HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution 2018 (39) Resolution No. 39 (2018)
ST. �R�.J►9,:�'w '° �.. NTY RESOLUTION REQUESTING INCREASED FUNDING AND OVERSIGHT
I'SOYI '1)7 REFORMS FOR WISCONSIN'S CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES
SYSTEM
1 WHEREAS, the Wisconsin child welfare system is county-operated and state-supervised,
2 except Milwaukee County, where the system is administered by the Wisconsin Department of
3 Children and Families (DCF), Division of Milwaukee Child Protective Services (DMCPS); and
4
5 WHEREAS, funding provided to counties through DCF for the provision of child abuse
6 and neglect services including prevention, investigation, treatment, and out-of-home placement
7 costs is insufficient; and
8
9 WHEREAS, the methamphetamine epidemic is a primary driver of increased Children
10 Services staff caseloads and increased utilization of alternate care placements for children in St.
11 Croix County; and
12
13 WHEREAS,proactive planning in 2018 through a County Board of Supervisors budget
14 amendment added two Children Services staff in St. Croix County, which was funded primarily
15 by local county tax levy estimated at $134,000 annually, compared with increases in the DCF
16 Children and Families Allocation estimated at $51,000 annually; and
17
18 WHEREAS, counties required match to receive the DCF Children and Families Allocation
19 is approximately 10%, which would equal $57,514 for St. Croix Counties while the actual match
20 is approximately 3,701% or $2,150,000 in the 2019 budget; and
21
22 WHEREAS,budgeted expenses for all purchased services in the Children Services
23 Division, which are primarily designated for alternate care placements, is approximately $1.1
24 million for 2018 and $1.46 million in 2019; and
25
26 WHEREAS,without proportional increases in the DCF Children and Family Allocation,
27 cost increases for services will be covered primarily by local county tax levy; and
28
29 WHEREAS, the Children and Family Allocation distribution to counties is based upon
30 1982 total county census; and
31
32 WHEREAS, according to the July 1, 2017, United States Census Bureau, St. Croix County
33 is the 17th most populous county at 88,703 and the 2019 Preliminary Children and Family
34 Allocation is $575,147; and
35
36 WHEREAS, the average 2019 Preliminary Children and Family Allocations for 10
37 counties with populations ranked 18th to 27th based upon the July 1, 2017, United States Census
38 Bureau is $965,107; and
39
40
41 WHEREAS, Wisconsin's CPS system leaves significant gaps in state-level oversight for
42 all counties except Milwaukee County, including the absence of caseload standards, no process
43 for regular legislative evaluation and prioritization of CPS needs and the absence of a legislative
44 committee that provides regular policy guidance concerning CPS system issues such as adequate
45 funding,performance, cost sharing and long-term stability; and
46
47 WHEREAS, along with DMCPS, all eleven of Wisconsin's peer states with county-
48 administered CPS systems have either adopted caseload standards for CPS caseworkers,
49 completed thorough workload studies as a basis of determining funding needs, or otherwise have
50 made significant recommendations related to keeping CPS workloads manageable.
51
52 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the St. Croix County Board of
53 Supervisors does hereby request that the State of Wisconsin increase the Children and Family
54 Services Allocation to counties in the 2019-21 state biennial budget by $30 million annually in
55 order to cover a greater share of out-of-home care costs and increase staffing levels based on the
56 caseload standards developed by the Wisconsin County Human Services Association (WCHSA)
57 so Wisconsin's CPS system can meet its obligations.
58
59 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the St. Croix County Board of Supervisors urges the
60 State of Wisconsin to close critical oversight gaps by creating legislative mechanisms to review
61 the CPS resource needs of all counties as part of the biennial budget process and ensure an
62 appropriate committee provide ongoing policy guidance to respond to emerging CPS trends and
63 ongoing system needs.
64
65 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the St. Croix County Board of Supervisors requests
66 that the distribution of the Children and Family Services Allocation be updated with input from
67 counties.
68
69 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the St. Croix County Board of Supervisors directs
70 the County Clerk to forward a copy of this resolution to the office of the Wisconsin Governor,
71 the office of Wisconsin Children and Families Secretary, the office of the Wisconsin Department
72 of Administration Secretary, St. Croix County Legislators, Wisconsin Counties Association, and
73 Wisconsin County Human Services Association.
Legal—Fiscal—Administrative Approvals:
Legal Note:
Fiscal Impact: Currently no finanacial impact.
A A14 19
144
cod .Cox,Corporat n oun!; 1118,12018 , Am-Fi c%r 11/6/2018
PatfickThornpsoN County Administrator 11/8/2018
11/14/18 Adopted
11/14/18 Health & Human Services Board APPROVED
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RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS] Next: 12/4/2018 8:00 AM
MOVER: Tammy Moothedan, Supervisor
SECONDER: Bob Long, Supervisor
AYES: Coulter, Long, Moothedan, Fosterling, Ostness, Anderson, McGinnis
EXCUSED: Deb Rasmussen
Vote Confirmation.
Dare Ostness HHS,Chairman 11/19/2018
SL Croix County Board of Supervisors Action:
Roll Call -Vote Requirement— Majority of Supervisors Present
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RESULT: ADOPTED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Dave Ostness, Vice Chair
SECONDER: Tammy Moothedan, Supervisor
AYES: Schachtner, Nordstrand, Miller, Coulter, Sjoberg, Moothedan, Feidler, Ostness,
Larson, Hansen, Brinkman, Peterson, Anderson, Achterhof, Leibfried, Peavey
ABSENT: District 6, Dan Fosterling, District 13
This Resolution was Adopted by the St. Croix County Board of Supervisors on December 4, 2018
Cindy Campbell, County Clerk