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Home My WebLink About12-16-2020 Health & Human Services Minutes MEETING MINUTES HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES BOARD December 16, 2020 5:00 PM Room 1284-County Board Room St. Croix County Government Center - Room 1284 - Government Center - 1101 Carmichael Road, Hudson, Wisconsin NOTICE Due to the increase of COVID-19 cases in St. Croix County and the number of attendees at previous meetings, public comment will only be available via Zoom. We want to ensure the safety of everyone who wishes to share public comment. You can attend in-person to watch the meeting on the screens in the County Board Room. No Board Supervisors, Committee Members, or County Staff will be present in the County Board Room during the meeting. Public invite to attend HHS Board meeting. Join from a PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone or Android device: Please click this URL to join. <https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84224200966?pwd=KzlUSEJZVWRHTlpDd1NsWXBhVW5Zdz09> Webinar ID: 842 2420 0966 Passcode: 460792 Or join by phone: Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location): US: +1 646 558 8656 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 312 626 6799 or +1 669 900 9128 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 346 248 7799 Webinar ID: 842 2420 0966 Passcode: 460792 CALL TO ORDER Health and Human Services (HHS) Board Chair Dave Ostness called this December 16, 2020 Health and Human Services meeting to order at approximately 5:00 PM. ROLL CALL Attendee Name Organization Title Status Arrived Cathy Leaf St. Croix County Supervisor Present Carah Koch St. Croix County Supervisor Present Dave Ostness St. Croix County Chair Present Scottie Ard St. Croix County Supervisor Present Greg Tellijohn St. Croix County Supervisor Present Paulette Anderson St. Croix County Vice-Chair Present Deb Lindemann St. Croix County Board Member Present Natasha WardSt. Croix CountyBoard MemberPresent Paul McGinnis St. Croix County Board Member Present All Board members appeared remotely Others in Attendance Remotely: Assistant County Administrator Ken Witt, Public Information Officer Adam Kastonek, Health and Human Services Director Bob Rohret, Public Health Administrator Kelli Engen, Epidemiologist Elle Klasen, Nursing Home Administrator Sandy Hackenmueller, Fiscal Manager Fay Strenke, Robyn Thibado with West CAP, several other community members Excused absences: Unexcused absences: APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Health & Human Services Board Regular Meeting November 18, 2020 5:00 PM Health and Human Services (HHS) Board Chair Dave Ostness asked the Board if after review of the minutes from the November 18, 2020 HHS Board meeting if any editing was needed. With nothing noted the minutes were accepted as submitted. RESULT: ACCEPTED PUBLIC COMMENT HHS Board Chair Dave Ostness opened the meeting to public comment for items on or off the agenda. Chair Ostness informed that public comment will be kept to 1 hour. Several community members addressed the Board via ZOOM regarding ongoing concerns within the community around COVID-19. BUSINESS ITEMS 1. COVID-19 Updates Public Health Administrator Kelli Engen informed the Board about the recent staffing adjustments made within Public Health. They have increased their staffing capacity with staff who have various background experience. Engen also shared info on the vaccine planning that the Public Health team and readiness consortium have in place. She informed that the vaccine has been distributed to 8 different hubs across the state, though most are undisclosed at this time. There is currently one authorized vaccine (Pfizer) available and it requires extreme cold storage. Information around vaccinations is changing daily so would ask for patience from the public. The Moderna vaccine is awaiting FDA approval. The state disaster medical advisory team is making recommendations on distribution and prioritization, local Public Health departments are waiting for more information from them. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are both a 2- dose vaccine and each have their own timeline between doses. Discussion and questions. Board members are curious about how many doses of the vaccine are available and if the supply chain will be able to keep up. Engen shared there are currently 49,000 doses of the Pfizer and an expected 100,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine for the entire state of WI with approximately 450,000 Health Care workers to be vaccinated in phase 1A. Long Term Care (LTC) facilities are enrolled in a pharmacy program and anticipate vaccine by Dec. 28th. Epidemiologist Elle Klasen reviewed and explained the updates that have been recently made to the data dashboard provided to the public on the County website. They are looking to improve and enhance the information they are providing. She explained the differences between the new and old dashboards, and reviewed the current data. These changes are planned to go live by the end of the week. Discussion and questions. Health Care Campus Administrator Sandy Hackenmueller provided an update of the status and the response to COVID -19 at the Health Care Campus. They have has a total of 16 positive COVID-19 cases in non direct care staff and 9 positives in staff that are direct care givers. One resident has tested positive but has since recovered and is doing well. Dec. 8th was when they had their last case, though currently considered in an outbreak status until14 days from the last positive test. They could be out of outbreak status by Dec. 23rd. Staff and residents are carefully monitored for symptoms of COVID-19 and flu as well. The Health Care Campus has started admitting new residents and continues to require full PPE when going into resident's rooms. They are paying very close attention to resident's physical and mental health and recognize that sometimes residents need to meet with family members. Family are always there if a resident is near the end of life. RESULT: DISCUSSED 2. Report from West CAP Regarding Housing Issues in St. Croix County Associate Director Robin Thibado with West CAP reviewed a power point and shared some data with the Health and Human Services Board regarding housing and homelessness issues in St. Croix County. Thibado also informed of other programs West CAP provides including; low income housing, homelessness and foreclosure prevention programs, weatherization, food security, the JumpStart car ownership program and various sustainable community initiatives. She shared shelters are full and resources are few and there is much concern for evictions coming in the 1st of the year. Discussion and questions. Some suggestions she had included a review of local zoning requirements as there could be zoning conflicts and "not in my back yard" challenges with this. Also look to building temporary shelters, look at any buildings that could be re-purposed into low income housing, the job base available that allows someone to earn a living to afford the housing and also look at what supports we have to allow people to work or get an education. The Board would like the housing issue to be an agenda item again next month. RESULT: DISCUSSED 3. COVID-19 Response Around Mental Health in St. Croix County Behavioral Health Administrator Sharlene Lopez informed the Board on what the St. Croix County Behavioral Health Services are seeing during this COVID-19 pandemic and their response and barriers in responding to mental health concerns in St. Croix County. Rohret shared that work will continue towards treating the "whole person" and how each division can tailor our response to individual their needs. Due to technology issues we lost connection with her so will go on to financials (#4) and come back to this report. Discussion and questions. RESULT: DISCUSSED 4. Health and Human Services Monthly Financials Fiscal Manager Fay Strenke reviewed the Health and Human Services monthly financial report with the Board. Strenke shared that we are getting close to the end of year but will still post expenses and revenues in to 2020 up until March, with final numbers not available until summer. Strenke highlighted a few budget lines for the Board. Public Health has extra staff listed and but have grant funds to help cover this. Children Services is over budget in purchased services but are working hard to manage this, though they have limited control over out of home placements. The Nursing Home is expecting extra CARES funding and other incentive monies to help cover extra costs. Back to agenda item number 3. RESULT: DISCUSSED REQUEST FOR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS Chair Ostness asked if there are any requests for future agenda items. The Board is reminded to contact Chair Ostness or HHS Director Rohret if anything comes up prior to next meeting. *Flu cases * Housing concerns and what we can do as a county ANNOUNCEMENTS & CORRESPONDENCE HHS Director Rohret shared that Children Services Administrator Julie Krings informed him that they have received a support funds grant of $100,000+ to use to support families and kids that are at risk of children being removed from the home to keep families together. Public Information Officer Adam Kastonek shared he is working with Public Health in drafting a newsletter that will be available in print as well as electronically once work is complete in updating the dashboard. Chair Ostness informed that there will be a listening session on Dec. 30th from 6-8 PM via ZOOM, regarding alternative ways to live with COVID-19. This session will be recorded so it can be listened to later and will be an informative session and not a question and answer session. This is not the county's view and is just a way to try and hear county citizens and find some common ground with them. Board members voiced concern that this might provide misinformation and wonder about a plan for a response to that. *The HHS Board Chair Listening Session that was mentioned at the December 16th HHS Board meeting has been cancelled. This listening session has not been rescheduled. ADJOURN Chair Ostness wished everyone Happy Holidays, and called this December 16, 2020 meeting of the Health and Human Services Board adjourned at approximately 7:55 PM. DATE OF NEXT MEETING January 20, 2021 @ 5:00 PM