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HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-17-2021 Health & Human Services Minutes MEETING MINUTES HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES BOARD March 17, 2021 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/86261325086?pwd=dkcvaUZJaU9Sd0V1aE4zMEZsTlRYdz09> Passcode: 549949 Or join by phone: Dial US: +1 312 626 6799 or +1 646 558 8656 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 346 248 7799 Webinar ID: 862 6132 5086 Passcode: 549949 CALL TO ORDER Health and Human Services (HHS) Board Chair Dave Ostness called this March 17, 2021 meeting of the Health and Human Services Board to order at approximately 5:00 PM. ROLL CALL Attendee Name Organization Title Status Arrived Departed 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 Absent Greg Tellijohn St. Croix County Supervisor Present 5:55 PM Paulette Anderson St. Croix County Vice-Chair Present Deb Lindemann St. Croix County Board Member Present Natasha Ward St. Croix County Board Member Present Paul McGinnisSt. Croix CountyBoard MemberPresent All Board members present appeared remotely via Zoom Excused Absence: Supervisor Ard Others in Attendance Remotely: Assistant County Administrator Ken Witt, Public Information Officer Adam Kastonek, Health and Human Services Director Bob Rohret, Public Health Supervisor Laurie Diaby, Public Health Epidemiologist Elle Klasen, Fiscal Manager Fay Strenke, Veteran's Service Officer Phil Landgraf, and several other community members APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Health & Human Services Board Regular Meeting February 17, 2021 5:00 PM Health and Human Services (HHS) Board Chair Dave Ostness asked the Board if after review of the minutes from the February 17, 2021 HHS Board meeting if any editing was needed. With nothing noted the minutes were accepted as written. RESULT: ACCEPTED PUBLIC COMMENT Health and Human Services (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 30 minutes. One community member addressed the Board via ZOOM with ongoing support of this Board and Public Health as well as sharing concerns and information regarding vaccines and advocacy for the disabled. BUSINESS ITEMS 1. COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Update St. Croix County Public Health Epidemiologist Elle Klasen reviewed a power point with the Board providing an update on COVID-19 cases in St. Croix County (SCC) and the vaccination distribution process. Klasen shared that currently 10.6 % of SCC residents are fully vaccinated and if you would like to request a vaccine please visit the county website. Public Health continues to hear from the State that the supply for vaccine will continue to increase and for information regarding your vaccine eligibility please see dhs.wisconsin.gov/covid-19/vaccine-about.htm. Discussion and questions followed. RESULT: DISCUSSED 2. Public Health Permit Fee Schedule Public Health (PH) Supervisor Laurie Diaby reviewed the 2021 proposed Public Health permit fees with the Board. She is here tonight to ask for the Board's approval of these fees. Public Health has contracts with the state to complete the inspections for approximately 558 county facilities. They are now also required to license temporary food stands, which could produce more work, but also more revenue. This year it was decided to not make any increases to the fees due to the impact of COVID-19. Some licensing categories were changed or merged, but no real significant increases. These changes would go into effect July 1st for newly licensed facilities, but if an existing facility's category changes they won't see this until May of 2022. Discussion and questions followed. The question was raised if the fees could be waived completely this year to help the businesses so greatly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Diaby shared that Public Health is required by the state to perform the inspections and license the facilities, which would mean there is still staff time involved to get these completed, and would be a cost to the county. They also are expected to reimburse the state, based on the state fee schedule, about 10% of what the local Public Health Department collects to do the inspections which would also impact our budget. County Administrator Witt shared that a discussion on business fees was had and it would be within the prerogative of the Health and Human Services Board to adjust the PH fees and set to zero if the Board would want to do that, though this would be a fiscal impact to the budget. The Board consensus is they would like the fiscal impact of waiving these fees to be reviewed and brought back to the Board next month. Fiscal Manager Strenke will work with Public Health staff and get some recommendations prepared for the Board for next months' meeting. Board Member McGinnis made a motion that the Health and Human Services staff take a high level look to review the budget impact and bring back a recommendation next month. This was seconded by Supervisor Tellijohn. A voice vote was taken and all approved. RESULT: NO ACTION Next: 4/21/2021 5:00 PM 3. Health and Human Services Monthly Financials Fiscal Manager Fay Strenke reviewed the monthly financials with the Board. Strenke shared that some of the state revenues have not been received yet but should be coming soon. There are also additional revenue funds that will be posted back to 2020 due to continued reconciliations. For 2021 in the Public Health line you can see the extra staff expenses due to COVID- 19 response, but there are grant funds to cover those expenses. Things continue to look good at the Health Center, Orchard View and in Veteran Services. Questions raised about counties providing transportation for the elderly to get to vaccine sites. Strenke shared that Public Health and the Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) have applied for a grant to vaccinate the homebound, which would likely cover this, but is not certain about how this is going to work. Chair Ostness will reach out to staff in the ADRC and ask the question about transportation for the elderly to vaccine clinics and he will provide an update on this to Board members. RESULT: DISCUSSED 4. Presentation by Veterans Services Veterans Service Officer Phillip Landgraf is here tonight as part of the continued Board orientation, to inform the Board on the services offered by Veterans Services. Landgraf informed that they are the local advocates for veterans and have 3 staff in their department that work with the vets to be sure they are accessing all the benefits they are eligible for. One area of focus is VA Healthcare and they provide transportation to and from the VA Hospital in the metro area. They have a van, but also many volunteers that drive veterans back and forth to the hospital. They have also been driving them over to receive their vaccines which has no cost to them. In St. Croix County there are 5260 veterans, many of which have been vaccinated. The office receives a couple of grants each year to support their programs and they work closely with community partners to assist veterans with whatever they may be dealing with from homelessness to mental health concerns. Discussion and questions followed. The Board wonders what is the biggest issue for veterans? Landgraf shared that financial and mental health concerns are both near the top right now and often go hand in hand. The Veterans Service Office works with the veterans to access whatever they can to help them with both of these issues. Please inform any veteran of our office, we would love to help them in any way we can. RESULT: DISCUSSED REQUEST FOR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS HHS Director Bob Rohret shared he may add a director's report to these meetings quarterly to provide a broad department update. ANNOUNCEMENTS & CORRESPONDENCE * Thanks to Veterans Service and Public Health staff for their presentations tonight. * Children Services was awarded a $88,000 grant to help support sex trafficking victims that are placed outside of home. * Children Services also awarded a 4E funding grant to support Guardian Ad Litem time. $17,000 passes through to the courts. * An Aging and Disability Resource Center/Public Health joint grant to help vaccinate the homebound population is approximately $8000. * The Day at the Capital is on April 13th and is virtual this year. This is an opportunity to talk with legislators. Wisconsin Counties Association is asking HHS Directors to coordinate a team that would like to represent their county. St. Croix County HHS Director Rohret will reach out to a few board members to see if they would like to join the team. *Public Information Officer Adam Kastonek shared that he is working on changes to the website with updated COVID- 19 guidance and also working on a 2nd Public Health digital newsletter which will be a year in review of the pandemic and where we are at now. He has also been working with ADRC staff on communications and today published a survey which is now on the website to help them gather feedback for their 3 year plan on service needs. * Chair Ostness shared that discussion has been had to get everyone back in person for board meetings by June and recommends that next month anyone comfortable with it to come in to the boardroom and others can appear via Zoom. ADJOURN HHS Board Chair Dave Ostness called the March 17, 2021 meeting of the Health and Human Services Board adjourned at approximately 6:15 PM. DATE OF NEXT MEETING April 21, 2021 @ 5:00 PM