[00:01:07]
I THINK I LIKE BEING BACK HERE A LITTLE FURTHER.
NO, I'M NOT PHOTOGENIC WITH THE CAMERA.
DID I MISS ANYTHING TUESDAY AT THE WCA OR MONDAY NIGHT? THAT WAS GOOD, OR NO? WE HAD A GOOD TIME.
WE WILL CALL TO ORDER THIS, UH, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, UH, COMMITTEE MEETING WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24TH.
WE WILL, THE AFFIDAVIT OF POSTING WAS POSTED ACCURATELY.
UM, WILL RISE FOR A MOMENT OF SILENT PRAYER AND THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
I PLEDGE PLEDGE, I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO TESTIFY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH MEANS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVIDUAL WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
UH, ANYONE HAVE ANY MODIFICATIONS TO THE MINUTES FROM JULY 30TH MEETING? OKAY.
SEEING NONE, WE WILL MARK THOSE AS APPROVED.
UM, I WILL, BEFORE WE START WITH OUR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH DIVISION, UM, CLINIC UPDATE, JULIE'S GONNA GIVE US A FEW, FEW WORDS, UPDATES.
UM, SO, UM, MANY OF YOU MAY OR MAY NOT BE AWARE THAT PART OF OUR, UM, RESPONSIBILITY UNDER STATUTE FOR HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES IS ALSO TO HAVE A HUMAN SERVICES BOARD.
UM, AND THAT BOARD CONSISTS OF MEMBERS OF, OF OUR HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE, UM, WHICH ARE COUNTY SUPERVISORS AS YOURSELF, BUT THEN ALSO, UM, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, UM, AT LEAST THREE COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
[00:05:01]
YEARS.WE'VE HAD VARIOUS ITERATIONS OF THE, THE HUMAN SERVICES BOARD PART OF OUR COMMITTEE.
UM, IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, UM, IT'S BEEN REALLY CHALLENGING TO ENGAGE, UM, HUMAN SERVICE BOARD MEMBERS, UM, BECAUSE WE WERE NOT CONVENING THEM THAT OFTEN, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, WHO WANTS TO BE PART OF A, A BOARD THAT YOU DON'T COME TO A MEETING ONCE OR TWICE A YEAR.
SO, UM, AFTER, UM, A LOT OF DISCUSSION, WE'VE DECIDED TO GO BACK TO THE WAY THAT WE DID IT MAYBE FIVE OR SIX YEARS AGO, WHERE THE HUMAN SERVICES BOARD AND THE COMMITTEE CONVENED AT THE SAME TIME.
SO, TODAY WE HAVE CHERYL SMITH, WHO'S OUR, UH, OUR BOARD MEMBER, OUR NEW BOARD MEMBER, UM, AND I WORKED WITH CHERYL IN THE PAST THROUGH NAMI.
SO WE HAVE, UM, A GOOD LONG CONNECTION THERE.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE ANOTHER HUMAN SERVICES BOARD, UM, MEMBER THAT WAS APPROVED AT THE COUNTY BOARD SUIT, UM, MEETING LAST MONTH.
UM, RILEY HANSEN, HE HAD A LAST MINUTE, UM, CONFLICT AND SO COULDN'T ATTEND TODAY.
BUT WE ARE WORKING TOWARDS, UM, BUILDING OUT THE HUMAN SERVICES BOARD, UM, AS I THINK IT'LL BE VERY, UM, IMPACTFUL TO THE WORK THAT WE DO.
AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, COMPLIANT WITH STATUTE.
UM, THE THING THAT GETS MAKES IT A LITTLE TRICKY IS THE HUMAN SERVICES BOARD ONLY GETS TO, UM, WEIGH IN ON HUMAN SERVICE AGENDA ITEMS. AND SO, YOU KNOW, THIS IS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.
SO WE HAVE THE A DRC VETS AND THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT WHO OFTEN COME AND BRING AGENDA ITEMS FORTH TO THIS COMMITTEE.
UM, AND SO HUMAN SERVICE BOARD MEMBERS DO NOT WEIGH IN, UM, ON THOSE AGENDA ITEMS. UM, AND SO BECAUSE THEY HAVE THEIR OWN BOARDS OR THEIR OWN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, UM, THIS WILL BE A LEARNING PROCESS.
WE'LL TRY TO BE, WE'RE WE'RE HUMAN SERVICES RIGHTS, SO WE'LL TRY TO HELP EACH OTHER OUT IN THIS.
UM, BUT THE OTHER THING THAT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT IS HUMAN SERVICE BOARD MEMBERS ALSO DO NOT HAVE A VOTE.
UM, SO WHEN WE BRING FORTH RESOLUTIONS OR ORDINANCES, UM, THOSE ARE COUNTY, YOU KNOW, LEVEL, UM, DECISIONS.
AND SO THOSE VOTES ARE AT THE, AT THE, UM, COUNTY BOARD SUPERVISOR'S DISCRETION.
UM, BUT THEIR INPUT, THEIR IDEAS, THEIR THOUGHTS, UM, COULD REALLY HELP US, UM, AS WE CONTINUE TO WORK TOWARDS, UM, YOU KNOW, MEETING THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY.
SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE, UM, SINCE THIS IS NEW AND DIFFERENT, UM, SOME FOLKS WEREN'T AWARE OF THAT.
AND, AND THIS IS CHERYL'S FIRST MEETING, SO WE'LL, WE'LL COBBLE ALONG TOGETHER, UM, THESE FIRST COUPLE MONTHS.
OKAY, SO OUR FIRST AGENDA ITEM THEN IS BE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH DIVISION, UM, THE OUTPATIENT MENTAL HEALTH CLINIC UPDATE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.
MY NAME IS KRISTY WI NIKKI SVI, AND I SUPERVISE OUR OUTPATIENT SERVICES.
SO THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME TAKE A FEW MINUTES OF YOUR TIME TO JUST SHARE A LITTLE BIT WITH YOU ABOUT WHAT WE DO.
UM, WHEN I MEET NEW STAFF AT THE COUNTY, I LIKE TO TELL THEM THAT OUR OUTPATIENT SERVICES HAS A COUPLE DIFFERENT COMPONENTS THAT ALL WORK TOGETHER.
SO THE FIRST PART I'M GOING TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT IS OUR OUTPATIENT CLINIC.
UM, SO OUR CLINIC IS LICENSED AS AN OUTPATIENT INTEGRATED BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CLINIC, WHICH JUST IS A LOT OF WORDS, UM, TO SAY THAT WE CAN TREAT BOTH MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS IN AN OUTPATIENT FACILITY.
SO IT, YOU THINK ABOUT A TYPICAL CLINIC IN THE COMMUNITY, IT VERY MUCH MIRRORS THAT IT MIRRORS A DOCTOR'S OFFICE.
YOU COME TO THE OFFICE FOR YOUR APPOINTMENT, UM, THAT COULD BE ANYWHERE FROM 30 TO 60 MINUTES ON YOUR WAY OUT.
YOU SCHEDULE YOUR NEXT APPOINTMENT AND YOU'RE ON YOUR MERRY WAY.
THERE ARE SOME DIFFERENCES BETWEEN HOW WE OPERATE AND HOW OUR PARTNERS IN THE COMMUNITY OPERATE.
SO I'D LIKE TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU TODAY.
UM, ONE IS REALLY IN TERMS OF ACCESSIBILITY.
SO WE ACCEPT MEDICAID INSURANCE FOR OUR SERVICES.
WHILE THERE ARE OTHER, UM, CLINICS IN THE COMMUNITY THAT ACCEPT MEDICAID, WHAT I THINK YOU'LL FIND UNIQUE IS HOW WE MARRY MEDICAID WITH SOME OF THE OTHER INSURANCE SITUATIONS THAT WE ACCEPT.
SO WE ALSO WORK WITH FOLKS THAT HAVE NO INSURANCE AT ALL.
TYPICALLY, IF YOU HAVE NO INSURANCE AND YOU GO TO A CLINIC IN THE COMMUNITY, YOU WOULD PROBABLY HAVE TO PAY YOUR BALANCE IN FULL WRITE UP FRONT.
WE WORK OFF OF A PAYMENT PLAN, WHICH MAKES IT MUCH MORE ACCESSIBLE.
WASHINGTON COUNTY HAS A, A PRETTY DECENT POPULATION OF FOLKS, ESPECIALLY IN THE TRADES THAT HOVER RIGHT AROUND THAT MEDICAID ELIGIBILITY.
SO THEY GO ON AND OFF MEDICAID PRETTY FREQUENTLY, DEPENDING ON HOW MANY HOURS THEY GET THAT MONTH.
UM, AND IF THEY WERE AT A PRIVATE CLINIC, THAT TREATMENT WOULD BE INTERRUPTED EVERY TIME THEY LOST THEIR MEDICAID.
WHEREAS WITH US, THEY CAN CONTINUE THEIR TREATMENT AND JUST ADJUST HOW IT'S PAID FROM MONTH TO MONTH.
UM, SIMILARLY WE ACCEPT PRIVATE INSURANCE IN SOME CASES.
SO BECAUSE WE DO HAVE CLINICS IN THE COMMUNITY THAT CAN SERVE THAT POPULATION, WE GENERALLY WILL ONLY START WITH FOLKS IF THEY HAVE MEDICAID OR NO INSURANCE.
HOWEVER, WE DO HAVE THAT LUCKY SCENARIO WHERE FOLKS START WITH US ON MEDICAID OR
[00:10:01]
HAVE NO INSURANCE, AND THEN THEY START TO FEEL BETTER.THEY GET A DIFFERENT JOB, THEY GAIN THAT, UM, PROVIDER OR THE EMPLOYEE, UM, PROVIDED INSURANCE, AND WE DON'T WANNA INTERRUPT THAT TRAJECTORY.
SO WE KEEP THEM WITH OUR SERVICES UNTIL THEY ARE CLINICALLY READY TO GRADUATE TREATMENT.
OTHER CLINICS IN THE COMMUNITY TYPICALLY ACCEPT EITHER PRIVATE OR MEDICAID.
AND SO AGAIN, WHEN THEY GAIN THAT PRIVATE INSURANCE, THEY LOSE THEIR PROVIDER, THEY GO SOMEWHERE ELSE AND TRY AND START OVER.
JUST NOT AN IDEAL SITUATION FOR THEM.
SO BY UM, BEING ABLE TO MARRY THESE THREE TOGETHER, WE'RE ABLE TO MAKE OUR CLINIC MUCH MORE ACCESSIBLE.
UM, WE ALSO ARE UNIQUE IN TERMS OF HOW WE PARTNER WITH THE VA.
SO PREVIOUSLY OUR VETERANS IN THE AREA WOULD NEED TO GO ALL THE WAY TO THE VA IN MILWAUKEE FOR THEIR TREATMENT.
NOW WE ARE SET UP TO BE A PROVIDER FOR THE VA'S COMMUNITY CARE INSURANCE, SO THEY CAN COME RIGHT HERE IN WESTBOUND.
UM, AND FOR A POPULATION THAT IS REALLY HARD TO ENGAGE IN MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT, THAT'S HUGE.
UM, OUR VETERAN SERVICES OFFICER, KURT, HAS REALLY EDUCATED US AS WELL ON THE SPECIFIC TRAUMA TRIGGERS THAT CAN GO ALONG WITH DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY DOWN TO MILWAUKEE.
UM, SO BEING ABLE TO REMOVE THAT BARRIER HAS BEEN REALLY, REALLY EXCITING.
UM, SOME OTHER PIECES THAT MAKE US UNIQUE IS THAT WE'RE VERY GOAL-FOCUSED.
SO FROM THE MOMENT THAT OUR CLIENT STARTS WITH US, WE TALK TO THEM ABOUT WHAT DO WE NEED TO ACCOMPLISH TOGETHER SO THAT YOU DON'T NEED ME ANYMORE.
WE WANT THEM TO WORK THROUGH WHAT THEY NEED TO WORK THROUGH, GAIN THE SKILLS THEY NEED FOR NOW AND FOR YEARS TO COME SO THAT THEY CAN GRADUATE THAT TREATMENT.
UM, WE ALSO TREAT ACROSS THE LIFESPAN.
SO MANY OF THE CLINICS IN THE COMMUNITY
[a. Behavioral Health Division: Outpatient Mental Health Clinic Update]
WILL TREAT ADULTS, BUT AT THE YOUNGER THE CLIENT GETS, THE HARDER IT IS TO FIND TREATMENT.SO OUR ADOLESCENTS, OUR YOUTH, OUR TODDLERS HAVE A REALLY HARD TIME FINDING TREATMENT IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, SO WE ARE UNIQUE IN THAT CAPACITY.
UM, WE ALSO REALLY INVEST IN EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES, THOSE PRACTICES THAT SCIENCE DOES WORK.
UM, IT IS REALLY HARD FOR A PRIVATE CLINICIAN AT A PRIVATE PRACTICE TO INVEST THE TIME AND THE MONEY TO GO OUT AND GET THE COMPREHENSIVE TRAINING AND SUPERVISION TO BE ABLE TO BECOME CERTIFIED IN THESE SPECIALTIES.
BUT BECAUSE WASHINGTON COUNTY UTILIZES GRANT FUNDING VERY WELL, UM, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO REALLY BUILD OUT A GOOD SOLID TEAM.
SO WE DO PROVIDE PARENT-CHILD INTERACTION THERAPY, TRAUMA-FOCUSED COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY AND DIALECTICAL BEHAVIOR THERAPY.
UM, THE MIDDLE ONE, I WILL SAY THE, THE T-F-C-B-T IS MORE ACCESSIBLE IN THE COMMUNITY.
THE WISCONSIN TRAUMA PROJECT DID SOME WORK ABOUT SEVEN YEARS AGO, UM, IN THE COMMUNITY.
THOSE PROVIDERS, I WOULD SAY ARE MORE USED TO A SINGLE INCIDENT TRAUMA, LIKE A CAR ACCIDENT.
OUR PROVIDERS ARE USED TO WORKING WITH CHRONIC CASES OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT.
SO WE ARE UNIQUELY POSITIONED TO SERVE THAT POPULATION.
UM, THE FIRST AND THE THIRD ON THAT LIST, THE PARENT-CHILD INTERACTION THERAPY AND THE DIALECTICAL BEHAVIOR THERAPY ARE EXTRAORDINARILY DIFFICULT TO ACCESS IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, THEY'RE ALSO VERY, VERY, VERY EFFECTIVE.
UM, SO WE DO ACCEPT PRIVATE INSURANCE FOR THOSE MODALITIES BECAUSE WE WANT WASHINGTON COUNTY RESIDENTS TO GET THE SERVICES THAT THEY NEED.
UM, SOMETHING ELSE YOU WOULD NOT FIND AT A CLINIC.
UM, WE ARE ALL TRAINED IN CHILD ADULT RELATIONSHIP ENHANCEMENT.
UM, SO THAT IS A SET OF SKILLS FOR ANY ADULT WORKING WITH ANY CHILD, UM, TO REALLY NURTURE A HEALTHY ATTACHMENT STYLE AND INCREASE COMPLIANCE FOR THE KIDDO, WHICH MAKES ALL ADULTS HAPPY.
WE HAVE TRAINED OTHER TEAMS IN THE DIVISION, UM, AND WE ALSO OFFER TRAININGS IN THE COMMUNITY FOR OUR CAREGIVERS.
SO THEY HAVE THOSE SKILLS THEMSELVES.
WE ALSO HAVE SOME UNIQUE ASPECTS AROUND OUR PSYCHIATRY SERVICES.
SO ONE IS THAT WE OFFER MEDICATION ASSISTED TREATMENT OPTIONS.
THOSE ARE MEDICATIONS SPECIFIC FOR SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS.
UM, AGAIN, WE ARE SEEING THAT BECOME MORE AVAILABLE.
HOWEVER, MOST CLINICS DO NOT PROVIDE THE NUMBER OF OPTIONS THAT WE DO.
SO WE ARE ABLE TO TALK WITH CLIENTS ABOUT IF THEY NEED AN ORAL MEDICATION, AN INJECTION, WHAT TYPE OF MEDICATION MEETS THEIR NEEDS, UM, AND THAT HAS REALLY ALLOWED US TO ENGAGE QUITE THE POPULATION, UM, IN THEIR RECOVERY.
AND THEN MANY CLIENT UH, CLINICS WILL ALSO REQUIRE, IF YOU WANT ACCESS TO PSYCHIATRY, TO ENGAGE IN THERAPY AS WELL.
UM, I AM A THERAPIST BY TRADE.
AND THERE ARE CERTAIN DIAGNOSES THAT ANY THERAPIST WILL TELL YOU THAT THERAPY CAN'T FIX THAT, THAT'S A MEDICATION ISSUE, RIGHT? IF WE THINK ABOUT BIPOLAR DISORDER, SCHIZOPHRENIA, UM, EVEN A CHILD WITH A DHD, THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH WE CAN DO IN THERAPY AND THEY NEED ACCESS TO THEIR MEDICATION.
WHY ARE WE ADDING ON EXTRA APPOINTMENTS FOR THEM? SO WE DO ALLOW CLIENTS TO ENGAGE IN MEDICATION ONLY SERVICES, WHICH JUST MAKES IT MUCH MORE ACCESSIBLE AND CONVENIENT FOR THEM.
NOW, MOVING ON TO ANOTHER COMPONENT
[00:15:01]
THAT WE HAVE IN OUTPATIENT SERVICES.WE HAVE SPECIFIC SERVICES AROUND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS THAT COMPLIMENT OUR CLINIC REALLY WELL.
SO AGAIN, WE ARE A FACILITY WHERE YOU COME AND RECEIVE YOUR TREATMENT AND LEAVE TYPICALLY NO MORE THAN ONE HOUR A WEEK.
UM, BUT WHEN WE LOOK AT SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS IN PARTICULAR, THERE IS A BROAD ARRAY OF TREATMENT OPTIONS.
SO THERE ARE OTHER TYPES OF TREATMENT WHERE YOU STILL GO RECEIVE YOUR TREATMENT AND GO HOME, BUT SOME CAN BE UP TO 20, 25 HOURS A WEEK.
UM, THERE ARE OTHER TREATMENT OPTIONS THAT YOU GO AND LIVE SOMEWHERE.
SO ALL OF OUR STAFF WILL ASSESS A CLIENT, UM, WITH A SPECIFIC ASSESSMENT TOOL CALLED THE A SAM, UM, AND DETERMINE WHERE THIS CLIENT WOULD, UH, RECEIVE THE MOST BENEFIT, WHAT WOULD BE MOST APPROPRIATE FOR THEM.
SO IF IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE PROVIDE, WE HAVE PARTNERSHIPS IN THE COMMUNITY AND CONTRACTS IN THE COMMUNITY TO PROVIDE THAT LEVEL OF SERVICE.
SOMETIMES IT'S AS SIMPLE AS A PHONE NUMBER, CALL THESE PEOPLE.
UM, SOMETIMES THERE'S MORE THAT IS REQUIRED REGARDING THE INTAKE PROCESS, AND WE'LL WALK ALONGSIDE OUR CLIENTS TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE ABLE TO COMPLETE THAT.
ANOTHER ASPECT WE NEED TO ADDRESS IS THE FUNDING.
SO INSURANCE ONLY COVERS SO MUCH.
UM, WE, AGAIN, IF THEY'RE WORKING WITH US DIRECTLY, WE OFFER PAYMENT PLANS, BUT A LOT OF OUR PROVIDERS IN THE COMMUNITY DO NOT.
UM, SO WE HAVE A VARIETY OF GRANT PROGRAMS THAT WE LOOK AT.
UM, WE HAVE A SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER COORDINATOR WHO DOES A GREAT JOB DESIGNING THESE GRANT APPLICATIONS, MANAGING THE BUDGET TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT FUNDING IS NOT THE REASON SOMEONE DOES NOT GET THE TREATMENT THAT THEY NEED.
UM, SO FIRST WE LOOK AT INSURANCE.
WE DO ALSO, IF YOU'LL SEE AN ASTERISK UNDER COST SHARE, WE DO LOOK AT WHAT CAN THIS PERSON AFFORD TO PAY ON THEIR OWN, UM, BECAUSE WE DO REALLY VALUE THAT INDEPENDENCE, BUT THEN WE WILL MAKE SURE, UM, TO LOOK AT WHAT ARE OPTIONS FOR MAKING UP THAT BALANCE SO THAT SOMEONE IS NOT, NOT GETTING THE TREATMENT THAT THEY NEED.
ANOTHER, UM, COMPONENT WE OFFER IS CASE MANAGEMENT.
SO WE HAVE A CASE MANAGER SPECIFICALLY FOR INDIVIDUALS WORKING ON THEIR RECOVERY FROM SUBSTANCE USE.
I'VE LISTED A COUPLE OF OUR REFERRAL SOURCES UP THERE.
WE HAVE GREAT RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE JAIL, PROBATION AND PAROLE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES.
UM, AND PART OF THE REASON WE HAVE A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM IS OUR FLEXIBILITY.
WE WILL MEET THAT CLIENT WHEREVER THEY ARE AT.
SO WE MEET THEM IN OUR OFFICES, WE MEET WITH THEM IN OUR HOMES, UM, WE MEET THEM IN THE COMMUNITY AND WE WILL GO MEET WITH THEM IN THE JAIL.
WE HAVE SOME SPECIFIC PROGRAMMING WHERE WE MEET WITH THEM BEFORE THEY ARE RELEASED.
THEY ARE AS MEDICATION THEY CAN RECEIVE WHILE INCARCERATED TO REALLY GET THAT IN THEIR SYSTEM BEFORE THEY'RE ENCOUNTERING THE PUBLIC.
AND SOME TRIGGERS THAT COME WITH THAT.
UM, AND THEN WE CAN PROVIDE THAT ONGOING CASE MANAGEMENT RECOVERY REALLY IS A VERY COMPREHENSIVE TASK.
UM, TREATMENT IS JUST ONE COMPONENT.
WE ALSO LOOK AT THINGS LIKE EMPLOYMENT, HOUSING, BUDGETING.
UM, MORE AND MORE WE FIND FOLKS THAT NEED HELP FINDING THAT SOBER SUPPORT NETWORK.
IT'S HARD TO FIND FRIENDS IF YOU'RE NOT HANGING OUT IN A BAR OR SO I'M TOLD.
SO, UM, WE HELP THEM FIND DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES TO BUILD UP THOSE SUPPORTS.
UM, SO I HAVE PUT MY CONTACT INFORMATION UP THERE.
I'LL GIVE YOU A MINUTE TO TO WRITE THAT DOWN IF YOU NEED IT.
FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT TO ME VIA PHONE OR EMAIL IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
I'VE ALSO LISTED MORGAN KE HAS, SHE IS OUR SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER COORDINATOR.
SHE IS A GREAT RESOURCE FOR ANYTHING SUBSTANCE USE RELATED.
UM, AND I PUT OUR FRONT DESK, SO I KNOW THAT IT CAN BE VERY OVERWHELMING FOR OUR CLIENTS.
UM, TRYING TO KEEP TRACK OF WHO IS WHO AND WHERE DO I GO TO FOR WHAT I WOULD RECOMMEND THE FRONT DESK.
UM, WE HAVE A REALLY GREAT SUPPORT TEAM, UM, THAT IF THEY CALL AND LET THEM KNOW WHAT IT IS THAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR OR WHAT IT IS THAT THEY NEED, UM, THEY WILL GET YOU TO THE RIGHT PERSON.
SO ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME? ANY QUESTIONS? YES.
GALLES, YOU MENTIONED EARLIER ABOUT ADOLESCENT TREATMENT.
THAT DIFFICULT FOR TREATMENT FOR ADOLESCENTS TO FIND A TREATMENT.
DID I HEAR THAT RIGHT? DIFFICULT TO FIND A TREATMENT PROVIDER? YEAH.
IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE ASKING? IT CAN BE.
UM, A LOT OF PROVIDERS ARE COMFORTABLE TREATING ADULTS.
NOT AS MANY HAVE SPECIALIZED TRAINING AND HOW TO TREAT ADOLESCENTS.
AND THERE ARE A LOT OF COMPLICATING FACTORS THAT COME WITH TREATING MINORS THAT NOT ALL PROVIDERS ARE COMFORTABLE WITH WHEN IT COMES TO, WELL, WHAT INFORMATION DO I SHARE WITH MOM, DAD, OR CAREGIVER? WHAT, WHAT CONSENTS NEED TO BE SIGNED? WHAT IF THE, THE CAREGIVER HAS DIFFERENT GOALS THAN THE CHILD? THINGS THAT IF YOU'RE USED TO WORKING WITH ADOLESCENTS, YOU CAN EASILY NAVIGATE, BUT IF YOU DON'T HAVE THAT SPECIALIZED TRAINING, IT CAN MAKE PROVIDERS VERY UNCOMFORTABLE.
ANYTHING ELSE? THAT WAS VERY COMPREHENSIVE.
MAY I JUST ADD SOMETHING? ABSOLUTELY.
[00:20:01]
YOU.SO, UH, SO REALLY APPRECIATE CHRISTY GIVING THAT, THAT HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW.
AND, UM, I JUST WANNA SAY, YOU KNOW, THE, THE CLINIC TEAM, THE OUTPATIENT CLINIC TEAM, UM, IS VERY DEDICATED.
UM, AND NUMBER OF YEARS AGO NOW, UM, MAYBE ABOUT FIVE OR SIX YEARS AGO, WE IMPLEMENTED, UM, SOMETHING CALLED, UM, UH, JUST IN TIME SCHEDULING TO REDUCE OUR WAIT TIME TO SEE A PSYCHIATRIST AND TO SEE A PROVIDER, UM, AS WELL AS, UM, DROP IN HOURS FOR OUR CLINIC.
SO THERE ARE HOURS EVERY SINGLE WEEK WITHIN THE OUTPATIENT CLINIC WHERE PEOPLE CAN JUST COME IN AND RECEIVE THEIR THAT FIRST APPOINTMENT BECAUSE WE KNOW, ESPECIALLY WHEN SOMEBODY'S IN CRISIS THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY WANNA GO SEE SERV, GO SEE SOMEONE THAT RIGHT THEN AND THERE OR RECEIVE SERVICES RIGHT THEN AND THERE.
AND IF THEY HAVE TO WAIT TWO AND THREE AND FOUR WEEKS, SOMETIMES THE CRISIS RESOLVES, BUT THE ISSUES HAVEN'T RESOLVED.
UM, AND SO THAT'S BEEN A REALLY GREAT, UM, ADDITION.
IT HAS REDUCED OUR WAIT LIST TO NOTHING.
UM, SO WE DON'T HAVE A WAIT LIST FOR SERVICE.
UM, AS CHRISTY SAID, YOU KNOW, THE BEST WAY TO FIND OUT WHEN THOSE HOURS ARE IS FOR SOMEONE TO CALL THE FRONT DESK AND FIND OUT THE HOURS FOR THAT WEEK.
UM, BUT IT HAS BEEN A REALLY GREAT, UM, INITIATIVE.
IT'S BEEN VERY INNOVATIVE AND REALLY HAS CHANGED, I THINK, THE WAY, UM, IN WHICH PEOPLE ACCESS SERVICES IN WASHINGTON COUNTY.
UM, I'D ALSO LIKE TO ADD THAT, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, CHRISTIAN AND HER TEAM OFFER TO, UM, THERAPISTS THAT WE HIRE IS TO HIRE THERAPISTS IN TRAINING.
UM, SO THERAPISTS WHO ARE LOOKING FOR THEIR 3000 HOURS, THAT BACK IN MY DAY, YOU KNOW, A LONG TIME AGO YOU USED HAVE TO PAY, UM, SOMEBODY TO SUPERVISE YOUR CLINICAL HOURS.
UM, AND SO WE ARE ABLE TO, UM, BRING SOMEBODY IN WHO NEEDS THEIR CLINICAL HOURS, UM, SUPERVISE, IT'S A LOT OF WORK FOR OUR SUPERVISORS, BUT IN, IN MANY WAYS, UM, WE'RE REALLY TRAINING THAT NEXT GENERATION, UM, AND HELPING THEM TO UNDERSTAND THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, AND WE ARE STILL ABLE TO BILL FOR THE SERVICES THAT THEY PROVIDE.
SO, UM, IT'S BEEN A, A GREAT UNDERTAKING THAT CHRISTINE AND HER TEAM HAVE DONE.
UM, BUT I THINK IT HAS BEEN VERY VALUABLE AS WELL.
THAT WOULD'VE BEEN MY QUESTION.
CAN YOU BILL FOR THEIR, THE, UM, NOT THE JUST IN TIME, BUT THE, UH, TRAINING AND THAT'S GREAT.
ANY QUESTIONS, SUPERVISOR? KS PROMPTED ONE, UH, ONE ADDITIONAL THOUGHT.
SO WE HAVE THE SHERIFF DEPARTMENT, THE CRISIS OR CARE TEAM.
HOW DO YOU GUYS WORK WITH THEM? IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, CONS, CONSTITUENTS, RESIDENTS THAT MAY NOT KNOW A SERVICES, DO WE GET REFERRALS FROM THEM TO YOU GUYS? YEP.
SO THE COS RESPONDER TEAM THAT'S WORKING RIGHT IN THE COMMUNITY AND THOSE CRISIS MOMENTS THAT ARE, THAT ARE SEEKING OR WORKING WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE SEEKING SUPPORT, RIGHT IN THEN AND THERE, THEY MAKE THOSE DIRECT REFERRALS FOR THOSE CLIENTS.
AND I HAVE ACTUALLY SEEN MANY TIMES WHERE THE COS RESPONDER CLINICIAN HAS COME AND SAT WITH A CLIENT DURING THOSE OPEN ACCESS HOURS TO MAKE, YOU KNOW, SORT OF DO THAT WARM HANDOFF TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY GET CONNECTED TO THAT PROVIDER.
UM, SO THEY'VE WORKED VERY WELL TO SORT OF HELP CONNECT THE COMMUNITY LEVEL SERVICE TO WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR CLINIC.
UH, CHERYL, JULIE, HOW MANY HOURS A WEEK? IS THAT OPEN ACCESS APPROXIMATELY? OR DOES IT VARY? IT VARIES.
UM, OUR NEXT AGENDA ITEM WOULD BE THE, UH, VETERAN SERVICE QUARTERLY REPORT WITH KURT.
UM, SO JUST A, A QUARTERLY REPORT.
UM, I PUT IN SOME NEW DATA THAT, UH, I'LL KIND OF GO OVER WITH YOU AND I JUST WANNA TALK ABOUT THE CIVIL WAR MONUMENT COMMITTEE.
OUR VERY OWN SUPERVISOR TROUTNER CAME OUT AND GAVE A TALK, UH, AS PART OF OUR
[b. Veterans Services Quarterly Report]
CEREMONY FOR THE VAN VEAN, UH, CEMETERY, UH, DEDICATION, UH, AND ALL OF YOU HERE AND ANYBODY LISTENING ELSEWHERE, UM, I REALLY WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU BEFORE THIS PROJECT IS OVER TO COME ON OUT AND, AND CHECK OUT WHAT WE'RE DOING.IT'S, I THINK IT WAS A WONDERFUL DAY.
UM, WE HAD ABOUT, UH, 65 PEOPLE OR MORE IF THIS WAS AN ESTIMATE.
UM, BUT, UH, I THINK IT WAS, IT WAS PROBABLY THE BUSIEST VAN VEC CEMETERY HAS, HAS BEEN IN A LONG TIME.
SO, BUT IT WAS, IT WAS A WONDERFUL, IT WAS A WONDERFUL DAY.
UM, WE'RE REACHING A LOT OF PEOPLE AND EXPLAINING WHAT WE'RE DOING AND WHY WE'RE DOING IT, UH, WHICH IS OF COURSE, UM, YOU KNOW, BUILDING UP THE AUTHENTIC QUALITY OF LIFE HERE IN WASHINGTON COUNTY.
AND IT'S, IT'S LITERALLY, UH, OUR HISTORY HERE.
AND I, I THINK IT'S, I THINK IT'S WONDERFUL.
UM, SO THAT'S, UH, CIVIL WAR RECAP.
UM, THE GUITAR PROGRAM IS DOING GREAT.
UH, WE HAVE, UH, FUNDING FOR 11 STUDENTS AS OF RIGHT NOW FOR THIS, UH, FULL YEAR.
UM, IF YOU REMEMBER, WE BROKE AWAY FROM GUITARS FOR VETS BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T FULFILLING
[00:25:01]
THEIR SIDE OF THE MISSION.UM, AND, UH, AND NOW THROUGH PRIVATE DONATIONS, WE'VE GOT QUITE A BIT OF FUNDING.
AND FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, THERE IS MORE COMING.
SO, UM, UH, VERY PROUD OF THAT EFFORT AND, UH, AND THAT CONTINUES TO BE A WONDERFUL PROGRAM THAT'S GOING VERY WELL.
UH, AND THEN AS FAR AS THE DATA SET, UM, I, UH, I SCRAPPED THE, UH, THE DATA ON WALK-INS AND VISITS.
IT JUST WAS NOT BEARING ANY FRUIT.
UH, IN FACT, UH, LAST YEAR, SEPTEMBER WAS MY SLOWEST MONTH, AND NOW IT'S SHAPING UP TO BE MY BUSIEST MONTH.
SO IT WASN'T, UH, IT WASN'T GIVING ME ANY GOOD INDICATION OF, OF WORKFLOW OR ANY, UH, SORT OF DECISION, UH, METRICS THAT I COULD USE.
SO I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE INTERESTING FOR YOU ALL, UM, TO BREAK OUT CLAIMS BY MUNICIPALITY.
THIS IS SOMETHING WE TRACK, I THOUGHT, FOR YOUR CONSTITUENT SERVICES THAT MIGHT BE INTERESTING TO YOU, UM, UH, TO LOOK AT HOW, WHAT THE FREQUENCY IS OF CLAIMS, UM, BASED ON, ON WHERE YOU LIVE NOW.
UH, THIS IS ALL BY ZIP CODE, SO IF IT'S, IF THERE'S MULTIPLE ZIP CODES OR, UH, IF, UH, IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TOWNSHIPS, IT PROBABLY DOESN'T COVER EVERYTHING.
UM, BUT, UH, I THINK AS YOU'D IMAGINE WEST BEND BEING ONE OF, UH, OUR LARGEST MUNICIPALITY, UM, THEY OBVIOUSLY HAVE THE LARGEST QUANTITY OF CLAIMS. UM, WE ARE SEEING CLAIMS TRENDING UP, UH, AND THESE ARE, UM, UH, APPLES TO APPLES COMPARISONS YEAR TO YEAR.
BUT THIS IS ONLY NINE MONTHS OF THE YEAR EACH YEAR, UM, BECAUSE I WAS TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ENCOUNTERED THE DATA FROM THIS YEAR.
UM, SO THAT'S, UH, CLAIMS BY MUNICIPALITY.
UM, I THOUGHT THE NEXT, UH, UH, SET OF DATA, THE PROPERTY TAX CREDIT APPROVALS WOULD BE INTERESTING TO YOU.
UM, UH, THROUGHOUT THE LAST THREE YEARS, THE TOTAL AMOUNT HERE IS 105 PROPERTY TAX CREDIT APPROVALS.
UM, ONCE THEY'RE APPROVED, THEY JUST GO ON, ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.
SO THIS DOES NOT ENCOMPASS ALL OF THE PROPERTY TAX CREDIT GRANTS THAT PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTY ARE GETTING.
BUT OVER THE LAST, UH, THREE YEARS, THAT'S 105, WHICH IS ABOUT $6 MILLION A YEAR THAT THOSE PEOPLE ARE GETTING IN, UH, FEDERAL BENEFITS CASH EACH YEAR, AND 105 FULL PROPERTY TAX REIMBURSEMENTS EACH YEAR.
SO IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE IMPACT ON A FAMILY WITH A DISABLED PERSON WHO, UM, MAY, YOU KNOW, THEY ALL OWN HOMES, THAT'S THE ONLY WAY THEY GET THE PROPERTY TAX CREDIT.
UM, THESE ARE OUR, OUR FRIENDS AND, AND FAMILIES AND NEIGHBORS THAT PERHAPS COULD NOT HAVE PAID THOSE PROPERTY TAXES AND COULD HAVE GONE INTO DEFAULT OR HAD OTHER PROBLEMS. SO, UH, I THINK IT'S A, IT'S AN INTERESTING, IT'S AN INTERESTING DATA POINT AND, UH, I'M GLAD THAT THE STATE OF WISCONSIN PROVIDES THAT BENEFIT.
UM, ELECTRONIC ASSISTANCE REQUEST IS EXACTLY WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE.
UH, WE'VE SEEN AN INCREASE PRETTY STEADILY SINCE COVID BEFORE COVID, UH, THE, UH, THE COVID PERIOD.
UM, THE VA REQUIRED INK SIGNATURES, EVEN THOUGH WE WERE DOING ALL ELECTRONIC SUBMITTALS, TRY TO FIGURE THAT ONE OUT,
UM, BUT, UH, BECAUSE OF THAT AND, AND WANTING TO MA MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE FOLLOWING THE STATUTORY GUIDELINES, UM, WE, WE HAD TO HAVE EVERYBODY AT LEAST COME IN, IN PERSON, OR WE HAD TO GO SEE THEM IN PERSON, UH, AT LEAST FOR A BRIEF MOMENT TO GET THAT SIGNATURE.
UH, NOW WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO MOST OF THIS, UH, REMOTELY, WHICH HAS INCREASED OUR ABILITY TO, UM, TO SEE MORE FOLKS.
UH, IN FACT, MOST DAYS WHERE I'LL HAVE SCHEDULED APPOINTMENTS IN HOUSE, WE HAVE ANOTHER SET OF APPOINTMENTS THAT ARE DONE OVER THE PHONE OR ON THE COMPUTER, UH, THROUGHOUT THE DAY AS WE CAN FIT THEM IN.
SO IT'S, IT'S BEEN A GOOD THING FOR VETERANS.
IT'S CREATED A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A, A FASTER, FASTER PACE, UH, FOR SOME OF THE CLAIMS. UM, AND WHEN THERE'S RESEARCH INVOLVED, THAT GETS A LITTLE PROBLEMATIC.
BUT FOR THE MOST PART, I THINK IT'S A, A WONDERFUL THING.
UM, DEATH CERTIFICATE, REQUEST FOR BENEFITS.
I THOUGHT THIS WAS AN INTERESTING, UM, DATA POINT BECAUSE WE'RE SEEING, UM, WE'RE SEEING QUITE A FEW MORE OF OUR, OUR VETERANS WHO ARE A HUNDRED PERCENT SERVICE CONNECTED, PASSING AWAY.
THAT'S REALLY WHAT THIS TELLS YOU.
THE ONLY REASON WE WOULD BE SEEKING OUT DEATH CERTIFICATES IS FOR SURVIVOR BENEFITS.
SO THESE ARE SURVIVING SPOUSES THAT ARE, UM, GETTING BENEFITS BASED ON THEIR, THEIR VETERAN PASSING AWAY FROM A SERVICE RELATED ILLNESS.
UM, AND AS WE SEE THAT FREQUENCY INCREASING, THE VAST MAJORITY OF THAT IS THE VIETNAM VETERAN POPULATION, UNFORTUNATELY.
UM, AND THEN, UH, THE, THE LAST IS JUST, UH, CATCH ALL DATA THAT WE TRACK.
UM, THEY MIGHT BE REFERRALS FOR A DRC, ECONOMIC SUPPORT, UM, SCHOOL BENEFIT, UH, UH, ACTUAL BENEFIT APPLICATIONS THAT WE DO, UH, BUT NOT JUST QUESTIONS.
SO OUTTA THIS DATA OR ANYTHING ELSE THAT I'VE DISCUSSED, DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? SUPERVISOR BOSER? SO I'M LOOKING AT THE CLAIMS ACTION BY MUNICIPALITY CHART.
AND WHEN I COMPARE, LIKE WEST BEND TO GERMANTOWN, UH, IT LOOKS LIKE WEST BEND, DEPENDING ON THE YEAR, UM, IS HAVING SIX TIMES AS MANY OR EIGHT TIMES AS MANY CLAIMS AS GERMANTOWN, ARE THERE THAT MANY MORE VETERANS LIVING IN WEST BEND? OR IS THE DISTANCE A BARRIER? OR IS THE, IS THERE MORE OUTREACH NEEDED TO GERMANTOWN? UM, YEAH, I THINK
[00:30:01]
THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.I, MY, MY GUESS, ALTHOUGH I DO NOT KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION, WOULD BE THAT THERE'S JUST FRANKLY MORE THAT MANY MORE VETERANS LIVING IN WEST BEND THAN GERMANTOWN.
UM, WE, WE, UM, OR THE VETERANS IN GERMANTOWN OR THE SURROUNDING AREAS AREN'T FILING FORMAL CLAIMS. THEY'RE FILING OTHER CLAIM ACTIONS BECAUSE PERHAPS THEIR CLAIMS HAD BEEN DONE IN THE PAST.
UM, SO, UH, IF I HAD TO GUESS, AND IT WOULD BE JUST A GUESS, THERE'S A LOT MORE, UH, RENTAL OPTIONS IN WEST BEND, UH, MEANING THAT THERE WOULD PROBABLY BE YOUNGER VETERANS IN THE WEST BEND AREA, AND THAT WOULD LEAD TO MORE FREQUENT CLAIMS FROM THIS AREA AS OPPOSED TO GERMANTOWN.
I DON'T HAVE ANY DATA TO BACK THAT UP.
UM, IS THERE ANY WAY TO GET MORE DATA OR IS THAT WORTH GETTING MORE DATA FOR SURE.
I, I'D HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO, TO LOGICALLY FIND THAT WITHIN OUR DATA, BUT WE TRACK A LOT OF DIFFERENT DATA POINTS.
SO LET ME WORK ON THAT AND SEE IF I CAN YEAH.
I GUESS MY KEY CONCERN IS I WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT MISSING VETERANS IN GERMANTOWN THAT NEED SERVICE.
SO, AND MAYBE THAT'S NOT AN ISSUE.
YOU JUST SEE THIS DATA AND YOU KINDA LOOK AND GO, THAT'S ODD.
YEAH, I'LL WORK ON THAT FOR HOPEFULLY THE NEXT, THE NEXT TIME I COME BACK.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, THOUGHTS, COMMENTS? OKAY, THANKS, KURT.
UM, SO UP WE HAVE THE, UM, DISCUSSION OF THE DEPARTMENT BUDGETS AND, UH, AARON IS GOING TO BE SO KIND TO LEAD US THROUGH EACH OF THE, UH, PARTS OF, OF THE BUDGET.
I, UH, FIRST I HAVE A COUPLE JUST QUICK HOUSEKEEPING KIND OF NOTES.
[c. 2026-2027 Department Budgets Aging and Disability Resource Center Joint Health Human Services Veteran Services]
WE'LL PRESENT THESE BUDGETS IN ORDER, UH, AS THEY'RE LISTED IN THE PACKET.UM, YOU SEE THESE PAGES HERE HAVE SEVERAL DIFFERENT FINANCIAL TABLES.
SOME DEPARTMENTS ARE BROKEN UP IN MORE DETAIL THAN OTHERS.
UM, BUT REALLY THERE'S, THERE'S A FINANCIAL SECTION.
THERE'S, UM, HIGHLIGHTS, THERE ARE SUMMARIES OF SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN HERE.
UM, SO THOSE ARE WHAT WE CALL THE BUDGET BOOK PAGES.
UM, SOME DEPARTMENTS, AND REALLY, I THINK IN THIS PACKET IT'S JUST, UH, HUMAN SERVICES, JUST HSD, BUT SOME DEPARTMENTS HAVE WHAT WE CALL CAPITAL OUTLAY REQUEST FORMS. SO, UH, CAPITAL OUTLAY IS SOMETHING THAT'S MORE THAN FIVE.
IT'S AN ACCOUNTING RULE, MORE THAN $5,000.
UM, TYPICALLY IT'S LIKE A ONE TIME TYPE PURCHASE.
AND WE PUT THOSE IN HERE SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE WE TYPICALLY FUND THOSE WITH LIKE ONE TIME DOLLARS OF THE PROPERTY TAX RELIEF FUND.
AND I'LL NOTE THE, UM, I'LL NOTE WHEN THOSE ARE INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET REQUEST, UM, AND WHEN THEY'RE NOT.
UM, THE, AND JUST BEFORE YOU GET STARTED, ERIN, I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T ACKNOWLEDGE THAT TAMMY IS THE DEPARTMENT HEAD FOR OUR FIRST CATEGORY.
THAT WOULD BE WHY TAMMY'S STANDING HERE, SO I, YES, THAT'S RIGHT.
I I ONLY HAVE A COUPLE MORE BULLET POINTS THAT I WANTED TO JUST COVER.
UM, HSD ALSO HAS A FEE SCHEDULE INCLUDED IN HERE.
UM, AND SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE POINT THAT OUT AS WELL, BECAUSE THE STANDING COMMITTEES ARE THE, ARE THE ONES THAT, THAT REALLY REVIEW AND, AND PROVIDE THAT VALUABLE FEEDBACK ON THE FEE SCHEDULES AS WELL.
SO, UM, THAT IS KIND OF WHAT'S IN THE PACKET.
UM, YOU KNOW, JUST A, A REFRESHER ON THE PROCESS.
LAST MONTH, DEPARTMENTS PRESENTED THE BUDGET REQUESTS TO THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE, TO THE BUDGET TEAM.
UM, THE BOARD CHAIR WAS IN ATTENDANCE AT THOSE MEETINGS AS WAS, UM, THE STANDING COMMITTEE CHAIR FOR EACH OF THOSE AREAS.
AND SO WE, THAT'S SOMETHING WE'VE DONE THE LAST SEVERAL BUDGETS, AND IT SORT OF HELPS KINDA GET EVERYONE ACCLIMATED TO THE BUDGET PROCESS EARLY, AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE, REALLY.
UM, AND THEN TWO WEEKS AGO YOU HEARD A, UM, THE PRESENTATION FROM THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AT THE COUNTY BOARD, UM, SORT OF MORE OF A HIGH LEVEL KIND OF A, A CONCEPT AND A ROLL UP.
SO TODAY YOU'RE GONNA SEE, UM, YOUR, YOU KNOW, REALLY ONE OF YOUR FIRST LOOKS AT, UH, THESE DEPARTMENT BUDGETS.
UM, AND SO WE WILL MOVE THROUGH THOSE.
WE'RE GONNA FOCUS ON POLICY, UM, SIGNIFICANT CHANGES.
UM, I ALWAYS, I ALWAYS SAY THERE'S 5,000 LINE ITEMS IN THIS BUDGET.
WE'RE, WE'RE BEYOND LOOKING AT THOSE.
AT THIS POINT, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE BIG, THE BIG ITEMS. UM, SO AS WE GO THROUGH, UM, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
I WILL PRESENT SORT OF HIGH LEVEL AND THEN, UM, KICK IT OVER TO THE DEPARTMENTS ABOUT ANY, ANYTHING THAT THEY MIGHT WANNA ADD.
UM, THEY'RE HERE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS, TO ADD THINGS THAT I MAY HAVE MISSED, UM, THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO, UM, AGAIN, NOT, NOT SPECIFICALLY ASKING FOR MOTIONS OR APPROVALS
[00:35:01]
ON, ON THESE, BUT, UH, GIVING YOU THAT CURSORY REVIEW SO THAT, UM, YOU CAN CONTINUE TO DO YOUR WORK AS WE GET CLOSER TO THAT NOVEMBER, UM, BUDGET ADOPTION TIMEFRAME.SO MOVING INTO A DRC, UM, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE BUDGET AREAS THAT'S BROKEN OUT INTO A LOT OF DIFFERENT PARTS.
UM, COUPLE HIGH LEVEL NOTES ON THE A DRC.
OVERALL, THE PERSONNEL COSTS IN THIS DEPARTMENT INCREASED ABOUT 3.1%.
SO THAT IS NOTABLE BECAUSE IT'S A BIT LESS THAN OUR OVERALL COST TO CONTINUE FOR MOST DEPARTMENTS.
AND SO, UM, PERSONNEL COSTS WAS, WAS NOT A HUGE, IT, IT WAS ACTUALLY A, UM, MORE OF A COST SAVINGS DRIVER HERE.
UM, AND THAT'S LARGELY BECAUSE OF, UH, HEALTH INSURANCE SELECTIONS.
LAST YEAR, WE SWITCHED, UM, WE SWITCHED TO, UH, UH, BASICALLY A FOUR, FOUR PLAN OPTIONS FOR OUR EMPLOYEES.
AND SOME DEPARTMENTS SAW SAVINGS, OTHERS SAW THE OPPOSITE OF THAT.
AND SO, UM, THAT'S KIND OF WHY THAT THAT PHENOMENON IS HAPPENING HERE IN THIS BUDGET.
SO I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT.
UM, THE STATE, UH, IN, IN THEIR, THEIR LAST BUDGET, UH, THIS IS ONE OF THE AREAS WHERE THE STATE PROVIDED SOME FUNDING TO, UM, TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.
UM, THERE WAS, THERE WAS A, AN A GRANT, UH, THAT GOES TO LOCAL ARCS.
UM, FOR US THAT IMPACT WAS ABOUT $90,000.
AND SO THAT IS IN THIS BUDGET.
AND I'LL POINT THAT OUT, UM, IN A MOMENT HERE WHERE, WHERE YOU CAN SEE THAT, UM, HALF AN FTE WAS ADDED TO THIS BUDGET, UH, THAT WAS ADDED IN THE AGING AREA SPECIFICALLY.
UM, TAMMY COULD PROBABLY ANSWER, ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS ON THIS IF YOU'VE GOT ANY.
BUT, UM, REALLY IT'S, IT'S TO ADMINISTER THE CAREGIVER PROGRAMS, AS THE NOTE SAYS, AND, AND TO SORT OF RIGHTSIZE THE DISTRIBUTION OF DUTIES IN, IN THAT AREA.
THE POSITION IMPACT IS ABOUT $30,000.
UM, IT'S 70, 70% FUNDED BY THE STATE IS WHAT IT, UM, AND SO, SO I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT AS ONE OF THOSE, UM, ONE OF THOSE BUDGET NOTES TO, UH, FOR YOU TO, TO DIS UH, CONSIDER THE, UM, I GUESS JUST A COUPLE OF OBSERVA OBSERVATIONS, UH, ABOUT SPECIFIC PROGRAMS. UM, THE, THE, I THINK THE, THE ONE NOTE I HAD, THE, THE MOST SIGNIFICANT NOTE I HAD, UM, WAS ON THE MEAL PROGRAMS, CONGREGATE AND HOME DELIVERED MEALS.
UM, I THINK COVID, UM, SINCE COVID, UM, IT'S REALLY CHANGED THE LANDSCAPE THERE IN, IN THOSE PROGRAM AREAS.
UM, I THINK, I THINK, SO THE NOTE THAT I HAVE FROM OUR BUDGET SESSION IS THAT DEMAND HASN'T NECESSARILY RE RETURNED IN, IN SOME OF THOSE AREAS.
UM, FOR HOME DELIVERED MEALS, SPECIFICALLY IN THIS BUDGET.
UM, WE ARE REDUCING COST, YOU'LL SEE A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN, IN THOSE COSTS.
UM, THAT'S IN OUR DISCUSSIONS, IT WAS, IT WAS DUE TO REDUCE DEMAND.
SO IN OUR, IN OUR BUDGET MEETING, WE TALKED ABOUT THE IMPACT OF MANAGED CARE ORGANIZATIONS IN THIS SPACE AND HOW THE SERVICES THEY PROVIDE CAN IMPACT DEMAND.
UM, SO THE REVENUES AND THE RESOURCES GOING INTO THAT PROGRAM ARE BEING REDUCED IN THIS BUDGET.
AGAIN, MORE OF A DEMAND RESPONSE THAN, THAN MAYBE A SERVICE LEVEL CUT, FOR EXAMPLE.
UM, ON THE CONGREGATE MEAL SIDE, UM, THE COSTS ARE SHOWING UP AS, AS SOMEWHAT STABLE HERE.
UM, THERE ARE SOME MODEST CHANGES.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S, UM, THE DEPARTMENT IS PLANNING REDUCTION IN HOURS FOR SOME OF THE POSITIONS THAT SUPPORT SOME OF THOSE MEAL SITES.
UM, AND AGAIN, THIS IS, IS A DEMAND SIDE CHANGE.
UM, I WAS JUST KINDA READING THROUGH AS, AS SOME OF OUR OTHER COUNTY PARTNERS RELEASE THEIR BUDGETS, UM, THOSE ARCS ARE SEEING IMPACTS IN, IN THE MEALS, UH, SPACE AS WELL.
UM, SO JUST AN INTERESTING OBSERVATION THERE.
AND, AND, UM, REALLY BEFORE, BEFORE I, I KICK IT OVER TO TAMMY, THE, THE LAST NOTE I HAD WAS ON THE A DRC SIDE SPECIFICALLY.
SO THERE'S, UM, THE SECOND TO LAST FINANCIAL TABLE IS CALLED AGING AND DISABILITY RESOURCES.
UM, IN THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL LINE, THERE IS, IS, UM, IS IS WHERE YOU SEE AN INCREASE, UM, TO, TO REVENUES.
UM, AND THAT, AND THAT'S THE INCREASE THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER.
I THINK IN TOTALITY, ALL THESE CHANGES, UM, IT RESULTS IN A, IN
[00:40:01]
A LEVEE REDUCTION IN THIS BUDGET AREA BY ABOUT $110,000 FROM 25 TO 26.AND THEN 26 TO 27, THERE'S A MODEST INCREASE, UM, FOR COST TO CONTINUE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO, UM, THERE'S SOME MOVING PARTS HERE AND, UM, TAMMY'S HERE, MEGAN'S HERE, SO, UM, THEY'RE ABLE TO ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS AS WELL, IF YOU'VE GOT THEM.
I'M TAMMY ANDERSON, THE DIRECTOR THAT'S BEEN STANDING UP HERE AWKWARDLY TOO SOON.
AND I JUST WANNA, UM, GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO MEGAN ZITA, OUR ACCOUNTING SPECIALIST.
UM, I'M A SOCIAL WORKER, SO I'M NOT GREAT AT BUDGETS.
UM, BUT SHE HAS DONE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF WORK AND I'M JUST REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATIVE OF ALL, UH, THE WORK SHE DOES AND HOW WELL WE WORK TOGETHER TO, UM, BALANCE THE BUDGET.
AND THANK YOU ALSO TO, UM, THE BUDGET TEAM AS WELL.
UH, ERIN DID A GREAT JOB KIND OF HITTING THE HIGHLIGHTS, UH, IN REGARDS TO THE MEAL PROGRAM.
AND THEN WE'VE DEFINITELY SEEN A, A DEMAND CHANGE IN OUR COUNTY, BUT IT'S HAPPENING STATEWIDE.
I HAVE A FAIRLY NEWER NUTRITION AND WELLNESS SUPERVISOR THAT'S REALLY FOCUSING ON SOME STRATEGIC OUTREACH AND MARKETING.
AND THEN HER AND I HAS HAVE ALSO, UM, SAT DOWN, YOU'LL SEE IN, IN THE INITIATIVES.
AND WE'VE ALREADY STARTED WORKING ON LIKE LONGER TERM PLANNING, WHAT EFFICIENCIES CAN WE PUT IN PLACE, WHAT COST SAVINGS, UM, CAN WE COME AWAY WITH? HOW CAN WE DELIVER, UM, SERVICE STILL THE SAME QUALITY BUT DIFFERENTLY? SO WE'RE, WE'VE ALREADY BEEN THINKING ABOUT THAT.
AND WE WILL CONTINUE, UM, TO THINK ABOUT THAT INTO THE NEXT.
WE EVEN KIND OF PUT TOGETHER ROUGHLY LIKE A FIVE, FIVE YEAR PLAN.
UM, AND THEN IN REGARDS TO THE PART-TIME CAREGIVER COORDINATOR POSITION THAT WE WILL BE ADDING, UM, A LITTLE BIT HARD TO EXPLAIN, THOSE HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR A WHILE.
WE GET A DRC DOLLARS AND WE GET AGING DOLLARS.
AND IT WOULD BE NICE IF YOU COULD JUST TAKE IT ALL IN IN ONE BUCKET AND SAY, WE'RE GONNA USE IT HOWEVER WE WANT.
BUT IT'S VERY PROGRAM SPECIFIC.
AND SO OUR DEMENTIA CAREGIVER COORDINATOR POSITION DOES SOME THINGS IN THE A DRC AND SOME THINGS IN AGING.
SHE ALSO IS A TIME REPORTER, UM, THAT'S TO GET FEDERAL FUNDING MATCHED FOR OUR SERVICES.
AND WE WERE JUST VERY, UH, MOVING VERY HEAVILY TOWARDS A LOT OF COST AND AGING SERVICES AS OPPOSED TO SOME OF THOSE A DR SERVICES, AGING SERVICES, WE DON'T HAVE AS MUCH MONEY, SO ALTHOUGH IT IS AN ADDITION, IT WILL BE A COST SAVINGS AND REALLY, UM, HELP HER BE ABLE TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY IN REGARDS TO DEMENTIA AND ALZHEIMER'S CARE AND CAREGIVER SERVICES IN OUR COMMUNITY, WE'RE DOING A SLIGHT REDUCTION, UH, TO SOME SENIOR CENTER GRANTS.
UM, WE OFFER THE SENIOR COMMUNITY CENTERS THROUGHOUT WASHINGTON COUNTY FUNDING TO PROVIDE SERVICES FOR OLDER ADULTS.
AND, UM, TO HELP BALANCE THE BUDGET, WE'RE REDUCING THOSE SLIGHTLY, UM, TO, TO HELP OFFSET THE COST.
ANY QUESTIONS I CAN ANSWER? SUPERVISOR GATZ, THE, UH, CAREGIVER DEMENTIA COORDINATOR, THE, THAT FUNDING BY THE STATE, I THINK EARLIER SAID IS ROUGHLY 70%.
SO IS THAT ALSO THEN REFLECTED IN THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL PART FOR REVENUE? IT WOULD BE, YES.
AND THEN IS THAT SUNSETTED OR IS THAT ONGOING? WE HAVE TO APPLY FOR IT ANNUALLY.
WE'VE SEEN SOME SLIGHT DECREASES IN OUR GRANT DOLLARS ON THE AGING SIDE.
UM, WHERE WE'VE SEEN SOME INCREASES, UH, ON THE A-D-R-A-D-R-C SIDE, BUT IT IS NOT SOMETHING WE APPLY FOR ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.
IT IS SOMETHING WE RECEIVE ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.
AND I THINK YOU HEARD YOU SAY PART OF THE DUTIES, UH, WELL WILL ENSURE THAT REVENUE COLLECTION IS APPROPRIATE.
DID I HEAR THAT RIGHT? SO I THINK YOU SAID IT WAS COST NEUTRAL TO SOME DEGREE.
SO IS THAT, IS THAT, WILL THAT PERSON REALIZE THAT THERE'S EXPECTATION THAT, YOU KNOW, IF IF THEY'RE COMING IN AND THEY'RE EXPECTED TO LIKE A GRANT WRITER, RIGHT? YOU'RE GOING TO WRITE X MANY GRANTS AND YOU'RE GONNA PAY FOR YOUR POSITION PLUS SOME.
SO IS IT INTENDED TO COLLECT MISSING REVENUE?
[00:45:02]
NO, I WOULDN'T SAY THERE IS MISSING REVENUE.IT IS INTENDED TO, OH, I DON'T WANNA GET INTO THE WEEDS WITH THIS.
SO THE DEMENTIA CAREGIVER SPECIALIST ROLE WITHIN OUR AGENCY, WHETHER YOU'RE FUNDED AT A HALFTIME POSITION, WHICH WE ARE A FULL-TIME POSITION, YOU'RE EXPECTED TO DO ALL OF THESE THINGS AND WE REALIZE WE'RE NOT MEETING THE EXPECTATION OF ALL OF THESE THINGS BECAUSE THAT PERSON THAT'S CURRENTLY DOING THAT IS DOING 70% OF HER JOB IN ALL OF THESE THINGS.
SO, AND STATUTORY REQUIRED SERVICES YES.
AND BETTER SERVICE DELIVERY FOR THE, THE, THE, UM, PARTICIPANTS AND THEIR FAMILIES THAT WE'RE, THAT WE'RE SERVING.
SO, UM, A LARGE CHUNK OF THOSE GRANT DOLLARS ARE GOING TO DIRECT SERVICES OR PURCHASE SERVICES RESPITE CARE, SO THAT CAREGIVERS CAN GET A BREAK FROM THEIR CAREGIVING DUTIES.
UM, AND WE'RE PROVIDING CAREGIVING AGENCIES TO COME INTO THE HOME AND PROVIDE RESPITE FOR THAT CAREGIVER.
ANYTHING ELSE? OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? ONE MORE THING I DID JUST WANT TO ADD.
SO, UM, WE FOUND OUT THE INCREASE FOR THE A DRC STATE ALLOCATION KIND OF END OF THE GAME.
AND OF COURSE WE WERE THRILLED BECAUSE IT, UM, HELPED US BALANCE, BALANCE THE BUDGET.
SO WE'LL SEE NO TAX LEVY NEEDED FOR 2026, BUT YOU WILL SEE IN 2027 FOR THE A DRC, WE WILL BE UTILIZING TAX LEVY.
AND THAT WOULD BE THE FIRST TIME IN MY TIME WITH AN A DRC, WHICH IS NINE YEARS, UM, THAT WE ARE UTILIZING TAX LEVY DOLLARS TO SUPPORT OUR A DRC SERVICES, WHICH IS OUR MANDATED SERVICES THROUGH OUR STATE CONTRACT.
A LOT OF PERSONNEL COSTS TO RUN THE PROGRAMS AND THE SERVICES THAT THEY PROVIDE TO THE COMMUNITY.
SO I DID JUST WANNA POINT THAT OUT AS WELL.
ONTO THE, UM, THE NEXT BUDGET IS THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT BUDGET JOINT HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
UM, THIS IS A PRETTY SIMPLE ONE FOR, FOR US, ESPECIALLY ON THE COUNTY SIDE.
THERE ARE TWO LINE ITEMS IN THIS BUDGET FOR US, IT'S, IT'S, UH, ONE IS THE RENT THAT WE CHARGE.
UM, SO FOR THE SPACE THAT'S OCCUPIED IN THE PAC, WE DO THAT TO ALL THE DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE OVER THERE.
REALLY, IT HELPS US RECOUP DOLLARS THROUGH GRANTS, UM, RATHER THAN SPEND LEVY ON OPERATING THOSE BUILDINGS.
THE OTHER ONE REALLY IS THE AMOUNT WE PAY TO OZAKI COUNTY FOR MANAGING AND RUNNING THAT OPERATION.
SO AS YOU KNOW, WE SPLIT THOSE COSTS 60 40 WITH OZAKI.
UM, TO OZAKI COUNTY'S CREDIT, THEY'VE HELD THAT DOLLAR AMOUNT FLAT SINCE 2023.
UM, SO, SO FOR 2026, WE'RE BUDGETING A 4% INCREASE TO THAT AMOUNT.
SO THAT'S THE FIRST INCREASE SINCE 2023.
UM, THAT 4% INCREASE ALIGNS WITH WHAT WE'VE HEARD FROM THAT'S COMING FROM OZAKI COUNTY.
UM, AND, AND SO THAT IS JUST ONE NOTABLE CHANGE TO POINT OUT.
WE BUDGETED ANOTHER 4% INCREASE IN 2027.
OBVIOUSLY THAT DEPENDS ON OZAKI COUNTY.
THEY DON'T, THEY DON'T RUN A BIENNIAL BUDGET LIKE US.
SO OBVIOUSLY THAT DEPENDS ON, UM, THIS TIME NEXT YEAR HOW THEY DECIDE TO, UM, TO ADOPT THAT BUDGET.
BUT WE ALWAYS, UM, PROVIDE ANY INPUT WE CAN AND, AND WE'RE ALWAYS KIND OF IN CONTACT WITH THEM ABOUT THIS TIME IN THE SECOND HALF OF THE BIENNIUM.
AND REALLY, I MEAN, THE LAST FEW YEARS WITH IT BEING FLAT AND US BUDGETING AN INCREASE, THAT'S ALLOWED US TO KIND OF RECOGNIZE SOME COST SAVINGS IN OUR BUDGET.
SO, WE'LL, WE'LL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THAT PART OF IT, BUT WE DID WANNA MAKE SURE WE PUT IN AN INCREASE OF SOME SORT TO BE CONSERVATIVE, UH, IN, IN THIS BUDGET FOR 2027.
UM, THAT'S ALL THE NOTES I HAD ON THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, BUT I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, ANYTHING.
UM, NEXT WE'LL MOVE INTO THE HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT BUDGET.
UM, JULIE, DID YOU WANT TO GO FIRST OR SECOND? YOU CAN GO AHEAD.
UM, SO A COUPLE OF, UM, KIND OF HIGH LEVEL NOTES ON HSD TO START OFF WITH.
YOU KNOW, HSD IS THE LARGEST BUDGET THE COUNTY HAS IN TERMS OF OVERALL EXPENDITURES, RIGHT? SO AT $31 MILLION, UM, ABOUT 57, 50 8% OF, OF THAT IS FUNDED WITH REVENUES FROM THE STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
SO MEANING PROPERTY TAX LEVY FUNDS A MUCH SMALLER SHARE OF THIS OPERATION THAN MOST OF, OF OUR DEPARTMENTS IN THE COUNTY.
[00:50:01]
SINCE 2020.AND, UM, ONE NOTABLE THING, UH, THAT'S HAPPENING HERE SINCE 2020, THE LEVY NEED IN THIS DEPARTMENT HAS ACTUALLY REDUCED BY $700,000, DESPITE EXPENDITURES INCREASING BY MORE THAN $2 MILLION.
SO I THINK THAT'S A TESTAMENT TO THE REVENUE RECOVERY EFFORTS THAT HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED BY JULIE AND HER TEAM.
UM, KUDOS TO THE ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM, TO THE BILLING TEAM.
YOU'VE HEARD A COUPLE OF TIMES, I THINK, UM, ABOUT THE SUCCESSES OF THE, OF ANITA AND THE BILLING OPERATION OVER THERE.
UM, THE WIM KER IS ANOTHER THING TO MENTION.
SO THE WIM KER IS, IS BASICALLY A COST REPORT.
IT'S HOW COUNTIES REPORT AND RECOVER THE COSTS THAT WE, THAT, THAT WE DON'T RECEIVE THROUGH DIRECT BILLING.
UM, THAT REPORT WENT FROM, I THINK ONE YEAR WE PAID IN, IT WENT AND THEN A COUPLE OF THOUSAND, A COUPLE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS TO MORE THAN A MILLION AND A HALF.
AND AGAIN, THAT'S, THAT'S DUE TO A CONTINUED FOCUS ON TRACKING AND REPORTING AND KEEPING ACCURATE RECORDS AND, AND IT'S, IT'S JUST A, A, A JOB REALLY WELL DONE.
SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE I POINT THAT OUT.
UM, THE, YOU KNOW, THESE, THESE ADJUSTMENTS CAN'T GO ON FOREVER OF COURSE, BUT, UM, BUT REALLY THE HSD HAS, UM, HAS HELPED TO SAVE THE BUDGET ONCE AGAIN,
SO A FEW YEARS AGO WE HAD A SOFTWARE UPDATE, SO IS THAT ALSO PLAYING A PART IN THAT? SO THAT 1.2 OR $1.5 MILLION EXPENSE THAT WE'RE SEEING? THE BENEFITS OF THAT? I WOULD SAY, UM, A HUNDRED PERCENT, YES.
UM, IT WAS A MILLION DOLLAR, UM, INVESTMENT INTO A NEW ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORD.
IS IT PERFECT? NO, MY TEAM IS BEHIND ME, SO I CAN'T TELL YOU IT'S PERFECT.
'CAUSE THEY, THEY'LL TELL ME I'M LYING.
UM, BUT IT IS SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED FROM WHAT WE HAD.
UM, IT HAS NOT ONLY GIVEN US, UM, INSIGHT INTO, UM, YOU KNOW, CLIENTS, RIGHT, AND, AND INCOME, UM, INPUTS AND OUTCOMES OF CLIENTS AND THEIR NEED AND WHO'S SERVICING, UM, OUR CLIENTS, BUT HAS ALSO ALLOWED US TO HAVE REAL DATA TO TRACK PRODUCTIVITY, UM, THAT STAFF CAN'T, UM, TELL US IS INACCURATE BECAUSE OUR DATA IS BAD.
UM, AS WELL AS SIGNIFICANT, UM, IMPROVEMENTS AND INSIGHT INTO OUR BILLING.
UM, OUR PREVIOUS SYSTEM, IF YOU RECALL THAT CONVERSATION, WE WOULD PUT INFORMATION INTO THE SYSTEM AND WE WOULD PULL IT OUT TO BILL, BUT WE HAD NO IDEA IF WE ACTUALLY CAPTURED EVERYTHING THAT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO CAPTURE.
SO THIS SYSTEM IS MARKEDLY IMPROVED FROM THAT.
UM, AND THEN I WOULD SAY, AS ERIN MENTIONED, UM, BOTH THE EOS GOALS THAT, UM, THE BILLING DEPARTMENT AND THE ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT HAVE, HAVE UTILIZED AND DONE OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS AND OUR OWN INTERNAL, UM, WORK ON PRODUCTIVITY, UM, HAS, HAS REAPED THE BENEFITS AND ESSENTIALLY HELPED US TO BE IN THE PLACE THAT WE ARE TODAY.
UM, WHAT WE'RE SEEING, UM, YEAR OVER YEAR, UM, SINCE THE LAST TWO YEARS OF, UM, VERY SIGNIFICANT FOCUS ON PRODUCTIVITY IS A 25% INCREASE IN MEDICAID REVENUE THAT OUR STAFF, UM, ARE BRINGING IN.
SO, UM, SO I WOULD SAY IT HAS DEFINITELY BEEN A GREAT INVESTMENT ON THE PART OF THE COUNTY.
I DID FORGET TO MENTION THE PRODUCTIVITY PIECE.
THAT WAS AN IMPORTANT, IMPORTANT PART OF IT AS WELL.
UM, SO JUST IN TERMS OF THE OVERALL BUDGET, YOU SEE IT'S BROKEN OUT HERE INTO SEVERAL COST CENTERS.
UM, THE BIGGEST ONES ARE, ARE THE DIVISIONS WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, CHILDREN AND FAMILIES AND ECONOMIC SUPPORT.
UM, THE MOST SIGNIFICANT EXPENDITURE CHANGE THAT, THAT'S ONE WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOR, FOR A NUMBER OF MONTHS NOW IS, IS RELATED TO THE, THE CLOSURE OF, OF THE RIVERBEND, UH, FACILITY.
UM, SO YOU HEARD A COUPLE OF TIMES NOW FOR ABOUT THOSE PLANS, UM, IN THE BUDGET.
SO BASICALLY THE FACILITIES DEPARTMENT IN THEIR BUDGET SHOWS THE COST OF RUNNING THAT FACILITY.
THEY SHOW REVENUE TO BACKFILL THAT.
SO IT'S, IT'S RE IT'S LEVY NEUTRAL OVER THERE AND IN THE FACILITIES BUDGET, ALL OF THOSE COSTS AND ALL OF THOSE REVENUES HAVE BEEN PULLED OUT FROM THAT BUDGET OVER HERE ON THE HSD SIDE THAT THOSE COSTS MATERIALIZE AS, UH, CONTRACTED SERVICES.
AND SO, UM, THE SAVINGS, UH, FOR, FOR THIS ACTION IS, IS, UH, MORE THAN $740,000 IN THIS BUDGET.
[00:55:01]
TO POINT OUT SIGNIFICANT SAVINGS.I WON'T TALK A TON ABOUT THE DETAIL 'CAUSE WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT.
UM, BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE POINT THAT OUT.
UM, YOU'LL PROBABLY NOTICE, UH, THE, THAT THE DEPARTMENT IS SHOWING, UM, PERSONNEL GROWTH, UM, IN A COUPLE OF AREAS.
BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THESE PERSONNEL CHANGES ARE NOT GROWING THE LEVY NEED.
UM, THERE ARE FIVE CASE MANAGERS AND A SUPERVISOR THAT ARE BEING BUDGETED IN THE CLTS PROGRAM AREA.
UM, I THINK YOU'LL BE HEARING A REPORT ON THIS LATER.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, I WON'T, I WON'T STEAL ANY THUNDER THERE, BUT, BUT REALLY IT'S, IT'S TO ADDRESS THAT WAIT LIST, RIGHT? UM, SO THE STATE FUNDS THESE POSITIONS, UM, WE'VE ADDED THEM TO THE LEVY WITH NO ASSUME OR WE'VE ADDED THEM TO THE BUDGET RATHER WITH NO ASSUMED LEVY IMPACT.
UM, THEY WERE NOTED IN THAT SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT CHANGES THAT'S INCLUDED HERE.
YOU'LL SEE THEM, YOU'LL SEE A NOTE FOR THAT ON THE EXPENDITURE SIDE.
AND THEN AGAIN ON THE REVENUE SIDE AGAIN, 'CAUSE THAT'S, THAT'S A MATCH.
UM, THE SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT CHANGES ALSO NOTES TWO POSITIONS THAT THE DEPARTMENT IS BUDGETING BASICALLY TO BRING IN HOUSE THAT WERE PREVIOUSLY PROVIDED VIA CONTRACT.
UM, THERE WERE TWO ADDITIONAL POSITIONS THAT WERE CONVERTED THAT WAY.
UM, SORT OF MID, MID BUDGET FROM IN THE 24 25 BIENNIUM.
SO, SO IN TOTAL AN IMPACT OF, OF FOUR OVERALL.
AND, AND YOU KNOW, THERE'S GOOD REASON FOR, FOR DOING THIS I THINK IN SEVERAL CASES REALLY IT JUST COMES DOWN TO THAT THE, THE QUALITY AND THE COST CAN BE BETTER MANAGED IN-HOUSE THAN, UM, UNDER A CONTRACTED SERVICE.
UM, THE, UM, THE LAST POSITION, UM, I WANTED TO ADDRESS IS THE, UH, THE FOURTH.
UM, SO THE HSD POSITION, THAT'S, THAT'S A PART OF THE FOURTH, UH, COS RESPONDER OR, UH, CRISIS TEAM, CREW TEAM, UM, THAT WAS APPROVED AND ADDED LATE IN THE GAME AT THE TAIL END OF 2023, I BELIEVE.
UM, AND SO YOU'LL SEE THIS, YOU'LL SEE THAT POSITION AS A PLUS ONE FROM BUDGET TO BUDGET.
UM, THE 2026 BUDGET HAS GRANT FUNDING, UM, TO CONTINUE THAT 2027, THAT THAT GRANT GOES AWAY AND THAT BECOMES A LEVY FUNDED POSITION.
THE, THE HSD POSITION AND THE SHERIFF'S POSITION, THAT'S PART OF THAT FOURTH TEAM, IS THAT A POSITION THAT WE CAN PUT TOWARDS THE OPIOID SETTLEMENT AND IS THAT WHAT WE'RE PLANNING TO DO WITH IT? UM, AT THIS POINT IT'S ON THE LEVY.
I AM NOT AWARE OF WHETHER IT'S, UH, IT IS SOMETHING THAT COULD BE FUNDED BY THE OPIOID SETTLEMENT DOLLARS.
UM, AT THIS POINT, UM, IT'S THE DECISION HAS BEEN MADE THROUGH BPA IN THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE'S OFFICE THAT, UM, WE WOULD PUT IT INTO OUR BUDGET, UM, BECAUSE I THINK WE HAVE SOME OTHER ITEMS THAT, UM, WE'RE GOING TO BE BRINGING FORTH TO THE COUNTY BOARD ON HOW TO SPEND THE OPIOID SETTLEMENT DOLLARS.
UM, SUPERVISOR GALS, SORRY, WHILE YOU HAD A PAUSE, YOU WERE GOING THROUGH THE FTES.
UH, SO ON PAGE SIX YOU GOT THE BUDGET FTE, WHAT, 11.85 AND THEN IN THE FIC SUMMARY IT SPEAKS TO EIGHT, SO THE OTHER 3.85.
UM, SO, UH, IF YOU RECALL, AS WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING, UM, OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, THE CHILDREN'S LONG-TERM SUPPORT PROGRAM IN THE LAST BIENNIUM, WE ADDED IN POSITIONS THAT WE BROUGHT FORTH THE COMMITTEE AND THE COUNTY BOARD FOR APPROVAL TO GROW THAT PROGRAM.
AND SO THAT'S JUST THE TOTAL IS SHOWING THOSE POSITIONS THAT WERE ADDED IN THE LAST BIENNIUM.
AND THEN THESE EIGHT ARE NEW POSITIONS THAT ARE BEING CREATED IN THIS BUDGET.
'CAUSE WE HAD ADDED SOME IN FROM THE PREVIOUS BUDGET THAT WE APPROVED AND THAT WAS ADDED ON.
SO THIS IS COUNTING THEM IN TOTAL.
UM, I DIDN'T HAVE A LOT MORE TO COVER UNLESS YOU WANTED TO GO INTO YOURS.
WELL, BEFORE YOU ASKED QUESTIONS, UM, I DID WANT TO JUST SAY A FEW WORDS.