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K:\Agendas and Minutes\DHS Board\Minutes\2026 DHS Board Minutes\2026-05-28\DHS Board Minutes 6-25-26 - DRAFT 1 BAYFIELD COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES BOARD MEETING County Board Room and Virtual Thursday, June 25, 2026, at 4 p.m. Committee Members Present: Teri Hanson, Jeff Holte, Donna Lundin, Marty Milanowski, Amy Nigbor, Jeremy Oswald, Sue Rosa Members Not Present: Jim Crandall, Jamie Tucker Others Present: Jamie Allen, Tom Croteau, Stephanie Eder, Jo Beth Gonzalez, Christopher O’Dell, Ness Pierce, Jeanine Spuhler, Brynna Watters-Moffitt, Hayley Weyers Call to order: Milanowski called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m. Welcome and Introductions: Introductions were made. Discussion and Possible Action: Review and Approval for the May 28, 2026, Meeting Minutes • Oswald requested that his absence at the April 23, 2026, DHS Board meeting by noted as “excused” in the minutes. Action: • Milwanowski opened the floor for public comments, input on the 2027 DHS budget and/or Bayfield County’s policies and procedures for equal opportunity in employment, service delivery, and language access. • There were no public comments presented in person or via written communication. Program Presentation: Behavioral Health and Community Programs – An Introduction to the Behavioral Health Team – Jamie Allen and Ness Pierce • Allen and Pierce spoke to the board to explain the program. • The Behavioral Health programs offer support for community members needing support for mental health/substance abuse needs. This is done through supporting the 24-hour crisis line and prevention programming. Staff also support people who need treatment in both voluntary and involuntary situations. This is primarily done through case management with the individuals, their families, the legal system, and treatment programs. • Their mission is to protect and improve the quality of life of the participants, like all DHS, while focusing on addressing mental health and substance abuse needs in the community. • They can provide: Draft minutes are subject to change before approval at the next DHS Board meeting . Motion by Holt e, seconded by Ros a, to approve May 28 , 2026, meeting minutes with change . All in favor. Motion passed. K:\Agendas and Minutes\DHS Board\Minutes\2026 DHS Board Minutes\2026-05-28\DHS Board Minutes 6-25-26 - DRAFT 2 o Resources in the community o Assistance in finding residential treatment and referrals for substance abuse o Assist with paperwork and referrals for mental health o Case management o Skill building • The county has various programs they can offer to further assist individuals, including: o Comprehensive Community Service Program (CCS), which is a voluntary recovery-focused program for adults and children with mental health, substance abuse, or emotional issues. Bayfield County provides coordination of behavioral health services, medication management, crisis support, social and community skill development as well as educational and employment support, such as: ▪ Working with individuals in setting and achieving behavioral health goals ▪ Coordinated behavioral health and psychosocial rehabilitation services ▪ Helping individuals achieve personal behavioral health goals by increasing and introducing professional, community, and natural supports ▪ Setting up individualized recovery plans ▪ Providing peer support services ▪ Making sure programs are community based o Community Support Program (CSP) helps individuals living with severe and persistent mental illnesses to remain in the community while enhancing the quality of their lives. Bayfield County contracts with Northland Counseling to provide these services. • Their program works to destigmatize mental health. • Lundin asked how they work to destigmatize mental health. Allen and Pierce responded through community activities, such as visiting schools to discuss mental health and making sure people recognize the signs before they reach a point of crisis. They also partner with different agencies in these endeavors. • Rosa asked if they work with law enforcement. Allen answered that they work with AVEL. With AVEL, they will receive a report if the individual or law enforcement has asked for help. They will then reach out and meet with the individual. • Rosa asked how many times AVEL has been used. Allen answered that law enforcement has only used it a handful of times. Gonzalez added that the department is currently looking at ways to expand the use of AVEL and is working with the Red Cliff Sheriff’s Department to discuss their use of it. • Rosa asked if the Bayfield County Sheriff’s Department was resisting the use of AVEL. Gonzalez responded that there was no resistance. Croteau added that there are ongoing discussions with the Sheriff’s Department. If there is a case where it is warranted, they will use it. • Pierce is taking part in the CaTch program. For this program as a 911 operator interacts with people in crisis, they will form a “soft safety plan” to cover basic information before law enforcement interacts with them. This plan could be anything from who responds if the person has a trauma response to males to the person having an aversion to being touched. Law enforcement will be made aware of these triggers before they interact with the person. Pierce’s responsibility will be to keep track of these, make sure they’re up-to-date, and ensure they are used to their full extent. She will also reach out to see if they want their information updated. This is a partnership between Bayfield County, Tamarack Health, and Northlakes Clinic. K:\Agendas and Minutes\DHS Board\Minutes\2026 DHS Board Minutes\2026-05-28\DHS Board Minutes 6-25-26 - DRAFT 3 • Oswald asked if the CaTch program is statewide or specific to Bayfield County. Pierce responded that it is local. • Oswald asked to explain where Behavioral Health fits in in the bigger picture within the department. Croteau explained that Behavioral Health is the gap-filler between CCS and CSP. • Oswald asked if someone is dealing with behavior health symptoms and they call Bayfield County, with someone from Behavior Health pick up the call? Allen answered that they would, but it is usually not the individual. It is a family member or another member of the community. Allen or Pierce will go and speak with he individual. There are no forms to fill out like with CCS or CSP. They offer a soft approach and help if it’s wanted or needed or wanted. Pierce added they also work with the family to make sure they understand what the individual is going through. • Rosa asked what the caseload was and if they covered the whole county. Allen and Pierce answered that they do cover the whole county. Their numbers are fluid because not everyone wants them to keep track of them. This is another way to help remove the stigma around mental health. • Oswald asked if online therapists are used if there is no one available locally. Pierce answered that they will use online therapists but only if that works for the individual. • Oswald asked if there were additional resources they needed. Allen answered that another employee in the department would be helpful. • Rosa asked where the money for the program comes from. Croteau answered that it is through block grants and county levy. • Rosa asked what the parameters are for measuring success. Croteau answered that the main one is reducing the number of emergency detentions. Monthly Section Report: Support Services-Stephanie Eder: • Eder announced she is currently working on the 2027 budget. She stated this year the process is going to be more collaborative. Instead of the director making the decisions, Eder and Croteau will meet with each manager to understand their wants and needs for their department. • Eder stated the data for the Annual Report is due on June 26. O’Dell will start working on that in the coming days. • Eder stated the last day of the financial audit is June 26. The current audit mostly deals with the County Clerk’s office. The individual DHS audit will begin the week of July 6. • Eder announced the new bookkeeper, Heather Gilbertson, is doing an amazing job. She has exceeded our expectations, as well as those of Kim Mattson, the County Finance Director. • Gilbertson attended Financial Manager Orientation this week. • Eder is working on the Wisconsin Medicaid Cost Report, which is due July 13. • Oswald asked if the DHS Board will need to be involved with the 2027 budget. Eder answered they will be presented with a draft budget at the August meeting. Aging and Disability Services-Brynna Watters-Moffitt: • Watters-Moffitt announced that the Senior Empowerment Day held on June 18 was a huge success. It was held at Harbor Table and was a collaboration between Bayfield K:\Agendas and Minutes\DHS Board\Minutes\2026 DHS Board Minutes\2026-05-28\DHS Board Minutes 6-25-26 - DRAFT 4 County Public Health and ADRC-N using grant funds. There were approximately 80 attendees. They offered a pop-up congregate meal, which was served to 65 people. There were presentations by Public Health. Bayfield County EMS provided a presentation on home safety. Mary Beth Tischawa-McCarthy provided a Tai Ji Quan demonstration, which they were able to do outside due to the nice weather. Nathan Hauber did a tick prevention presentation. The day ended with a question-and-answer panel featuring people from Red Cliff, BART, and Northlakes Clinic. • Watters-Moffitt stated she spoke with Public Health today to see how much is left in the grant to see what we can do before it runs out at the end of September. • Watters-Moffitt stated the ADRC is looking to restructure a couple of positions to better reflect their high-level skills. There will be no extra cost to the county for this because there is funding available. • Watters-Moffitt announced the Elder Nutrition Program is steady and thanked the DHS Board for the three new home-delivered meal vehicles. • Watters-Moffitt announced that the APS section has slowed down, which is helpful. She stated the employees have been in their roles for just over a year and are learning quickly, which saves her some time with mentoring. Economic Support Services-Jeanine Spuhler: • Spuhler announced she has been working with Croteau to reclassify two employees. Aaron Kalmon would be reclassified from an Economic Support Specialist II to Economic Support Specialist III. Colleen Detjens would be reclassified from an Economic Support Specialist I to an Economic Support Specialist II. • Spuhler is working on her portion of the Annual Report. • Summer EBT benefits were issued earlier in June. Anyone who has school-aged children that are eligible for free or reduced meals will get $120 to help feed them over Summer. • Economic Support is preparing to deal with the BadgerCare+ work requirement. This will only be for BadgerCare+. They are busy answering questions to keep the public informed. • Mark Abeles-Allison requested that a letter to Wisconsin senators be included in the meeting packet. The letter requests support for a delay in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) administrative and benefit cost shifts. Croteau added that the letters were provided by the Wisconsin Counties Association. • Oswald asked if it would be better to send the letters as a group? Spuhler answered that it should be individual. Croteau added that it is important to get them out as soon as possible. • Oswald asked if the letters were specifically for senators and not assemblypersons? Spuhler confirmed that they were specifically for senators only. Behavioral Health and Community Program - Jo Beth Gonzalez: • Gonzalez requesting adding a fifth full-time CCS Service Facilitator, stating: o CCS enrollment continues to grow steadily, and we want to be able to meet participant needs and maintain service quality. o We have historically taken a measured and conservative approach to staffing, adding positions only when enrollment trends demonstrated a sustained need. K:\Agendas and Minutes\DHS Board\Minutes\2026 DHS Board Minutes\2026-05-28\DHS Board Minutes 6-25-26 - DRAFT 5 o A typical Service Facilitator caseload is 12-15 participants. While this is manageable, many of the Service Facilitators also provide substance use disorder counseling services, functional screen completion and other program responsibilities. Because of these additional duties, 15 participants is generally considered the upper end of a sustainable caseload. o The current number of participants is approximately 60. There are 5-10 referrals consistently. • Gonzalez provided information on program growth and staffing history: o In 2020 there were approximately 20 participants and two full-time Service Facilitators. o In 2022 the enrollment consistently averaged approximately 30 participants, and a third full-time Service Facilitator was added. o In 2025 enrollment averaged approximately 45 participants and a fourth full-time Service Facilitator was requested. o Currently the program is consistently serving more than 60 participants, and the staffing levels are becoming stretched as enrollment continues to increase. • Gonzalez provided the following rationale for this request: o Maintain appropriate caseload sizes. o Preserve service quality and participant engagement. o Ensure timely follow-up, coordination, and support for participants. o Account for additional duties Service Facilitators perform beyond case management • Gonzalez provided the following points for looking ahead regarding this request: o Enrollment trends indicate continued gradual growth over the next six months. o Adding the position in January 2027 would: ▪ Allow adequate time for recruitment and hiring. ▪ Provide onboarding and training before caseload demands increase further ▪ Position the program to continue meeting participant needs without compromising quality of care. • Gonzalez finished the request with the following bottom line: o This is a proactive request based on demonstrated enrollment growth, not anticipated growth alone. o Adding a fifth Service Facilitator will help ensure CCS remains responsive, effective, and able to provide high-quality services as the program continues to expand. • Gonzalez discussed the 2025 CCS Survey results: o BCCS typically perform at or above state averages on the Audit Satisfaction Survey. o Survey results for Youth and Family Satisfaction have been less consistent, with some areas scoring below state averages. ▪ The small sample size is an important factor when reviewing results. K:\Agendas and Minutes\DHS Board\Minutes\2026 DHS Board Minutes\2026-05-28\DHS Board Minutes 6-25-26 - DRAFT 6 ▪ A single low response can significantly impact overall scores when only a few surveys are completed. ▪ This is especially true in our rural programs with smaller enrollment numbers. ▪ The 2025 BCCS Youth Survey results are consistent with trends seen in the previous year’s survey, suggesting some recurring themes rather than a one-time fluctuation. ▪ Self-assessing progress can be challenging for youth cages 13-17. ▪ It can be difficult for participants and families to separate their satisfaction with CCS specifically from their overall function and experiences across multiple systems. • The key takeaways are that the adult survey results continue to be a strength for both programs, and youth and family survey results should be interpreted with consideration of factors above. • Gonzalez announced that August 31 is International Overdose Awareness Day. Commemoration of this will be held on the Bayfield County Courthouse steps. There will be numerous speakers. • Gonzalez also spoke about the CaTch Coordinator/Program. This is a long-standing program in the community. There are still some aspects that need to be streamlined between law enforcement/dispatch and DHS/BH. This is a financial benefit to the county since there will be assistance with wage-coverage. • Nigbor asked if the county’s CSP has become certified. Gonzalez responded that it has not happened yet, but there are discussions with Northland Counseling. Croteau added that he spoke with the State of Wisconsin and Sawyer County, but it might be more work to do this regionally instead of on our own. Croteau said they are considering doing it on our own after discussing it with Gonzalez, who stated she feels comfortable taking on the process. Nigbor asked if there was a deadline for this. Croteau responded that it was the end of 2026. Family Services-Hayley Weyers: • Weyers provided the following updates: o We had our section’s annual team-building retreat on June 9th, offsite at the Northern Great Lakes Visitors’ Center for a half day there. Timing was nice as we settle into the section’s restructuring. We strengthened our relationships through activities, reflected on the whole section a team together, and discussed our shared vision for the section. Due to ongoing service needs, Elaina and Jamie remained onsite and in the field during this to support children and families directly. Their dedication and flexibility were greatly appreciated! o The CLTS team of Alice Wilson, Sierra Pugh, and Michelle Arganbright received final results from their annual record review, earning a 92.1% compliance rate. This places Bayfield County's program in the top performance category, Strength! For comparison, the statewide county average falls within the Compliant category, which is the step below Strength. Very impressed with this outstanding achievement! K:\Agendas and Minutes\DHS Board\Minutes\2026 DHS Board Minutes\2026-05-28\DHS Board Minutes 6-25-26 - DRAFT 7 ▪ The section will soon add Caitlin Sullivan-Irvin as an additional full- time CLTS Case Manager! Her first day is this coming Monday, June 29. An additional case manager expands our capacity to respond to the steady rate of referrals and CLTS program enrollment. o The Child Welfare team continues to manage many complex and dynamic situations while achieving positive outcomes for children and families. Just a few recent successes and other updates include the following. ▪ A youth working with Becky Benton successfully completed all restorative justice requirements and closed through the Youth Justice program, and Benton continues to work through this process with multiple cases. The last couple weeks Benton’s role has also meant significant travel for her, as some of the teens she works with in institutional settings are placed in far corners of Wisconsin. ▪ Elaina Majetich completed her National Child Passenger Safety Certification, with a glowing final test score of 100%! This means she is now a certified car seat technician. Majetich is also working through a vast record request with diligence and continued optimism. ▪ Brittany Anderson is actively pursuing grant opportunities to support program initiatives, especially in Foster/Kinship Care and Youth Justice. She has already gotten the award letter for her Foster/Kinship Retention grant. Anderson also took on being the point person for the Youth Justice Summit on June 18. It was a virtual training day, for which she arranged for Becky Benton, Jamie Allen, Ness Pierce, Chris Beirl (CCS), Kim Lawton (DA), and herself to attend together from a county conference room. Sounds like lots of good content that day, and good discussion has continued to follow. ▪ Melissa Berthiaume continues to navigate several highly complex and involved Child Protective Services cases with professionalism, precision, and care while simultaneously onboarding our newest team member Ivy. ▪ Ivy Ray joined the section on June 15 as our full-time Child Protective Services Case Manager! She continues actively engaging with her foundational WiLearn online training and has begun initial shadowing with staff. ▪ Our pinch hitters from Behavioral Health, Jamie Allen and Ness Pierce, continue to assist with Child Welfare programmatic needs, and Pierce recently graduated from her foundational WiLearn online training! K:\Agendas and Minutes\DHS Board\Minutes\2026 DHS Board Minutes\2026-05-28\DHS Board Minutes 6-25-26 - DRAFT 8 o I am continuing my own foundational WiLearn online training and broader orientation to the many arms and branches of the Child Welfare world. Jo continues providing background knowledge, context, and nuance to Child Welfare as a whole. The State also offers many teleconferences and forums, which I attend as often as possible. Still lots of firsts for me, like the current budget preparation process as a manager. o Lastly, the only remaining vacancy in Family Services is a half-time Social Worker Aide. • Oswald asked if there was a special budget for records requests due to the amount of time some of the requests were taking. Weyers answered that there is not. It is typically the job duty of the Social Work Aide, but Majetich is covering that portion of the job while the position is vacant. Monthly Reports: Financial: The board reviewed the financial reports and budgets. Training: There was no training to review. Other (Information Items): • Spuhler discussed a staff appreciation email received regarding Aaron Kalmon. 2027 Budget Guidance: • Eder discussed a memo to department heads sent by County Administrator Mark Abeles-Allison about the 2027 budget deadlines. Action: • Milwanowski closed the floor for public comments. 2026 Meeting Dates: August 4, 2026 (July/August meeting) September 24, 2026 October 22, 2026 Adjournment: Milanowski adjourned the meeting at 5:27 p.m. Minutes respectfully submitted by Christopher O’Dell