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UH, THE AFFIDAVIT OF POSTING WAS POSTED ACCURATELY WILL RISE FOR A MOMENT OF SILENT PRAYER AND THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA REPUBLIC FOR WHICH STANDS, ONE NATION, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR HONOR.
ANY MODIFICATIONS TO THE MINUTES? AND NEITHER OF YOU? OKAY.
WELL, CONSIDERING NONE, WE WILL CONSIDER THOSE APPROVED.
AND OUR FIRST AGENDA ITEM IS OUR VETERANS SERVICE REPORT, AND WE HAVE KURT WITH US.
GLAD TO BE WITH EVERYBODY AGAIN, UHHUH.
UM, SO I'VE, UH, I'VE KIND OF GONE THROUGH AND LAID OUT WHAT I'D LIKE TO SEE THE REPORT LOOK LIKE FOR THE NEXT FEW TIMES I'M IN FRONT OF YOU.
UM, I, UH, I WAS GOING THROUGH THE DATA, UH, DATA FROM 2024, KIND OF DOING A YEAR IN REVIEW, AND I FOUND SOME REALLY INTERESTING DATA POINTS THAT I WANT TO TRACK.
SO I'M GONNA BRING 'EM TO YOU AGAIN IN, IN THE NEXT, UH, THE NEXT COUPLE OF QUARTERS, HOPEFULLY WHEN WE GET ABOUT SIX MONTHS OF THIS YEAR UNDER OUR BELT.
UM, SO THAT WE CAN SEE WHICH WAY IT'S GOING.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S, IF IT'S A FLUKE OR IF IT'S SOMETHING TO MONITOR, UH, WITH, UM, THE, THE, UH, FOLKS COMING INTO MY OFFICE.
SO, UM, WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, LET'S GET INTO IT.
SO, AS YOU GO THROUGH THE DATA, THE TOTAL CLAIM ACTION COUNT THAT I HAVE IS ALL OF THE DIFFERENT TOUCHES THAT MY OFFICE DOES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
SO IT'S, UH, SOME OF IT IS PHONE CALLS, BUT IT, THE VAST MAJORITY IS ACTUAL ACTIONS.
SO IF SOMETHING, AN ELECTRONIC, UH, ACTION THAT WE WOULD DO, UH, VIA COMPUTER, BUT NOT DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF A VET, A CLAIM APPOINTMENT, A, UM, A PACKET THAT WE WOULD SEND INTO THE VA, THINGS LIKE THAT.
ACTUAL ACTIONS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
UM, SO WE'RE AT, UH, 2,700 OF THOSE ROUGHLY, UM, 510 IN-PERSON APPOINTMENTS, UH, WHICH, UM, WHICH I FOUND TO BE, YOU KNOW, RIGHT ON TRACK WITH WHAT I FIGURED IT WOULD BE.
I THINK WE TYPICALLY AVERAGE AROUND THAT AMOUNT, UH, MAYBE SLIGHTLY HIGHER.
UM, WALK-INS WAS KIND OF A, A STARTLING NUMBER.
UM, THIS WAS THE FIRST YEAR THAT WE'VE BEEN TRACKING, I'M SORRY, SECOND YEAR THAT WE'VE BEEN TRACKING WALK-INS.
NOW THAT WE'RE OVER, UH, IN THE, UH, HUMAN SERVICES AREA, WE, UH, VICKI AT THE FRONT DESK IS DOING THAT WORK.
SO WE, WE ACTUALLY GET THE DATA, WHICH IS PRETTY GREAT.
UM, AND, UM, I WAS STARTLED BY THE AMOUNT OF, OF WALK-INS THAT WE HAVE.
IT'S JUST SOMETHING YOU DON'T REALIZE, UH, THROUGHOUT THE YEAR HOW MANY FOLKS ARE COMING IN AND TOUCHING BASE.
UM, THE COURT OF APPEALS, UH, IS AN IMPORTANT STATISTIC FROM THE STANDPOINT THAT THAT MEANS THAT THOSE CLAIMS HAVE BEEN WORKING FOR ALMOST 10 YEARS AT THE POINT THAT THEY GET REFERRED TO THE COURT OF VETERANS APPEALS.
UH, THAT'S HOW LONG THAT PROCESS CURRENTLY TAKES, TAKES, WHICH IS SHOCKING AND, AND TERRIBLE, UH, AND HORRIBLE FOR OUR VETERANS.
BUT, UM, BUT IT'S ALSO SOMETHING TO KEEP AN EYE ON.
UM, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A LOT MORE OF THOSE COMING UP BASED ON THE, UM, UH, PROBLEMATIC DECISIONS THE VA IS MAKING AS THEY'RE TRYING TO HURRY UP AND KNOCK DOWN THEIR, THEIR BACKLOG CURRENTLY.
UM, THEY DID THE SAME THING ABOUT 10 YEARS AGO, AND IT ENDED UP WITH A HUGE LAG IN, UH, LONG APPEAL PROCESSES.
PROPERTY TAX CREDIT IS A PRETTY IMPORTANT NUMBER BECAUSE THAT'S 55 PEOPLE THAT, UH, COULD HAVE GONE INTO FORECLOSURE OR OTHERWISE WOULD'VE HAD TO MOVE FROM THEIR HOME.
UH, BUT THEY'RE GETTING A PROPERTY TAX CREDIT FROM THE STATE OF WISCONSIN TO PAY, UH, TO REIMBURSE THEIR PROPERTY TAXES EACH YEAR.
THAT IS A, A HUGE BENEFIT THAT DIRECTLY AFFECTS YOUR CONSTITUENTS.
UM, SO I THOUGHT IT WAS AN INTERESTING THING TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION.
UM, AND THEN, UM, ON THE BOTTOM HERE, UM, I'VE GOT AVERAGE CALL VOLUME, 21 CALLS PER DAY, UH, BETWEEN BARB AND I IN THE OFFICE, UH, WHICH IS PRETTY SIGNIFICANT.
UH, WE STARTED TRACKING THAT THIS YEAR IN, UH, IN LARGE PART.
UH, AND THEN, UM, I TRIED TO FIGURE OUT OUR ESTIMATED MAXIMUM CAPACITY OF IN-PERSON APPOINTMENTS.
THE NUMBERS THAT YOU SEE THERE ARE BASED ON THREE AND FOUR APPOINTMENTS EACH DAY.
UH, IF I DIDN'T TAKE ANY VACATION DAYS, SO IT'S JUST STRAIGHT WORK DAYS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE OTHER CONSIDERATIONS, OTHER MEETINGS, OTHER INITIATIVES THAT WE DO THROUGHOUT OUR WORKDAY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR THAT WOULD FACTOR IN TO DECREASE THOSE NUMBERS.
BUT I WANTED TO GIVE KIND OF AN OVERALL PERSPECTIVE.
SO, DIC IS, UM, THAT IS A, UH, SURVIVOR'S BENEFIT.
UM, SO DIC IS A BENEFIT THAT PEOPLE GET IF THE SERVICE MEMBER DIED FROM A SERVICE RELATED ILLNESS OR INACTIVE DUTY.
BUT, UH, ACTIVE DUTY DEATHS RARELY, UH, ONLY ONE OR TWO A YEAR OCCUR TO OUR POPULATION HERE BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ANY FORMAL MILITARY BASES, UH, WITHIN, WITHIN THE COUNTY.
UM, AND THEN ONE OTHER POINT I WANTED TO ADD THAT I SKIPPED OVER, I REALIZED IS CLAIM REPS THE 209
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NUMBER, THAT MEANS WE HAD 209 BRAND NEW VETERANS THAT ENTERED OUR OFFICE THROUGHOUT THIS LAST YEAR.UM, THAT'S WHAT THAT STATISTIC, UH, MONITORS.
UM, SO, UH, INTERESTINGLY, SO I'VE GOT THREE DIFFERENT GRAPHS THAT, THAT I THINK LAID OUT PRETTY NEATLY.
UM, IF YOU LOOK THE TOP BAR ON THIS FIRST, UH, THIS FIRST CHART SHOWS THE ACTUAL, UH, SCHEDULED APPOINTMENTS THAT WE HAD THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
AND THEN THE BOTTOM BAR IS WALK-INS.
AND IT'S INTERESTING HOW THEY ARE EXACTLY ALIGNED, ISN'T IT? I WAS JUST GONNA ASK THAT
AND THE OTHER PART THAT I THOUGHT WAS INTERESTING ABOUT IT IS MAY AND RIGHT BEFORE NOVEMBER IS OUR BIG SPIKES, AND THOSE COINCIDE WITH VETERAN HOLIDAYS.
SO I'M THINKING THAT THE, THE JOGGING OF HAVING MEMORIAL DAY AND VETERAN DAY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR IS WHAT'S KIND OF SPARKING PEOPLE TO TAKE CARE OF MAYBE BENEFITS OR SERVICES THEY HADN'T THOUGHT OF UNTIL THEY, THEY WERE PROMPTED TO.
UM, SO THAT WAS, THAT WAS AN INTERESTING THING TO TRACK.
UM, THE, THE NEXT BAR, UH, BAR GRAPH JUST KIND OF LAYS IT OUT THE SAME DATA IN A, IN A DIFFERENT WAY.
UM, SEPTEMBER BEING OUR LOWEST MONTH MAKES SENSE.
THAT'S WHEN EVERYBODY'S GOING BACK TO SCHOOL.
THAT'S WHEN PEOPLE ARE WORKING ON BUDGETS AT THEIR OFFICES, THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, BUT THEN THE LAST ONE I THOUGHT WAS, UH, THE MOST INTERESTING, AND THAT'S WHERE YOU, I PUT WALK-INS ON TOP OF APPOINTMENTS, SO YOU CAN SEE THAT MAY, UH, WITH WALK-INS AND APPOINTMENTS.
WE HAD 120 INDIVIDUAL VETERANS WALK INTO OUR OFFICE.
UM, I FIGURED THE SWEET SPOT FOR, FOR APPOINTMENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR IS AROUND 60 TO 65 PER MONTH.
THAT'S WHERE WE CAN STILL GET OTHER THINGS DONE.
UH, AND WE'RE SERVING VETERANS, UM, UH, EFFECTIVELY, AND WE'RE KEEPING JUST UNDERNEATH THAT WITH SCHEDULED APPOINTMENTS.
SO, UM, SO WE'RE DOING OKAY THAT WAY, BUT INTERESTING DATA, UH, I'M NOT SURE WHAT WE CAN ALL GLEAN FROM IT YET.
UM, BUT I'M, I'M GONNA HAVE SOME ANSWERS FOR YOU IN SIX MONTHS WHEN I SEE WHAT WE'RE DOING THIS YEAR.
UH, SO THAT'S THAT PART OF IT.
UM, WE, UH, THE CIVIL WAR, UH, MONUMENT COMMITTEE, THERE'S REALLY NO CHANGE FROM THE LAST REPORT OTHER THAN WE'RE AUDITING OUR, UH, UM, OUR WORK THAT WE HAVE LEFT WITHIN THAT PROJECT.
WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE CEMETERIES THAT WE HAVEN'T TOUCHED YET, AND, AND, UM, MAKING SURE WE KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY WE HAVE TO RAISE, UH, FOR, FOR THAT PROJECT.
HOPEFULLY IN THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO THAT WILL BE COMPLETED.
UH, GUITARS FOR VETS IS DOING GREAT.
WE'RE DOWN TO TWO PEOPLE ON OUR WAITING LIST.
WE NOW HAVE, UH, FIVE INSTRUCTORS, WHICH IS WONDERFUL.
AND, UH, INSTRUCTORS ARE HAVING A REALLY GOOD TIME WITH IT, REALLY GOOD OUTCOMES FROM THAT PROGRAM.
AND THEN FINALLY, THE STATE ADVOCACY PIECE, UH, THAT I WANTED TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION.
UM, SO WE'VE BEEN TALKING WITH SECRETARY BOND AND ALSO WITH INTERFAITH CAREGIVERS OF WASHINGTON COUNTY.
UM, INTERFAITH CAREGIVERS HAS, UH, A LONG HISTORY OF SUPPORTING THE VETERAN COMMUNITY HERE, TAKING RIDES DOWN TO DOWN TO THE VA.
UM, THE, UM, THEIR, THEIR MISSION, THOUGH, T DOESN'T ALLOW ANYONE UNDER THE AGE OF 60 TO USE THEIR SERVICES.
AND OF COURSE, WE HAVE VETERANS THAT NEED RIDES DOWN TO THE VA THAT ARE UNDER 60.
SO WE'VE BEEN TALKING TO THEM ABOUT THAT AND SEEING IF THERE'S ANY ADJUSTMENTS TO ME MADE, AND I'M UNSURE IF THERE'S GONNA BE ANY ADJUSTMENTS MADE TO THAT POLICY.
UM, BUT THE INTERESTING COMPONENT OF THAT IS, UM, WE HAVE ONE, UH, AGENCY, THE DAV THAT, UH, PRO THAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE PROVIDING SERVICES WITHIN WASHINGTON COUNTY, AND WE'RE PART OF A BLOCK GRANT FROM THE STATE BECAUSE OF THAT.
UM, SO WE ARE NOT ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR TRANSPORTATION FUNDING FROM THE STATE BECAUSE WE'RE PART OF THAT BLOCK GRANT, BUT THE PROBLEM IS, IS THAT ORGANIZATION REALLY ISN'T DOING THE JOB.
UM, SO WE REACHED OUT TO SECRETARY BOND.
WE'RE TRYING TO GET SOME CHANGES MADE IN THAT.
I KNOW THERE'S A, UM, A POTENTIAL OF A BUDGET BUDGET ALLOCATION, UM, THIS YEAR FOR THAT AT THE STATE LEVEL.
I'M NOT SURE IF THAT WILL BE SUCCESSFUL, BUT WE'RE KIND OF KEEPING OUR EYES ON IT, AND I'LL UPDATE YOU FOR THAT.
BUT THE INTERESTING COMPONENT OF THAT, AND I DON'T HAVE THE STATISTICS ON HERE, IS THAT INTERFAITH CAREGIVERS DID 980 RIDES TO THE VA LAST YEAR, WHICH IS HUMONGOUS.
UM, AND, UH, THE DAV, WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO BE SERVING OUR COUNTY WITH A BLOCK GRANT DID 104.
IT WAS PRETTY STRIKING STATISTICS.
SECRETARY BOND WAS, UH, SURPRISED TOO.
UM, AND THEN, UH, LASTLY, UM, WE ARE, UH, WE'RE WORKING ON A COUPLE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE HERE.
THE, THE VET APP THAT WE'VE DONE, THE CIVIL WAR MONUMENT COMMITTEE, UM, A COUPLE OF THOSE INITIATIVES WE'RE BRINGING TO THE STATE LEVEL AND SEEING IF WE CAN WORK TOGETHER, UH, TO INCENTIVIZE OTHER COUNTIES AROUND THE STATE TO DO IT.
WE GET A LOT OF, UH, QUESTIONS FROM VETERANS, ESPECIALLY IN, IN DODGE AND IN FOND DULAC COUNTY ASKING WHY, YOU KNOW, HOW WE DID THIS AND, AND YOU KNOW, HOW WE COULD PUT TOGETHER THOSE PROGRAMS. AND INSTEAD OF US GOING OUT AND DOING THAT WORK FOR THE OTHER COUNTIES, THE STATE, UH, SHOULD GET INVOLVED.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING ON THAT TOO.
UM, ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT ANYTHING THAT I'VE PRESENTED TODAY? YES, SIR.
AS A POINT OF REFERENCE, DO YOU HAVE AN IDEA HOW MANY VETERANS WE HAVE RESIDING IN OUR COUNTY? YEAH, SO THE, THE, UM, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PUTS OUT GDX STATISTICS THAT ARE BASED ON THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS AND, UM, THE, UM, UH, THE CENSUS
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GOODNESS.SO THOSE STATISTICS ACTUALLY GET WORSE OVER TIME THE FURTHER WE GET OUT FROM THE CENSUS PERIOD.
UM, BUT LAST ESTIMATE IS AROUND 8,000.
FOR THE PREVIOUS FIVE YEARS, WE WERE SHOWING A STEADY DECLINE, AND THEN IN 2020 IT SHOT BACK UP TO 8,000, UM, PROBABLY BECAUSE THE, THE CENSUS GOT DONE AND WE GOT A LITTLE BIT BETTER NUMBERS.
UM, SO YEAH, WE'RE IN A GROWTH PATTERN, WHICH LOGICALLY MAKES SOME SENSE.
UH, WE'RE A FAIRLY CONSERVATIVE COUNTY.
WE'RE ON THE CUSP OF A SUBURB, AND VETERANS USUALLY SEEK A MORE RURAL, UH, HOME AREA.
UM, A LOT OF THOSE THINGS PLAY IN PLAY INTO THAT.
UM, REPORT WITH THE GRAPHS ESPECIALLY.
DO YOU WANT ME TO STAY ON HERE FOR THIS? UH, SURE.
THE NEXT ITEM IS THE VETERAN'S MENTAL HEALTH GRANT.
AND JULIE'S JUST GONNA SAY A COUPLE THINGS ABOUT IT AND KURT ADD IN WHEN HE IS APPROPRIATE, I GUESS.
SO, UM, WE DIDN'T WRITE UP A COMMITTEE REPORT FOR THIS, WE JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE.
SO, AS YOU MAY RECALL, UM, WE RECEIVED, UM, ABOUT $150,000 FROM, UM, THE STATE, UH, VETERANS, UH, AFFAIRS, UM, TO PROVIDE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR VETS IN WASHINGTON COUNTY.
AND THE GRANT, IT WAS TO GO THROUGH MARCH 31ST.
UM, WE DID A, UH, MARKETING CAMPAIGN, UM, WITH, WITH EPIC CREATIVE.
UM, WE RE WE BECAME CERTIFIED, UM, WITH COMMUNITY CARE, SO WE CAN BILL INSURANCE.
UM, AND WE'VE CREATED SORT OF A REALLY GREAT WAY TO REACH OUT TO VETS TO WELCOME THEM INTO THE MENTAL HEALTH CENTER TO RECEIVE SERVICES.
AND THEN IF THEY DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO PAY OR THEY HAVE A HIGH COPAY, UM, WITH THEIR INSURANCE, UM, WE DO PROVIDE THAT SERVICE TO THEM FREE OF CHARGE WITH THE GRANT DOLLARS.
UM, WE DID NOT EXPEND ALL OF THE DOLLARS.
UM, AND SO WE DID ASK, UM, FOR AN EXTENSION OF THAT FUNDING, AND WE'VE BEEN GIVEN THROUGH, UM, THE END OF SEPTEMBER TO, TO, UH, SPEND ALL OF THOSE DOLLARS.
AND WE REQUESTED, UM, SORT OF A SHIFT IN HOW WE SPEND SOME OF THOSE FUNDS.
WE'RE CURRENTLY SERVING 16 VETS, UM, WITHIN, UM, OUR MENTAL HEALTH CLINIC, AND I THINK 14 OF THEM ARE CURRENTLY RECEIVING GRANT FUNDING, UM, FOR THEIR SERVICES.
SO WE'LL BE ABLE TO CONTINUE THAT THROUGH THE END OF SEPTEMBER.
UM, WE'RE GONNA DO SOME ADDITIONAL MARKETING, VERY SMALL AMOUNT OF MARKETING JUST TO CONTINUE TO KEEP THE WORD OUT THERE THAT THIS IS A SERVICE THAT'S AVAILABLE.
UM, BUT WE'RE ALSO GONNA BE PARTNERING WITH NEXT 18, WHICH IS A NATIONAL ORGANIZATION THAT DOES, UM, GOLF CAMPS FOR MENTAL WELLNESS, FOR VETS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT.
UM, AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S AN INITIATIVE HAPPENING IN THE LAND USE AND PLANNING SIDE OF THE COUNTY BOARD, UM, WITH OUR GOLF COURSE, BUT WE'RE GOING TO USE THAT FUNDING TO SPONSOR TWO CAMPS THIS SUMMER, UM, DOWN AT OUR GOLF COURSE.
UM, SO THAT'S VERY EXCITING AND WE JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU.
AND WE WERE PLEASED THAT WE WERE ALLOWED TO, UM, YOU KNOW, GET, USE THIS FUNDING IN EXTENSION AND THEN ALSO SORT OF, UM, CHANGE OUR, OUR, OUR AVENUE OF WHICH WE'RE GONNA BE USING THE FUNDING, UM, BECAUSE WE'D HATE TO HAVE TO GIVE THAT MONEY BACK.
SO, AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS FOR ME AND KURT ABOUT THAT.
UM, I'M JUST CURIOUS ABOUT THE, WITH THE 16 CURRENT VETS, WHAT KINDS OF THINGS ARE BEING COVERED? WHAT ARE THEY SEEKING? UM, IF THERE'S A CATEGORY OR A, UM, A MAJORITY OF THEM OR, YEAH, PRIMARILY IT'S THERAPY AND THEN ANY PSYCHIATRY THAT MAY BE NEEDED IF SOMEBODY IS NEEDED TO TAKE SOME MEDICATION.
BUT PRIMARILY IT'S THEIR THERAPY.
AND I THINK, UM, WHAT WE KNOW AS, AS, AS KURT HAS DISCUSSED WITH GUITARS FOR VETS, NOT, YOU KNOW, VETS DON'T ALWAYS WANT TO SEEK, UM, SORT OF THE TRADITIONAL, UH, MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.
SO, YOU KNOW, THE MENTAL HEALTH CLINIC IS REALLY JUST FOR, YOU KNOW, UH, THE, THE TYPE OF FOLKS IN THAT POPULATION THAT WANT THAT TYPE OF TRADITIONAL SERVICES, GUITARS OR VETS IS ANOTHER AVENUE.
AND WE THINK, YOU KNOW, THIS NEXT 18 IS JUST ANOTHER WAY FOR PEOPLE TO, UM, RECEIVE THOSE TYPES OF SERVICES IN A NON-TRADITIONAL WAY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
NEXT UP WE HAVE TAMMY WITH UH, A DRC REPORT.
I'M GONNA START OUT, UM, JUST KIND OF HIGHLIGHTING A FEW THINGS ON, UH, THE DIRECTOR'S REPORT.
UM, SO OVER THE PAST YEAR WE DID SEE QUITE A FEW TRANSITIONS WITHIN THE A DRC WITH STAFF.
UM, WE HAVE QUITE A BIT OF LONGEVITY TO OUR TEAM.
DOESN'T TURN OVER VERY OFF OFTEN.
UM, SO THAT'S BEEN A TRANSITION AND, UM, EXCITING.
IT BRINGS, YOU KNOW, FRESH PERSPECTIVE, UH, NEW OPPORTUNITIES,
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JUST KIND OF LOOKING AT WORKFLOWS WITHIN.UM, AND THEN AT THE STATEWIDE LEVEL, THEY ARE WORKING ON SEVERAL MODERNIZATION PROJECTS, UH, ONE OF THEM BEING A STATEWIDE RESOURCE DIRECTORY.
SO LOCALLY THROUGHOUT THE STATE, ARCS HAVE A DIRECTORY OF RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO OUR TARGET POPULATION.
THAT'S SOMETHING WE PUT TOGETHER IN HOUSE.
YOU MIGHT HAVE SEEN IT OR HEARD OF IT AS THE YELLOW BOOK, UM, FOR WASHINGTON COUNTY.
UM, BUT THEY HAVE NOW CREATED A STATEWIDE RESOURCE DIRECTORY, UM, THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SERVICES WEBSITE, UM, AND KIND OF TAKEN ALL OF THE INFORMATION FROM ALL OF THOSE LOCAL A DRCS AND MADE IT, UM, PUBLIC FACING.
AND THEN, UM, ALSO WORKING ON A COMPREHENSIVE MARKETING AND OUTREACH CAMPAIGN AT THE STATE LEVEL.
AND, UM, WE SWITCHED OVER TO A NEW DATABASE.
SO THE NEXT PART OF THE REPORT TELLS YOU I REALLY DON'T HAVE ANY GREAT DATA TO REPORT BECAUSE WHAT WAS IS NOW NOT AVAILABLE AND WHAT IS, IS TOO NEW TO REALLY PULL ANYTHING SIGNIFICANT.
BUT I DO LOOK FORWARD TO PROVIDING YOU WITH SOME GOOD DATA IN THE FUTURE.
UH, THE OLD SYSTEM REALLY TRACKED MORE WIDGETS OR, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY ENCOUNTERS DID YOU HAVE AND HOW MANY PEOPLE DID YOU SERVE, WHERE THE NEW SYSTEM IS REALLY LOOKING AT MORE OF A CASELOAD AND HOW MUCH TIME IT'S TAKING, UM, WITH EACH, EACH INDIVIDUAL.
MUCH MORE USEFUL DATA FOR, UM, MYSELF AND THIS OTHER SUPERVISORS IN THE DEPARTMENT.
SO WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THAT TRANSITION.
UM, LISTING OUT KIND OF THE, THE HIGHEST NEED AREAS OR WHAT PEOPLE ARE CONTACTING US ABOUT MOST OFTEN WOULD BE HOUSING, UM, PARTICULARLY, UM, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UM, ACCESSING LONG-TERM BENEFITS, SO BEING ABLE TO STAY IN YOUR HOME OR MOVE TO A FACILITY.
AND HOW DO YOU PAY FOR THAT? UM, CAREGIVER SUPPORT, UH, DISABILITY APPEALS, SO WHEN PEOPLE ARE APPLYING FOR DISABILITY BENEFITS, UM, IT'S, IT'S A VERY HIGH NUMBER THAT GET DENIED THE FIRST TIME.
UM, AND THEN THEY WORK WITH OUR TEAM TO GO THROUGH THAT APPEAL PROCESS FOR THOSE BENEFITS AND THEN SUPPORT WITH MEDICARE, UM, PRESCRIPTION DRUG PLANS, UM, WHEN SOMEBODY'S NEW TO MEDICARE, THAT SORT OF THING.
UM, WE HAVE SEEN A DECLINE IN NUMBERS FOR OUR MEAL PROGRAM, BOTH CONGREGATE AND HOME DELIVERED.
UM, A LOT OF THAT HAS JUST BEEN TO NATURAL TURNOVER, BUT WE ALSO ARE SEEING THAT NOT AS MANY PEOPLE ARE COMING ON THE PROGRAM.
SO WORKING WITH OUR NUTRITION AND WELLNESS SUPERVISOR, UM, ON A PRETTY STRATEGIC KIND OF MARKETING AND OUTREACH, KIND OF UPDATING SOME FLYERS, GETTING IT OUT, UM, TO REALLY TARGET THE PEOPLE THAT, UM, WE'RE LOOKING TO HAVE COME DYING WITH US OR THAT MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR OUR HOME DELIVERED SERVICES.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT ANY OF THAT? I JUST HAVE A GENERAL QUESTION ABOUT, UM, OVERALL AT A HIGH LEVEL, IS A DRC FEDERALLY FUNDED OR STATE YEAH, WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THAT NEXT.
BOTH, UM, OUR, WELL, I'LL, I'LL GET INTO THAT UNLESS THERE'S ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT, ABOUT THAT.
UM, I DO ALSO WANT TO, UM, JUST INTRODUCE YOU AND POINT OUT MEGAN ZITA, WHO'S HERE WITH US TODAY.
SHE'S OUR ACCOUNTING SPECIALIST, UM, FOR THE A DRC.
I CALLED HER AND SAID, PEOPLE ARE ASKING FOR SOME SORT OF SIMPLE GLANCE AT OUR FUNDING, AND OF COURSE SHE PUT THIS TOGETHER AND MADE IT PRETTY FOR ME.
SO I'LL SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS TODAY.
UM, AND THEN IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, UM, EITHER HER OR I WILL BE ABLE TO ANSWER THAT.
UM, SO PAGE ONE OF THREE IS OUR OVERALL DEPARTMENTAL FUNDING.
SO WE HAVE, UM, I DON'T WANNA GET TOO INTO THE WEEDS, I'M GONNA TRY AND MAKE THIS AS SIMPLE AS POSSIBLE.
WE HAVE FUNDING THAT COMES FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SERVICES THROUGH THE STATE OF WISCONSIN THAT FUNDS A DRC SERVICES.
OUR AGENCY IS ALSO INTEGRATED WITH AGING SERVICES, WHICH IS THE OLDER AMERICANS ACT FUNDING SERVING PEOPLE 60 AND OLDER.
AND THAT IS FEDERAL FUNDING PASSED DOWN TO A DIFFERENT STATE AGENCY CALLED GUAR, PASSED DOWN TO WASHINGTON COUNTY.
SO, UM, THE TOP THERE IS KIND OF A BREAKDOWN THAT FIRST PIE OF WHERE OUR FUNDING COMES FROM.
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IS THROUGH, UM, THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SERVICES.THE 21.8% IS GURE, WHICH IS OUR AGING, UM, MONEY SERVING 60 AND OLDER.
AND THEN THE 7.4% IS OTHER INCOME, WHICH IS PRIMARILY DONATIONS WE RECEIVE PER FOR PEOPLE, UM, UTILIZING OUR DINING SERVICES.
AND THEN THE, THE SMALLER PIECE OF THE PIE, AND I DON'T THINK THE NUMBERS CAME UP APPROPRIATELY, BUT IS A BREAKDOWN OF THE BIGGEST PIECE OF OUR PIE OF THAT, UH, LABELED GEARS.
SO 32% OF THAT 58, UM, PERCENT OF THAT FUNDING IS STATE FUNDING, AND 25% OF THAT IS MEDICAID DOLLARS THAT WE RECEIVE FOR DOING CERTAIN ACTIVITIES WITHIN THE A DRC.
SO STAFF ARE DOING A, UM, MAJORITY OF STAFF DO A HUNDRED PERCENT TIME REPORT BASED ON THE THINGS THAT THEY'RE WORKING ON WITH OUR PARTICIPANTS.
UM, THEY ARE RECEIVING MEDICAID MATCH DOLLARS, UM, FOR DOING THOSE, THOSE SERVICES OR PROVIDING THOSE SERVICES.
TAMMY, CAN YOU HELP US WITH THE ACRONYM? WE PROBABLY AREN'T GONNA REMEMBER 'EM, BUT THE GEARS AND THE GOI, I KNOW YOU SAID ONE WAS AGING, THE GOI AND THE HEALTH SERVICE.
THE GEARS IS THE, THE, UH, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SERVICES THAT IS, IT'S KIND, IT'S THEIR FINANCIAL TERM.
BASICALLY HOW WE CLAIM THE DOLLARS AND GIR IS THE GREATER WISCONSIN AGENCY ON AGING RESOURCES.
SO IT'S A DRC AND AGING AND A WHOLE BUNCH OF ACRONYMS THAT DON'T MAKE SENSE TO ANYBODY.
SO IT'S WHERE WE, WE PUT ALL THE THINGS WE DO INTO, OR I DON'T, MEGAN PUTS ALL THOSE THINGS WE DO INTO A SYSTEM AND THAT'S HOW WE, UM, GET OUR FUNDING, UH, THAT'S ALLOCATED TO US.
AND THEN THOSE MEDICAID MATCH DOLLARS.
UM, PAGE TWO AND PAGE THREE NOW ARE BROKEN DOWN, UH, BETWEEN AGING.
SO OAA IS OLDER AMERICANS ACT.
I DON'T KNOW THAT I REALLY WANNA GET INTO AGAIN, THE WEEDS, BUT AT THE BOTTOM YOU'LL SEE KIND OF THAT PURPLISH PINKISH TAX LEVY COLUMN, UM, TAX LEVY DOLLARS THAT, UM, WE GET AT THE A DRC ARE PRIMARILY USED TO SUPPORT OUR HOME DELIVERED MEAL PROGRAM.
UM, THE FUNDING HAS REMAINED PRETTY STAGNANT FOREVER AND EVER.
UM, BUT THE, THE COST TO PROVIDE THOSE MEALS IS, UM, IS A LOT.
UM, AND THEN THE OTHER TAX LEVY DOLLARS ARE DOLLARS THAT WE ARE REQUIRED TO MATCH FOR THOSE OTHER PROGRAMS. UM, SO SOME OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT THAT'S PROVIDED ME OVERSEEING THE PROGRAMS, MEGAN, UM, DOING THE ACCOUNTING THINGS AND OTHER STAFF THAT HAVE A SMALL PART IN THOSE PROGRAMS, UM, THOSE DOLLARS ARE THEN, UM, TAX LEVY DOLLARS THAT WE ARE REQUIRED TO MATCH FOR THOSE PROGRAMS PER OUR GRANT.
AND THEN, UM, THE PAGE THREE IS OUR A DRC FUNDING.
SO THE BIG PIECE OF THE PIE IS KIND OF OUR BIG, OUR BIG BASE GRANT.
UM, AND THEN THE SMALLER CHUNK OF THE PIE IS BROKEN OUT INTO THE OTHER PIE.
THOSE ARE JUST KIND OF OTHER LITTLE GRANTS.
WE'RE GETTING THAT MAKEUP MAKE UP THE WHOLE PIE.
SO OUR INFORMATION AND ASSISTANCE SPECIALIST TEAM, OUR BENEFITS SPECIALIST TEAM, OUR DEMENTIA CAREGIVER SUPPORT SPECIALIST, AND OUR INDEPENDENT LIVING SUPPORT, UM, PILOT PROGRAM, ALL OF, UM, YOU CAN TAKE A LOOK AT ALL OF THOSE NUMBERS.
UM, TOTAL, OUR, OUR MEDICAID MATCH FOR, FOR THOSE SERVICES FOR A DRC GIVES US APPROXIMATELY $725,000 A YEAR TOWARDS OUR, OUR FUNDING TO RUN THOSE PROGRAMS. SO LOTS OF NUMBERS AND, AND LOTS OF PROGRAMS RAMS. UM, A VERY COMPLICATED SYSTEM THAT IS, UH, THAT MEGAN MADE AS EASY AS WE COULD TO UNDERSTAND
SO APPRECIATE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT ANY OF THAT? NOTHING.
WE APPRECIATE THE GRAPHS THOUGH, 'CAUSE AT LEAST IT DOES HELP
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US TO VISUALIZE A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT, ESPECIALLY CHUNKS WHERE THE BIGGER CHUNKS ARE GOING AND YEAH, WHAT'S HAPPENING.UM, THAT'S IT FOR OUR AGENDA TODAY.
OUR NEXT MEETING WILL BE APRIL 23RD.
JUST PAY ATTENTION 'CAUSE THAT IS THE FOURTH THURSDAY OF THE MONTH, BUT THERE ARE FIVE OR WEDNESDAY.
THERE ARE FIVE OF 'EM IN APRIL.
SO WE'RE NOT THE 30TH, BUT THE 23RD WE WILL MEET.
SO EVERYONE HAVE A GREAT AFTERNOON.
WE HAD A PRETTY EXCITING ONE THE LAST TIME, SO I GET A RESPONSE FROM WHAT I TOLD MY HUSBAND, I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE ABOUT A HALF HOUR.
I DIDN'T REALIZE WHO SHE WAS, SO I HAPPY TO SEE RESPONSE.
IF ANYTHING THAT TELLS HER WE'RE NOT ALL THAT.