2. Computer Equipment Update NEW BUSINESS: 1. Personnel Issues S. Reclassification request from Social Worker I to Social Worker II b. Bookkeeper job description review 2. Health and Human Services/Nursing Home Report 3. Financial Report 4. Resolution on Long Term Care Redesign ANNOUNCEMENTS 6 CORRESPONDENCE POSSIBLE AGENDA ITEMS FOR NEST MEETING: ADJOURNMENT (Agenda not necessarily presented in this order) SUBMITTED BY: John M. Borup DATE: September 12, 1996 COPIES TO: COUNTY BOARD OFFICE COUNTY CLERK NEWS MEDIA/NOTICE BOARD COMMITTEE MEMBERS ST. CROIX COUNTY HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES BOARD September 26, 1996 The St. Croix County Health and Human Services Board met on September 26, 1996, at the St. Croix County Health and Human Services/Health Center complex. MEMBERS PRESENT: Jack Dowd, Vice Chair Leon Berenschot Chris Bethke Einar Horne Fern Johnson Allen Limberg Mary Louise Olson George Sinclear MEMBERS ABSENT: Robert Stephens, Chair - Excused STAFF PRESENT: John Borup, Health & Human Services Director Carolyn Krieger, Nursing Home Administrator Cindy Griffin, Deputy Director Judy Aronson, Secretary Kathy Dunlap, Family & Children's Supervisor Ron Lockwood, Social Work Supervisor OTHERS PRESENT: None Vice Chair Dowd, called the meeting to order at 6:30 P.M., noting the meeting was properly and legally publicized. NEXT MEETING: The next meeting of the Health and Human Services Board will be Thursday, October 10, 1996 at 8:00 a.m. at the St. Croix County Health and Human Services/Health Center complex. AGENDA: MOTION: A motion was introduced by Berenschot, seconded by Bethke, and unanimously adopted: That the agenda be approved as circulated. MINUTES: MOTION: A motion was introduced by Berenschot, seconded by Olson, and unanimously adopted: That the minutes of the 09/ 10/96 Health and Human Services Board meeting be approved as circulated. Resolution on Long Term Care Redesign: Lockwood distributed copies of a report regarding the State's preliminary views on Long -Term care redesign issues. The Long Term Support 1 Committee recommends a resolution asking the Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services to collaborate with County government as a full partner in the development and implementation of the New Long Term Care System. Just as the welfare system was reorganized under W-2, the statewide long term care system is being redesigned using managed care principles. Major program areas affected are likely to be: community longer term support, home health care, nursing home care, economic support, mental health and AODA, among others. We feel it is important that county government actively participate in the redesign effort so that the final product will be realistic, cost effective, and structured to meet the long term care needs of St. Croix County residents. The resolution is to maintain partnership with the State. Lockwood stated the State would like to integrate all services, but this is not feasible at this point. The State would like one central intake point for all services. Lockwood stated he is concerned that the consumers of care would not have the same rights they now have. The Long Term Support Committee has already passed the resolution and would like the Health and Human Services Board to pass the resolution. The Board asked that the resolution be updated as it is dated 08/08/96. The Board stated they need more information and requested Lockwood to keep them informed. There was no action taken. Dowd thanked Lockwood for his presentation. Review of 1997 Budget: There have been no changes in our budget. This item tabled for the day meeting on October loth so all managers can attend to answer questions the Board may have. Computer Equipment Update: Administration has been working with Kathryn Beutel in planning the purchase of PCs approved on September 10, 1996. The bids are going out and are to be back by October 9, 1996. Borup asked if the Board would like the bids brought to the Health and Human Services meeting. Horne arrived at 6:50 p.m. and apologized for coming late. The consensus was to bring the bids to the October loth meeting Horne stated he questioned the financial summaries for the nursing home in the minutes of 09/10/96. He stated the numbers do not add up and would like clarification as to what those numbers mean. Krieger stated she believed the $65,000 was the ITP monies that were included that were not budgeted. Judy Ziegler will be at the 10/10/96 meeting to explain the numbers. Horne questioned why we include in the minutes the list of vouchers that have been approved and paid. Borup stated it was something the auditors requested. Borup will check with the auditors to see if the vouchers still need to be included in the minutes. K Personnel Issues: Reclassification request from Social Worker I to Social Worker II: Griffin stated Kristin Salava, Family and Children's Social Worker, has requested to be reclassified from a Social Worker I to a Social Worker II. She has met the experience, training, and other requirements for reclassification. Salava is eligible effective 09/15/96. Her current salary is $15.11/hour and would increase to $16.82/hour with reclassification. Horne asked if we have a choice as this is a Union position and she has met the requirements. Griffin stated if it is not approved, there could be a grievance. MOTION: A motion was introduced by Sinclear, seconded by Bethke, and unanimously adopted: That the Health and Human Services Board approve the reclassification of Kristin Salava from a Social Worker I to a Social Worker II. Bookkegper job description review: Administration has completed work with Debra Kathan on bookkeeper job description re -writes. Copies of the job descriptions were distributed to all the Health and Human Services Board members. Borup stated he would like authorization to approve updated job descriptions. Horne stated it seems like the job descriptions are defining the job around the person that is in them now. It seems like you are defining the job for the people in the location - not for the job. Horne and Olson stated under skills required it states high school graduate or its equivalent - they state that a high school graduate cannot do the job defined in the job description. It does not seem like an entry level range. Horne stated he does not disagree with the jobs being rated the same. Horne stated we are after equality of definition. Horne stated the objective is to have equality of pay for equality of the job. Dowd stated, like pay for like work. Borup stated the Bookkeeper Range 2 starting salary is $9.20 and after 4 years is $10.61. A bookkeeper Range 5 starting salary is $10.60 and after 4 years is $12.04. Horne stated the phrase Equal Opportunity Employer does not belong on job descriptions. Borup stated when the job descriptions were re -written, Kathan added Equal Opportunity Employer to all the job descriptions meeting State/Federal guidelines per ADA, etc., as well as updated wording to reflect growth and change in modern office equipment. Olson questioned if the job tasks are essential to the Health and Human Services, this may be part of the discrepancy. Olson stated October 7th there is a Personnel Committee Meeting and was asked to have the job description issue put on the agenda. The consensus was to table this and have Kathan attend the next Health and Human Services meeting on October 10, 1996. Krieger stated in the job descriptions the duties are specifically spelled out so the work may continue if an employee is ill. Sinclear stated we need employees that are very flexible. 3 Horne stated the bookkeeper job description should be the same in both locations. Horne and Sinclear stated Personnel should rewrite the manual of job descriptions. MOTION: A motion was introduced by Sinclear, seconded by Berenschot, and unanimously adopted: That the Health and Human Services Board table discussion on the bookkeeper job description review until the October loth, 1996 meeting and have Kathan attend to discuss and clarify. Health and Human Services/Nursing Home Report: Dunlap was present to answer any questions regarding the letter to the editor in last week's Hudson Star Observer. Dunlap stated we have no option other than to investigate any calls we receive. The State Statutes state we will respond. We received a call from dispatch and the worker investigated. There was no interrogation. The county is liable if we do not follow through with an investigation and something were to happen to the individuals. Dunlap stated she has received several calls as her work telephone number was published in the article, and they were all supportive, saying that everything was done very professionally. The Nursing Home census is 108 today. Referrals continue, but discharges and admissions also continue at almost a break even point. An article had been distributed explaining the dilemma nursing homes are experiencing in regard to computerization, the regulating mandates (from the State and Federal government), the need for data bases for insurance companies for outcomes for resident care. The combination has not been cost effective, nor has it meant a reduction in staff, but actually some increases to meet the demands. Krieger stated we now have harder to care for people, more acute care. We are becoming a short-term rehabilitation facility and also a facility for the terminally ill. Most of the residents are in wheelchairs and require dressing, feeding, bathing, and toileting. Krieger discussed a report which addressed the increased levels of care and the increase in admissions this year. The levels of care indicate an increase from 1-1/2% to 5% for intensive skilled care and an increase from 66 % to 88 % in skilled care over the past three years. The admissions so far this year are about the same number as all of 1995, so admissions are up about 34 % if annualized. Horne asked if the nursing home charges the same for an acute resident as they do for a skilled resident. Krieger stated we do not. We have three sources of payment: Medicaid rate - set by the state, Medicare rate - set after the year has started, and private pay rate. The three room rates are basically based on the actual cost. The old "transition house" now leased to River Ridge Rehabilitation for $600/month plus utilities, based on construction cost and inflation has an estimated replacement value of 4 $111,000. Dowd (background in real estate sales and appraisal) has taken a look at the house. Dowd stated the location of the building is pretty much tied to this complex. Building negatives include: location, no garage, few windows in lower level, rooms without exits or natural lighting. Renters have installed carpeting and vertical blinds at their own expense. Griffin distributed copies of a letter of appreciation for Natalie Overbye, Bob Zappa and accounts receivable personnel. The person thanked all those who helped them as a family and for being so patient and making them feel comfortable in uncomfortable situations. Griffin stated this is a side of social work that is often invisible, in that the family benefits from the support we are able to provide to them even when the client may not appear to be making progress. Borup had distributed a letter from Richard Wegner regarding Wisconsin Works (W-2) and wanted to call attention to Item #2 - W-2 funding did not assume the continuation of county overmatch funding for W-2, as long as performance expectations are met; and Item #3 - W-2 funding includes the ability for the county as a W-2 agency to make a "profit" and determine locally how that money is spent. Borup stated on January 4, 1996 we had approved payment of General Relief for brain surgery for a client who was not eligible for payment of this surgery through any other source. The County paid $23,327.24. On September 20, 1996, the Disability Bureau approved disability for the client going back to October 1, 1995. The county will receive full reimbursement. Because of his age and possible ability to return to work in the future, they needed to be sure that the disability would indeed last 12 months. After securing additional medical information from his attending physicians regarding his present condition and additional surgeries needed, he was found to be disabled. Medical Assistance cards will be sent to all the providers and as soon as the providers are paid, they will reimburse St. Croix County for all of our expenditures. Borup stated that as part of the early implementation of portions of W-2 the 5-year clock begins 10/01/96 for active Jobs participants on Time Limited Benefits for Aid to Families With Dependent Children. There also has been a number of changes in the Food Stamp Program which went into effect 09/21/96. Vice Chair Dowd asked if there were any other issues to bring before the Board. MOTION: A motion was introduced by Sinclear, seconded by Horne, and unanimously adopted: That the Health and Human Services Board meeting be adjourned. Time: 8:20 p.m. Chairman: Attest: Secretary 5