Criminal Justice Coordinating Council — Agenda Packet

1 Sawyer County Criminal Justice Coordinating Council Meeting Wednesday, April 8, 2026 @ 12:00 PM Sawyer County Board Room AGENDA 1. ZOOM LINK a. To view or participate in the virtual meeting from a computer, iPad, or Android device please go to: https://zoom.us/j/95808119460. You can also use the dial in at 1-312-626-6799 with the Webinar ID: 958 0811 9460. Use *9 to Raise/lower hand and *6 to Unmute/mute. If you are on a computer, click the "Raise Hand" button and wait to be recognized. If you are on a telephone, dial *9 and wait to be recognized. If additional assistance is needed please contact the County Clerk's Office at 715-634-4866 prior to the meeting. This meeting will be recorded and will be available on our website at: https://sawyercountygov.org. 2. CALL TO ORDER 3. ROLL CALL 4. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 5. CERTIFICATION OF COMPLIANCE WITH THE OPEN MEETINGS LAW 6. MEETING AGENDA 7. PUBLIC COMMENTS 8. CONSIDER APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM PREVIOUS MEETING a. February 11, 2026 Minutes b. March 11, 2026 Minutes 9. CJCC EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE a. Executive Committee Report 10. JAIL REPORT a. Jail Report 11. JUSTICE POINT REPORT Page 1 of 38 2 a. Justice Point Report 12. HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES REPORT a. Public Health Report b. Youth Justice Report c. Behavioral Health Report d. Community Support & Mobile Crisis 13. COMMUNITY SERVICES UPDATES 14. OUTSIDE COMMITTEE UPDATES 15. CORRESPONDENCE, REPORTS FROM CONFERENCES AND MEETINGS 16. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS 17. NEXT MEETING DATE/TIME: MAY 13, 2026 AT 12:00PM 18. ADJOURNMENT DISCLAIMER: A quorum of the County Board of Supervisors or of any of its committees may be present at this meeting to listen and observe. Neither the Board nor any of the committees have established attendance at this meeting as an official function of the Board or committee(s) or otherwise made a determination that attendance at the meeting is necessary to carry out the Board or committee’s function. The only purpose for other supervisors attending the meeting is to listen to the information presented. Neither the Board nor any committee (other than the committee providing this notice and agenda) will take any official action with respect to this noticed meeting. Copy sent via email to: Committee Members, Associated Staff and News Media. Note: Any person wishing to attend whom, because of a disability, requires accommodation should call the Sawyer County Clerk’s Office (715.634.4866) at least 24 hours before the scheduled meeting so appropriate arrangements can be made. Mission Statement: The Sawyer County Board of Supervisors will strive to provide excellent services and responsible leadership to protect and enhance Sawyer County citizens, businesses, and resources, while preserving our unique heritage. Page 2 of 38 Minutes of the February 11, 2026 Meeting of the Sawyer County Criminal Justice Coordinating Committee of the Sawyer County Board of Supervisors Board Room; Sawyer County Voting Committee Members Present: Others Present: 1. Non-voting member Chair: Julia Lyons Liz Klein 2. Vice Chair: Judge Elaine Smith Ron Kinsley 3. Dave Dixon Becky Barry 4. Mike Markgren Kristi Kare 5. Mike Woller Leslie Strapon 6. Lorraine Gouge Sari Torstenson 7. Doug Mrotek- Bryan Deyo Designee Sarah Inczauskis 8. Bruce Poquette Grace Baldridge 9. Katie Belanger 10. Judge John Yackel 11. Marc Helwig 12. Judge Monica Isham- Absent 13. Marshal Savitski 14. Kathy McCoy 15. Bill Trepanier 16. Amanda Lokker- Virtual Call to Order—Chair Julia Lyons called the meeting to order at 12:02 pm. Certification of Compliance with the open meeting law was met. Roll Call was taken. Quorum was met. Meeting Agenda – Motion to move item 14 to 9 and 13 to 10 by: Mr. Savitski Second by: Mr. Helwig Motion carried without negative vote. Public Comments – None Minutes from the previous meeting dated: January 14, 2026 Motion to approve made by: Mr. Helwig Second by: Judge Smith Motion carried without negative vote. Community Services Updates— Pastor Grace Baldridge from United Methodist informed the committee about the group Safe Place Resource Center, which has been looking to buy or build a shelter for the homeless. In the meantime, the community-based volunteers provide small services including laundry, bus tokens, warm clothes and transportation to community members in need. It was recommended to contact the Salvation Army for access to services. Youth Justice— The January YJ report was provided by Ms. Inczauskis. A detailed report on juvenile delinquency was reviewed: Sawyer County is in the top 5-7 in the state for the highest rates of serious juvenile offenses, and has a higher-risk client profile than other counties. Truancy and Diversion program efforts are yielding good results; 82% of the participants are Native American. Executive Committee- Meeting scheduled for February 27, 2026 Page 3 of 38 Review CJCC Bylaws- Several updates to the CJCC Bylaws were reviewed. Motion to approve the amended CJCC Bylaws to incorporate the recommendations as presented by Judge Smith by: Mr. Helwig Second by: Mr. Savitski A roll call vote was taken: Judge Smith- aye, Dave Dixon- aye, Mike Markgren- aye, Mike Woller- aye, Lorraine Gouge- aye, Bryan Deyo- aye, Bruce Poquette- aye, Katie Belanger- aye, Judge Yackerl- aye, Marc Helwig- aye, Marshal Savitski- aye, Kathy McCoy- aye, Bill Trepanier- aye, Amanda Lokker- aye. Motion carried over 2/3 without negative vote, to be forwarded to County Board for approval. Jail Report-- Lt. Woller reviewed a written jail report for December with arrest data by race and gender. There was an average of 60 inmates incarcerated with a 72 % unemployment rate at the time of booking, 3 on electronic monitoring. Justice Point— Ms. Barry updated the committee on Justice Point programs and statistics. There are 115 active pre-trial clients, 10 active Diversion clients, and 4 active Treatment Court clients. Ms. Barry reviewed Deflection Programs, a $10,000 donation from a community member, TAD Recovery Court site visit and staff training, and current jail programs. Justice Point is still waiting for the Reaching Rural site visit report. Ms. Barry announced she is stepping down as Director; CJCC members and the Tribe offered good wishes. Justice Point Administrator Niki Leicht spoke about hiring a new director and invited CJCC members to the second round of interviews on February 24th. HHS— Public Health— No report this month Outside Committee Reports – None Correspondence, reports from conferences and meetings – None Future Agenda Items – None Adjournment – 12:54 pm Next Meeting: March 11, 2026 Time: 12:00 pm Location: Board Room Minutes recorded by Liz Klein, County Clerk Page 4 of 38 Minutes of the March 11, 2026 Meeting of the Sawyer County Criminal Justice Coordinating Committee of the Sawyer County Board of Supervisors Board Room; Sawyer County Voting Committee Members Present: Others Present: 1. Non-voting member Chair: Julia Lyons Liz Klein 2. Vice Chair: Judge Elaine Smith Becky Barry- Virtual 3. Dave Dixon Sari Torstenson- Virtual 4. Mike Markgren Kristi Kare 5. Mike Woller Bryan Deyo 6. Lorraine Gouge Jessica Bjork 7. Doug Mrotek 8. Bruce Poquette 9. Katie Belanger- Absent 10. Judge John Yackel- Absent 11. Marc Helwig 12. Judge Monica Isham- Absent 13. Marshal Savitski- Virtual 14. Kathy McCoy 15. Bill Trepanier- Excused 16. Amanda Lokker- Virtual Call to Order—Chair Julia Lyons called the meeting to order at 12:04 pm. Certification of Compliance with the open meeting law was met. Roll Call was taken. Quorum was met. Meeting Agenda – Set Public Comments – None Minutes from the previous meeting dated: February 11, 2026 Tabled to April (wrong minutes attached) Executive Committee- February 27 meeting canceled- rescheduled to March 27. 2026. Jail Report-- Lt. Woller reviewed a written jail report for December with arrest data by race and gender. There was an average of 59 inmates incarcerated with a 67% unemployment rate at the time of booking, 1 on electronic monitoring. Members discussed MAT program, the unemployment rate falling below 70%, and changes to the Huber program since 2022. Justice Point— Ms. Barry updated the committee on Justice Point staffing: Ms. Barry will remain on 3/4 time employment status. Due to cuts in the Deflection budget, a peer recovery coach was cut from staff. There are 109 active pre-trial clients, 6 active Diversion clients, and 3 active Treatment Court clients. Ms. Barry discussed deflection and jail programs. Page 5 of 38 HHS— Public Health— A written report was provided. Ms. Lyons updated the committee on CHIP work groups and CCS restructuring in HHS which may create another staff pathway for client assessments. Youth Justice— The written February YJ report was provided. Truancy and Diversion- No updates this month Community Services Updates— None Outside Committee Reports – None Correspondence, reports from conferences and meetings – WATCP and All Rise conferences are coming up in April and July. Future Agenda Items – February minutes, add HHS reports to CJCC agenda Adjournment – 12:38 pm Next Meeting: April 8, 2026 Time: 12:00 pm Location: Board Room Minutes recorded by Liz Klein, County Clerk Page 6 of 38 Page 7 of 38 Page 8 of 38 JUSTICEPOINT: MARCH 2026 STATISTICS, PRETRIAL SUPERVISION, DIVERSION, AND TREATMENT COURT 9 6 1 123 6 3 14 0 0 3 0 0 Referrals Active Successful Unsuccessful Pretrial Supervision Diversion Treatment Court Referrals Active Successful Unsuccessful ACTIVE CLIENTS Pretrial Diversion Treatment Court 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 Unknown/Other White Hispanic Black Asian Native American Program Type by Race Page 9 of 38 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 Pretrial (123) Diversion (6) Treatment Court (3) Female Male Unknown/Other Gender by Program Type Pretrial Diversion Treatment Court 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 Non-specified/Unknown Misdemenaor Felony Case Type by Program Type Page 10 of 38 1 | P a g e Sawyer County Site Visit –01/14/2026Observations and Recommendations On January 14, 2026, a Program Site Visit was conducted with Sawyer County, specifically with the Sawyer County Recovery Court. Present for the site visit were Department of Justice (DOJ) staff Marsha Schiszik (TAD Program Specialist) and Director of State Courts Office staff Heather Kierzek (Evidence-Based Program Manager). This site visit was in conjunction with Team Roles and Responsibilities Training held for the Sawyer County Recovery Court Team and the Lac Courte Oreilles Healing to Wellness Court Team. The meetings included a Recovery Court staffing and hearing. This report documents the observations made during the meetings and provides recommendations for suggested improvements to increase efficiency and outcomes for the program. Staffing Summary Observations:The staffing was attended by the following Sawyer County employees and Recovery Court Team members (hereafter referred to as the Team):Judge Monica Isham Rebecca Moser, Programs CoordinatorJudge John Yackel (not present) Becky Barry, Director Jennifer Gross, Assistant District Attorney Katie Belanger, Department of Corrections (DOC) Field SupervisorMarshal Saviski, Hayward Police Dept. Chief Dotty Crust, Healing to Wellness Court CoordinatorMike Woller, Jail Lieutenant Rae Jean Bergner, Treatment ProviderEmma Hannu, State Public Defender’s Office Denise Kannegiesser, Sawyer Co. Jail SergeantAmanda Thayer, Healing to Wellness Court Case Manager The staffing meeting was held in a conference room and began with introductions. All Team members were present, although the judge arrived late. The DOC Field Supervisor reported that the DOC Probation Agent previously assigned to the Team had been promoted and would no longer participate. The DOC Field Supervisor will serve on the Team until a new agent is assigned.Written staffing update notes were provided to all Team members. The coordinator facilitated the meeting, and other members contributed to the discussion. Discussion for each participant focused on family circumstances, phase-advancement requirements, employment, missed drug tests, types of drug testing used, noncompliance with treatment attendance, and mental-health instability. Page 11 of 38 2 | P a g e Incentives discussed included eligibility for the fishbowl and the graduation scheduled in court. Several noncompliant behaviors were reviewed, but the Team did not reach a consensus on how to respond.At the conclusion of the meeting, a discussion began regarding the limited attention given to participants’ engagement in substance use or mental-health treatment. After reviewing the staffing notes, the judge requested that the information listed be updated to reflect status in treatment. Court Summary Observations:Court was attended by most Team members who attended staffing. The participants were seated in a row of seats in front of the jury box, while Team members either sat in the jury box or at counsel tables. Family members, observers, and guests sat in the gallery. When a participant was called, they sat in a chair at a counsel table. All participants stayed for the entire court hearing. The judge began by asking participants how they were doing and acknowledging the participant’s sobriety date, which followed with applause. A brief discussion was held with each participant about their successes, challenges, or concerns the participant experienced since the last court appearance. Incentives observed during this observation included applause, eligibility for the fishbowl, and a certificate and treat for graduation. Sanctions observed included resetting of sobriety days, 24 hours jail, and a warrant being issued for missing court. No service adjustments were given during this observation. Standards and Evidence-Based Practices All quoted information provided below comes from the Wisconsin Treatment Court Standards, Revised 2018, unless otherwise noted. Standard 1: Demonstrated Commitment to Evidence-Based Practices (p. 2)“Treatment courts are committed to incorporating evidence-based principles in the development of their policies and procedures, including program referrals, design, and delivery of services. Research shows that programs which ignore best practices and fail to have treatment team members attend regular training are those most likely to produce ineffective or harmful results.” “Operate collaboratively with other team members, treatment providers, system stakeholders, and community partners.” “Work to resolve symptoms or conditions that are likely to interfere with attendance or engagement in treatment.” “Employ evidence-based behavioral modification techniques.” “Enhance participants’ success and intrinsic motivation by appropriately using rewards and sanctions and employing motivational interviewing techniques.”The Recovery Court Team’s discussion during pre-court staffing appeared tense. While staffing individual cases, there were several times where a Team member raised a request to discuss a behavioral response for noncompliance, but the topic was not pursued. The Team seemed to Page 12 of 38 3 | P a g e struggle with applying incentives, sanctions, and service adjustments to address participant behaviors; this will be explored further under Standard 14.During the hearing, the judge used open-ended questions as a motivational interviewing (MI) technique when engaging with participants. Additional MI strategies will be addressed in more detail under Standard 5. The Team and program expressed a commitment to implementing evidence-based practices and requested training on Team Roles and Responsibilities to support progress toward this goal.This training is scheduled for January 15, 2026. Standard 2: Equity & Inclusion (p. 3) “All persons, including those who have experienced sustained discrimination or reduced social opportunities because of their race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, sexual identity, physical or mental disability, religion, or socioeconomic status shall have the same opportunity to participate in treatment courts.” “Ensure equal access to the program by creating and utilizing referral and eligibility criteria and screening and assessment tools that are nondiscriminatory in intent and impact.” “Provide all treatment court participants with equal access to appropriate levels of care and quality treatment.”Eligibility criteria are included in the Sawyer County Recovery Court Policies and Procedures Manual. The assessment tools used, ORASor COMPAS, are validated risk assessment tools (NADCP, Vol. 1, Appendix A). The Manualincludes a statement and outlines some practices completed by the program to ensure equal access to the program. According to CORE there have been 21 referrals made to the Recovery Court. Of those 21 referrals, 12 referrals deemed eligible. Data in CORE shows there have been 3 terminations, 2 graduations, and 1 voluntary withdrawal. Regular and consistent data entry into CORE is required and the program is encouraged to develop a process to ensure entry is consistent. The Team is also encouraged to review and analyze the factors behind participant eligibility, enrollment, graduation, and/or termination. Reasonable actions should be taken to prevent or correct any disparities due to race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, sexual identity, physical or mental disability, religion, or socioeconomic status. Standard 3: Planning Process (p. 4-5) “A collaborative process used by criminal justice system stakeholders to plan and design the treatment court program.” “Establish an Advisory Board with [criminal justice] stakeholders.” “The Advisory Board meets regularly.” “Develop a publicly available program manual.” Sawyer County has a local criminal justice coordinating council (CJCC), which meets regularly according to the TAD Site Visit Questionnaire. Meeting agendas and minutes are available on the Page 13 of 38 4 | P a g e county website. It is recommended the program make the Manualavailable on the county website. Recently updated All Rise recommend county treatment court programs have both a steering committee and an advisory group (All Rise Standards, p. 180-200). The tasks typically completed by those committees is included below. Steering Committee Advisory GroupLeadership of all partnering agencies Broad coalition of community stakeholdersOfficially approves program mission and objectivesFocus on education community membersExecutes memoranda of understandings (MOUs) and assigns personnelProvides recommendations for program improvements Garners support Identify how to efficiently access services and resources for the programMeets quarterly or semi-annually Meets quarterly The county might consider developing an advisory group to focus more specifically on topics related to the treatment court and the unmet needs of that population. Standard 4: Teams (p. 6-7) “The treatment court team is comprised of a dedicated group of professionals who are responsible for managing and overseeing the day-to-day operations of the program, including the administration of treatment and supervisory services.” “Team members consistently attend and actively participant in pre-court staffings, where they discuss participant progress and prepare for status hearings.” “Team members consistently attend status hearings.” “Engage in regular communication regarding participants’ progress and activities to ensure the team is working together, so participants are not made to repeat the same information to multiple team members, and participants are not eluding responsibility for their actions by selectively informing different team members.” “Drug Courts were nearly twice as cost-effective when defense counsel attended staffings consistently, and were more than twice as effective at reducing recidivism when the program coordinator, treatment representative, and law enforcement representative attended staffings consistently (NADCP, Vol. II, p. 41). Page 14 of 38 5 | P a g e All recommended disciplines were represented at the staffing. As noted earlier, creating space for all topics raised by Team members and ensuring each viewpoint is acknowledged and considered is an important component of effective collaborative decision-making. In addition, during pre-court staffing it is recommended that the Team focus on substance use and mental health treatment progress, criminogenic, and responsivity needs, and proposed responses to behaviors. A focus on all the need types ensures the program is providing treatment and resources to the “whole person” within the program. The program should consider highlighting and celebrating each participant’s progress toward individualized goals to help the judge recognize this within the judicial interaction. The focus on goal progression also ensures that team decisions remain anchored in evidence-based practices and that participants receive interventions matched to what drives their behavior. Direct care providers, including treatment providers, Department of Corrections agents, and case managers, should take the lead in reporting progress on goals during staffing. This information should be clearly documented and routinely updated so it can be effectively used to guide court conversations and reinforce participant progress in meaningful ways. The Policies and Procedures Manual outlines Team member roles and responsibilities in detail; however, it does not include an onboarding process for new members. An example onboarding policy is attached to this report for the Team’s consideration. Standard 5: Judicial Interaction & Role (p. 8-9) “The effective treatment court judge acts as leader, communicator, educator, community collaborator, and institution builder. The treatment court judge interacts frequently and respectfully with participants, and gives due consideration to the input of other team members.” “Interact with each participant for no less than three minutes during the court review.” “Develop and maintain a rapport with treatment court participants.” “Attend and participate in the pre-court staffings which are held no less than every two weeks for participants in phase one and no less than once a month for participants in the last phase.” “Participate fully as a treatment court team member. Commit to the program, mission and goals, and work as a full partner to ensure the success of participants.”The judge seems to be a compassionate and engaged advocate for participants in the program. She contributed to the staffing discussion and spent well over three minutes interacting with each participant during the hearing. Her use of open-ended questions supported rapport-building and helped elicit additional information. Expanding the use of other motivational interviewing (MI) skills such as affirmations, reflective listening, and summarizingwould further enhance these interactions. It is recommended that the judge, along with other Team members who regularly engage with participants, attend MI training when available. Page 15 of 38 6 | P a g e Because treatment courts serve individuals who are both high-risk and high-need, the judge and Team must balance support with accountability to promote long-term behavior change. This balance is complex and requires coordinated effort across the multidisciplinary Team. As the leader of the treatment court, the judge plays a central role in ensuring that participants experience both encouragement and clear expectations. Accountability, particularly around proximal goals, helps participants build the internal skills needed to eventually meet their distal goals. Understanding each participant’s specific goals allows the court to recognize progress and address setbacks consistently during judicial interactions.During the observed hearing, one participant arrived late, and the tardiness was not acknowledged or addressed. Noting or responding to such behaviors during court reinforces expectations, supports fairness across participants, and aligns with evidence-based practices for high-risk populations. It is encouraged that the judge and Team consistently address the status and behaviors discussed during staffing when participants appear in court. According to the Judicial Benchbook, “Nothing spells disaster more for a drug court than failing to detect and redress negative behaviors or failing to recognize and reward positive accomplishments” (p. 143).Standard 6: Balancing the Non-Adversarial Approach with Due Process Concerns (p. 10-11)“Treatment courts must protect a participant’s due process and Constitutional rights while promoting public safety and working in a non-adversarial fashion.” “Develop written policy and procedures for: admission, sanctions, incentives, phase advancement, monitoring treatment compliance, successful completion, and termination/expulsion.” “Make a record of all public treatment court proceedings as required by Wisconsin Supreme Court Rule 71.01.” “Inform treatment court participants, both verbally and in writing, of all contracts, waivers, policies, procedures, rights and responsibilities prior to their admission into the treatment court. Participants acknowledge, by signature, their understanding of those documents and are provided with copies.” “Procedures for drug testing include a clear chain of custody for the samples and the opportunity for timely confirmation testing.”Because All Rise has recently released its updated treatment court standards, it is recommended that Team members review the updated standards and that several of the policies included in the Policies and Procedures Manual and Participant Manual be revised to meet those standards. One policy already mentioned includes the structure and role of the oversight committees.Another policy recommended for revision is the program phase structure. This will be further discussed in Standard 12. Page 16 of 38 7 | P a g e The court proceedings were held in open court and recorded. The intake process was not observed during this site visit, so it is unknown what paperwork and policies are reviewed before admission to the treatment court. Participants must fully understand all the requirements and expectations prior to agreeing to participate in the program. A drug testing policy is included in the Manualand is discussed in more detail under Standard 13. Standard 7: Recordkeeping & Confidentiality (p. 12-14)“Treatment courts contemplate the integration of criminal case processing and treatment participation. Sharing of limited confidential medical and treatment information is a necessary function of treatment court operations. However, the need to share such confidential information must be balanced with the presumption that criminal court proceedings are open to the public. Compliance with state and federal confidentiality laws can be accomplished with proper procedures, notification, consent forms and limiting disclosure of confidential treatment information to the minimum necessary to accomplish the intended purpose. Recordkeeping poses special concerns given the tension between open court records and confidentiality of treatment records. In order to comply with state and federal record keeping expectations for legal and medical information, all problem-solving courts must develop a bifurcated filing system to protect confidential medical and treatment records as much as possible, while still providing a complete record of judicial action in the open court file.” “Define the recordkeeping system in the policy and procedure manual. Bifurcate the recordkeeping system to separate confidential information and records from other information and records. The bifurcated system consists of a criminal court file and a treatment court file for each participant.” Document all privacy policies and procedures, including digital communication, and limit the information disclosed to the minimum details necessary to accomplish the intended purpose.” “Ensure minutes kept by the clerk of court reflect court appearances and when a sanction, incentive or termination is imposed, and the reasons therefore, but omit any description of confidential information.” “Establish written policies and procedures for treatment file maintenance, access, storage, retention and destruction (DHS 92.12).” “A specific policy on email communication should be developed to ease communication barriers while ensuring participant confidentiality.” The Policies and Procedures Manualdiscusses confidentiality as it relates to participant treatment, medical and other privileged information, as well as the bifurcated recordkeeping system, and the need for participants to sign releases authorizing sharing of protected information with the Team. Court records include minutes of court sessions that reflect court appearances, when a sanction, incentive or termination is imposed and the reasons but should not include confidential information. It is recommended that the Team include in this policy the use of encryption in emails containing confidential information. Page 17 of 38 8 | P a g e Standard 8: Target Population, Eligibility & Referral (p. 15-16)“Effectiveness is maximized in treatment courts when the target population is high-risk, high-need, determined by the use of a validated assessment tool. Eligibility and exclusionary criteria must be objective, clearly documented, measurable and easily communicated to treatment court team members, treatment providers, key stakeholders and community partners.” “Promptly identify and refer eligible participants and facilitate admission to the treatment court program. Best outcomes are achieved when admission occurs within 50 days from the time of arrest or other triggering event.” “Ensure the target population for the treatment court is assessed as high-risk and high-need.” “Eligible participants are not excluded from the treatment court program solely because they receive Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT). Participant receipt of MAT will not be considered when determining participant eligibility.” The Sawyer County Recovery Court targets participants who score high risk on their risk assessment and score moderate to severe on their clinical assessment. It is suggested that the Manual also states that persons will not be excluded from Recovery Court because they have co-occurring disorders, specific medical conditions, or are on medication assisted treatment (MAT). According to recently released All Rise Standards, “Previous benchmarks providing for entry within 1 to 2 months of an arrest are no longer tenable given the substantially increased risk of overdose and death pending evidentiary discovery, plea bargaining, and case disposition” (All Rise Standards, pg. 3). Given this update to the standards, it is recommended that the Team continue to implement the referral process used as outlined in the Policies and Procedures Manual and hold additional discussions for the consistent evaluation of time frames for admission. Additional discussion and implementation of efficiencies to the time frame should be a consistent agenda item with the Steering Committee and at Team policy meetings. The assessment tools being used (ORAS and/or COMPAS-R) are validated assessment tool (NADCP, Vol. 1, Appendix A). According to the TAD Site Visit Questionnaire, both the risk assessment and clinical screening assessment are completed before a participant is accepted to the program. Clinical assessment scores are in accordance with the DSM-V tool. According to All Rise Standards, not all persons with a substance use disorder need the intensity of a treatment court, so prior to admission treatment courts should assess participants for compulsive, chronic, or uncontrolled substance use disorders. Criteria associated with compulsive, chronic, or uncontrolled SUDs include: • use that often substantially exceeds the person’s initial intentions or expectations, • persistent desire or multiple unsuccessful efforts to stop using the substance, • substance cravings, and/or • withdrawal symptoms. Page 18 of 38 9 | P a g e The treatment court model assumes that participants require this level and range of services and provides for an intensive regimen of treatment and recovery management services typically lasting 12 to 18 months (All Rise Standards, pg. 11-12).Standard 9: Screening & Initial Assessment (p. 17-18)“Potential participants are promptly screened and assessed to determine program eligibility and adequate/appropriate treatment services. Screening determines if a prospective participant meets predetermined objective requirements for further assessment. Professionals with specialized education and training in the use of tools then conduct validated risk and needs assessments to determine a prospective participant’s criminogenic risk and treatment needs. Assessment results determine if a person is eligible for treatment court participation.” “Use validated evidence-based assessment tools to ensure that participants meet the high-risk and high-need criteria for eligibility.” “Complete both clinical and risk assessments before considering a potential participant for admission.” “Ensure that to be considered for participation in the treatment court program, applicants meet the current DSM criteria for moderate-to-severe substance use disorder and are assessed as high-risk, high-need.” As previously discussed, the program uses validated risk assessment and clinical assessmenttools, and according to the TAD Site Visit Questionnaire, both tools are completed before the participant is considered for admission. As previously stated, the program should ensure that participants are screened for compulsive substance use disorders prior to admission. Also, as discussed under Standard 8, it is recommended that the program team continue discussions and efforts to shorten the time period that typically elapses from a participant’s arrest to their admission into Recovery Court. Standard 10: Case Planning (p. 19-20)“Case planning is the process by which staff and participant clearly identify and rank criminogenic/responsivity needs following completion of a validated risk and needs assessment tool. This process uses criminogenic need and responsivity factors to establish agreed upon proximal and distal goals and identifies resources to ensure participant success.” “The case plan is based on the results of the initial assessment and identifies participant’s strengths, risk factors, criminogenic and treatment needs and supports.” “Review case plan when participant is scheduled to appear in court and update the case plan periodically based on ongoing assessment of participant progress.”Case planning and treatment planning are clearly occurring, though this standard is difficult to fully assess because individual sessions between case managers and participants were not observed. Full case plans were not presented during staffing, but elements typically included in case plans appeared within the staffing reports. It is important to distinguish case planning completed by case managers and probation and parole agents from treatment planning, which is the responsibility of treatment providers. The Policies and Procedures Manual may benefit from added language describing how the program coordinator and probation officer collaborate to share information, jointly develop case plans, and update them with participant input. Page 19 of 38 10 | P a g e Case plans should support treatment goals while also addressing non-treatment goals identified by participants. Effective case planning targets criminogenic needs and responsivity factors, and the Manualcould be strengthened by outlining how the program helps participants address basic needs such as housing, mental health concerns, and crisis intervention, as these issues often must be addressed before or alongside behavioral health or criminogenic needs. Case plans should include specific activities that link identified problems to goals, clearly assign responsibility for identifying and delivering services, and define timelines and frequency. They should be reviewed during individual sessions and updated when a participant advances phases. Progress on well-defined proximal goals should be tied to phase advancement as participants work toward more challenging distal goals. Post-program services should also be incorporated through a structured discharge planning process. A discharge plan should summarize the participant’s activities and dosage completed in the program and outline the services and supports available after graduation. This plan should be reviewed with the participant, the Team, and the participant’s natural supports. An example discharge plan is included with this report. Standard 11: Treatment (p. 21-23)“Treatment courts must provide prompt admissions to continuous, comprehensive, evidence-based treatment, social and trauma informed rehabilitation services to meet a participant’s criminogenic needs and substance use disorder service needs.” “Base substance use disorder services and other treatment recommendations on validated clinical assessments, which include current ASAM and DSM criteria.” “One or two treatment agencies are used for most treatment services. If more than two agencies provide services, communication protocols are developed to ensure accurate and timely information about participants’ progress is conveyed to the team.” “Treatment providers supply progress reports to the treatment court team before team meetings.” “Participants are not incarcerated to achieve clinical or social service objectives.” “Opportunities are provided for non-deity based treatment programs and self-help groups.” The Treatment Protocol Section of the Policies and Procedures Manual contains information related to addressing substance use and mental health diagnoses but does not discuss the importance of addressing participants’ individual basic, responsivity and criminogenic needs. This information should be added to program documents. The Manualdescribes how referrals are made to higher levels of care if treatment goals are not met in intensive outpatient programming. Page 20 of 38 11 | P a g e During this observation, input from the treatment provider on the Team was limited. It is essential that the Team include a representative who works directly with participants, as their firsthand clinical insight is critical to understanding participant behavior, recognizing progress in treatment, and guiding the Team’s use of therapeutic, evidence-based responses to goal infractions. If direct participation is not feasible, the representative should maintain regular communication with frontline clinical staff to ensure the Team receives timely and relevant updates on participant progress and treatment engagement. An additional strategy to promote information sharing and reducing the potential for miscommunication or gaps in services is developing a form for all treatment providers to complete that summarizes treatment attendance and engagement that can be shared weekly with either the coordinator or the treatment provider consultant. Attached is an example document.According to All Rise, “Acute care services like those delivered in treatment courts may be a necessary first step in the recovery management process to help participants initiate abstinence and achieve other symptom remission, but an equally or more important goal is to link them with recovery support services and peer recovery networks to help them strengthen and lengthen their treatment gains.” It is recommended that language be added to the Manualmore fully describing the use and availability of peer mentoring and other peer support services and also describe the development and use of recovery capital.Utilizing recovery capital resources increases the likelihood that a participant will identify and connect with a recovery network that they will continue staying active with post-program. Explore integrating and implementing individualized recovery capital services into the program either in lieu of or in addition to existing support group requirements. As a reminder, participants cannot be required to attend religious or deity-based peer support group meetings, as this is a violation of their free speech rights. Also, treatment providers should evaluate a participant’s appropriateness and stability and prepare them to start attending peer support groups. Three sets of materials used for recovery capital services are included with this report.Standard 12: Program Phases (p. 24-25)“Treatment courts have significantly better outcomes when they have a clearly defined phase structure and specific behavioral requirements for advancement through the phases. Phase advancement rewards participants for their accomplishments and puts them on notice that the expectations for their behavior have been raised accordingly. Outcomes are significantly better when rehabilitation programs address complementary needs in a specific sequence.” “Phase requirements reflect the proximal and distal goals of the high risk/high need participant.” “Phase advancement criteria is based on the achievement of clinically important milestones that mark substantial progress towards recovery.” “Phase demotion is contraindicated and can be detrimental to the participant’s success in the program.” “Participants are expected to have greater than 90 days clean before graduation.” Page 21 of 38 12 | P a g e “Financial barriers cannot be the only barrier to phase advancement.” The phase structure used by the Sawyer County Recovery Court is included in the Policies and Procedures Manual. As previously mentioned, the program may want to review the current phase structure. With the recently released update of the All Rise Treatment Court Standards, programs are encouraged to remember that the amount of time spent in a phase and the number of phases is not as critical as the participant achieving clinically important milestones and the program ensuring that the phase structure includes both the court (which is based upon risk levels), and treatment services (which is based upon clinical assessment stages). All Rise’s a phase, and more on the achievement of clinical treatment and recovery milestones. This includes greater focus during early phases on such as honesty, rates of and treatment session , etc.The phase structure appears to be incrementally based, which is recommended. The early phase housing, stabilizing mental health symptoms, minimizing cravings, addressing the inability to feel pleasure, and managing withdrawal symptoms. The program might consider focusing more on responsivity factors in phase 1. The interim phases appear to focus on addressing treatment needs, though detailing not only substance use needs but also criminogenic - should be included As a reminder, phase advancement should be tied to completion of well-defined and achievable proximal case plan goals as the participant works towards accomplishing more difficult distal goals, instead of a specific number of “phase days” or “sobriety days.” In consultation with treatment providers, individualized phase goals should be determined at the beginning of each phase. When the participant has achieved those goals and the treatment provider agrees the individual is making adequate progress in treatment, the participant is ready to advance to the next phase. The current “phase days” in the national guidance are approximations for the length of each phase. Participants should continue to have a minimum of 90 days of sobriety before graduation; however, perfection should never be expected. Fees are mentioned in the Policies and Procedures Manual and in the Participant Manual. As a reminder, fees should not be a barrier to phase advancement or graduation and should be based on the participant’s individual ability to pay.Standard 13: Drug & Alcohol Testing (p. 26-27)“Efficient and accurate monitoring of the drug court participant is crucial for long-term program effectiveness. Drug testing serves as a tool for treatment court teams to direct appropriate “Treatment court policy and procedures manual, participant contract and participant handbook contain written procedures and methods for drug testing.” Page 22 of 38 13 | P a g e interventions that support participant goals. In order for case adjudication to be appropriate, consistent, and equitable, drug detection procedures must produce results that are scientifically valid and forensically defensible.” “Drug testing frequency remains consistent throughout the program until participants are in the last phase of the program and are preparing for successful completion.” “Failure to submit to a test is considered a sanctionable offense.”Drug testing procedures are included in the Policies and Procedures Manualand the Participant Manual. It is recommended that information regarding the chain of custody and the procedure for collecting a witnessed specimen be included in both program documents. Consistent, random, and accurate drug and alcohol testing is a cornerstone of an effective treatment court program. Drug testing should remain consistent throughout the program. A stepdown in testing can be done once the participant is in early remission, but with caution as many other components (e.g., case management contacts and status hearings) of the program are stepping down as well. Because of the stepdown of the other components, the risk of relapse is high, and drug testing can provide accountability until all distal goals become proximal.Standard 14: Applying Incentives, Sanctions & Therapeutic Adjustments (p. 28-29)“Incentives and sanctions for participants’ behavior should be administered following evidence-based principles of effective behavior modification.” “Monitor participants for compliance, reward achievements, and sanction misconduct, using an incentive-to-sanction rate of at least 4-to-1.” “Impose sanctions promptly with certainty, celerity, and fairness.” “Incentivize productive behavior.” “Prohibit participant use of all intoxicating and addictive substances (legal and illegal) unless prescribed by a medical professional.” “Participants are not terminated for continued substance use if they are compliant with all other supervision and treatment requirements, nor are they terminated for a new arrest of drug possession.” The Policies and Procedures Manualoutlines a range of incentives and sanctions used in the program, and it briefly references service adjustments. Adding clearer language to the Manualabout using service adjustments when participants are not meeting distal goals or benchmarks would strengthen consistency across the Team. The program uses several incentives, many of which were observed during the court hearing. Because incentives drive behavior change more effectively than sanctions, celebrating participants’ achievements is essential for engagement and long-term progress. Best practices recommend maintaining at least a 4:1 ratio of incentives to sanctions, meaning the Team should recognize at least four positive behaviors for every corrective action. To support this, Team members should come to staffing prepared to identify specific accomplishments or strengths for Page 23 of 38 14 | P a g e each participant scheduled for court such as treatment attendance, negative drug tests, rebuilding relationships, securing employment, or demonstrating improved coping skills. Highlighting these successes in staffing allows the judge to reinforce them in court and connect positive behavior to meaningful incentives or verbal praise. This approach helps participants clearly understand how their actions lead to recognition and supports a strengths-based, participant centered environment. Additional low-cost incentive ideas are included with this report.Supervision remains equally important as treatment for high-risk, high-need participants, and accountability for proximal goal infractions is a critical part of that supervision. Treatment providers, DOC agents, and case management staff should identify each participant’s proximal and distal goals and ensure this information is reflected in court notes. When a proximal goal is violated, the Team should respond with an appropriate sanction; when a distal goal is not met, the response should be a service adjustment. Mastering the effective use of incentives, sanctions, and service adjustments is one of the most essential and most challenging skills in a treatment court setting. Standard 15: Training (p. 30) “To promote effective treatment court planning, implementation, and ongoing operations, treatment courts must assure continuing education of team members. Programs that ignore best practices and fail to attend training conferences are more likely to produce ineffective or harmful results.” “Attend annual training workshops on best and evidence-based practices in treatment courts.” “Provide orientation training for new team members on the Treatment Court Model and best practice standards.” “Review all policies and procedures as a team and assess the overall functionality of the court on a regular basis.” The Sawyer County Recovery Court is incorporating several evidence-based practices in the program, many of which have been highlighted in this report. It is recommended that Team members continue to attend training, as it is available, through the Wisconsin Association of Treatment Court Professionals (WATCP), All Rise, or other recognized professional organizations to gain current knowledge on best practices. As indicated in the TAD Site Visit Questionnaire responses, steps are currently “in place” to provide formal orientation training on treatment court models and best practices to new treatment court Team members. To provide a starting point to develop an onboarding policy, we have attached an example policy. Standard 16: Community Outreach (p. 31) “Engage in community outreach activities to garner support for the treatment court approach and identify and sustain key partnerships. Community buy-in will help improve program operations and outcomes, help to sustain “Develop and maintain community resources.” “Participate in open dialogue with community agencies and stakeholders Page 24 of 38 15 | P a g e specialized court dockets, improve access to community resources, and ensure consideration of the community’s best interests, including public safety.” ensuring collaboration among partners to improve participant outcomes.”Community engagement is important for the sustainability of the treatment court. The Recovery Court Team should continue looking for opportunities to participate in educational outreach activities to increase community members’ understanding of addiction and decrease stigma (e.g.host an event during Drug Court Month, attend community events promoting the program). The Steering Committee and Team should consider exploring partnerships with community supports like a family resource center, employment staffing agencies, faith-based support groups, churches, and food pantries to foster participants’ connection with community resources. Additionally, consider exploring partnerships with businesses in the community that may be able to support the program through donation of gift cards or other incentives. Many community members are impacted by substance use or mental illness in some way and may be interested in opportunities to give back and support those working towards recovery and establishment of pro-social behaviors. It is recommended that the Steering Committee develop a community outreach plan to increase knowledge of the program and addiction in the community and to explore partnerships. An example community mapping resources chart is included with this report.Standard 17: Performance Measure & Evaluation (p. 32-33) “Treatment courts engage in ongoing data collection, performance measurement, and evaluation to assess adherence to the Ten Key Components, Wisconsin state and NADCP national standards, evidence-based practices, and specific program goals and objectives.” “Develop or utilize a process to routinely collect data in a consistent, electronic format for both performance measurement and program evaluation.” “Treatment courts may utilize the Comprehensive Outcome, Research, and Evaluation (CORE) Reporting System provided by the Wisconsin Department of Justice or another comparable system for data collection.” Continual evaluation of performance measures is important to determine the effectiveness of the program. Programs are encouraged to complete both internal and external evaluations on a regular basis. Programs are encouraged to utilize the Wisconsin Statewide Drug and Hybrid Treatment Court Performance Measuresdocument, which outlines benchmarks for the recommended performance measures, for assistance with internal evaluations. Many of those performance measures can be extracted from CORE if data entry has been consistent. Page 25 of 38 16 | P a g e Recommendation SummaryOverall, the Sawyer County Recovery Court Program is incorporating a range of evidence-based practices. This report offers several recommendations designed to support closer alignment with the All Rise Standards and Wisconsin Treatment Court Standards. Staff are invited to thoughtfully review these suggestions and consider their implementation. A few key recommendations have been prioritized and are highlighted below: Recommendation: Incorporate Recovery Capital, Proximal and Distal Goals in Case Plans and Court NotesEnsure that all case plans and court notes provided to Team members clearly identify recovery capital, proximal and distal goals for each participant in every phase of the program. These goals should inform discussions during pre-court staffing and court sessions and should also guide behavioral responses to both progress and infractions. Goal areas must align with assessed participant’s needs. For example, if employment is not identified as a need, it should not be included in the case plan or the key topics discussed in interactions with the participant.ResourcesIntegrated Case Plan Recovery Capital Worksheets The Multidimensional Inventory of Recovery Capital (MIRC) Brief Assessment of Recovery Capital (BARC-10) Proximal, Distal, & Managed Goals in Phases Treatment Court Infraction ResponseRecommendation: Enhance Judicial Interaction Through Treatment Reflection Judicial interactions should include deliberate opportunities for participants to articulate what they are learning through treatment services. This structured reflection serves as a meaningful indicator of participant growth and can also provide valuable learning opportunities for peers observing the exchange. ResourcesStaffing Form Template – All Rise (attached) Sample Staffing Sheet – All Rise Judicial Bench Card Page 26 of 38 17 | P a g e List of Documents and Resources attached to this Report:1. Sample Onboarding Policy2. Discharge Planning Summary Template3. Treatment Provider Update Document4. Quick Guide – TAD Community Resources (No cost or low-cost incentives)5. Community Mapping Resources Chart Page 27 of 38 PROXIMAL GOALS (Reference handout “Proximal, Distal & Managed Goals in Phases”) Definition: Short-term, specific objectives that serve as immediate steps toward long-term (distal) goals. Purpose: • Break large goals into manageable, actionable steps • Maintain focus and motivation • Provide structure for progress Examples: Just examples… • Distal: Maintain sobriety for 1 year Proximal: Attend weekly counseling sessions, complete 30 meetings in 90 days, develop a relapse prevention plan • Distal: Obtain stable employment Proximal: Create a resume, apply to 5 jobs per week, attend a job readiness workshop • Distal: Secure stable housing Proximal: Meet with a housing coordinator, apply for housing programs, save first month’s rent • Distal: Improve physical and mental health Proximal: Attend all medical/therapy appointments, exercise 3 times per week, practice stress management techniques • Distal: Rebuild family relationships Proximal: Attend family counseling, schedule weekly check-ins with family members, practice healthy communication skills • Distal: Complete treatment court program successfully Proximal: Attend all court dates, comply with drug testing requirements, meet regularly with case manager • Distal: Achieve financial stability Proximal: Create a monthly budget, track expenses, pay off one debt at a time • Distal: Develop a positive support network Proximal: Identify 3 sober supports, attend peer support groups weekly, reduce contact with negative influences Key Characteristics: • Specific: Clearly defined • Measurable: Progress can be tracked • Time-bound: Set within a defined timeframe Page 28 of 38 • Achievable: Realistic and attainable Benefits: • Boost motivation through small wins • Improve focus and productivity • Provide immediate feedback for adjustment • Make long-term goals less overwhelming Example: • Attend all treatment sessions • Maintain sobriety DISTAL GOALS Definition: Long-term objectives achieved over an extended period through multiple steps. Purpose: • Provide direction and long-term vision • Guide daily decisions and actions Key Characteristics: • Long-term horizon • Require preparation and skill development • Provide motivation and meaning • Complex; achieved through proximal goals Examples: Other examples included in proximal section • Educational: Earn a degree or certification • Lifestyle: Reduce carbon footprint, build a regenerative garden • Achieve complete abstinence from substances • Maintain stable employment and education TEAM FUNCTIONING & STAFFING (Team) • Acknowledge all team viewpoints during staffing • Reach consensus on responses to noncompliance Page 29 of 38 • Focus on: o Substance use progress o Mental health progress o Criminogenic and responsivity needs • Document and regularly update participant progress (Case Manager) • Have direct care providers lead reporting • Highlight and celebrate participant progress • Include treatment status in staffing notes (Mental Health Provider & AODA Counselor) JUDICIAL PRACTICES (Judges) • Use motivational interviewing (affirmations, reflection, summarizing) • Attend MI training (judge and team) • Address behaviors (e.g., tardiness) consistently in court • Align courtroom discussions with staffing • Include structured participant reflection on treatment learning TRAINING & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT (Team) • Attend ongoing trainings (e.g., WATCP, All Rise) • Train on team roles and responsibilities • Provide formal onboarding for new members (Coordinator in collaboration with team) • Develop an onboarding policy (Steering Committee) POLICIES & PROCEDURES (Steering Committee) • Update manual to align with All Rise Standards (Coordinator and Steering Committee) • Revise: o Phase structure o Oversight committee structure • Clarify policies on: o Service adjustments Page 30 of 38 o Coordinator and Case Management–probation collaboration • Include onboarding process • Ensure participants are not excluded due to: o Co-occurring disorders o Medical conditions o Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) • Add guidance on: o Criminogenic and responsivity needs o Peer support and recovery capital o Drug testing (chain of custody, witnessed collection) o Email encryption for confidentiality DATA COLLECTION & EVALUATION (Case Manager/Coordinator) • Ensure consistent data entry into CORE • Regularly review: o Eligibility o Enrollment o Graduation o Termination (Team w/Case Manager) • Conduct internal and external evaluations • Use performance benchmarks EQUITY & ACCESS (Coordinator) • Analyze disparities in: o Eligibility o Enrollment o Outcomes • Take corrective action to address inequities Page 31 of 38 PROGRAM STRUCTURE & GOVERNANCE (Coordinator) • Make program manual publicly available • Consider a treatment court advisory group (Steering Committee) • Maintain/refine steering committee • Improve referral-to-admission timelines CASE PLANNING (Case Manager) • Distinguish case planning from treatment planning • Ensure case plans: o Identify strengths, risks, and needs o Include proximal and distal goals o Address housing, mental health, crisis needs • Link goals to actions, responsibilities, and timelines • Regularly review and update plans • Tie phase advancement to goal completion (not time) • Include discharge planning and recovery capital TREATMENT & SERVICES (Mental Health Provider and AODA Counselor) • Increase treatment provider input in staffing • Ensure regular team communication • Standardize treatment progress reports • Add peer recovery and recovery capital services (Coordinator, Peer Recovery Coach and Peer Systems Navigator) Reference handouts “Need Packet” • Expand recovery support networks (everyone, with prior team notification) • Do not require religious-based group attendance • Prepare participants for peer support groups (Mental Health, AODA & Case Manager) PROGRAM PHASES (Steering Committee & Recovery Court Team) Reference Handout “Standard 12 Program Phases TALK TO STEERING COMMITTEE ABOUT IMPLEMENTING A BUDGETING REQUIREMENT WITH CASE MANAGER GUIDANCE TO SAVE FOR Page 32 of 38 FEES/DUES OR IN LIEU OF PAYMENT, WOULD STEERING COMMITTEE BE OPEN TO REQUIRING A LETTER TO REQUEST PHASE ADVANCEMENT WITHOUT PAYMENT • Align phase structure with updated standards • Focus on clinical milestones (not time/sobriety days) • Emphasize responsivity factors early • Tie advancement to individualized goals • Ensure fees are not barriers DRUG TESTING (Case Manager, Peer Recovery Coach & Peer Systems Navigator) • Maintain consistent, random, accurate testing • Avoid reducing testing too early • Include clear procedures for: o Chain of custody o Witnessed collection INCENTIVES, SANCTIONS & RESPONSES (Policies & Procedures – Steering Committee; Application of Polices – Team) • Apply incentives and sanctions consistently • Maintain a 4:1 incentive-to-sanction ratio • Include ongoing Treatment Plan information in staffing reports (Mental Health, AODA with Case Manager) • Use: o Sanctions for proximal goal violations o Service adjustments for distal goal issues • Expand low-cost incentives COMMUNITY OUTREACH & PARTNERSHIPS (Outreach - Everyone with ongoing Coordinator communication; Coordinator responsible for documents/onboarding) • Develop a formal outreach plan • Participate in community education events Page 33 of 38 • Build partnerships with: o Family resource centers o Employment agencies o Faith-based organizations o Food pantries • Engage local businesses for incentives/donations • Increase awareness of addiction and recovery KEY RECOMMENDATIONS (Everyone involved) • Incorporate proximal/distal goals and recovery capital into: o Case plans o Court notes • Ensure goals guide: o Staffing discussions o Court interactions o Behavioral responses • Align goals with assessed participant needs • Include participant reflection on treatment learning Page 34 of 38 Sawyer County Health and Human Services Board Public Health Update – April 2026 03/30/2026 • Assessment & Surveillance • Community Partnership Development • Equity • Organizational Capabilities • Policy, Development & Support • Accountability & Performance Management • Communications • Emergency Preparedness & Response • • Communications PUBLIC HEALTH FOUNDATIONAL AREAS FOUNDATIONAL CAPABILITIES COMMUNICABLE DISEASE CONTROL: Assessment & Surveillance; Communications Respiratory Report Regional respiratory illness levels are moderate and decreasing. Influenza and COVID-19 activity are low and very low, respectively, and decreasing. RSV activity is high and stable. In Wisconsin, respiratory illness levels are low and decreasing. For state and regional data, visit Respiratory Virus Data | Wisconsin Department of Health Services Measles As of March 26, 1,575 confirmed measles cases were reported in the United States in 2026. 92% of these cases are unvaccinated or vaccination status unknown. There have been 16 new outbreaks reported in 2026, and 94% of confirmed cases are outbreak-associated. To compare, the US had 2,285 confirmed cases for the full year in 2025. The best protection against measles is a measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR or MMRV) vaccine. Page 35 of 38 Sawyer County Health and Human Services Board Public Health Update – April 2026 03/30/2026 ENVIRONMENTAL PUBLIC HEALTH: Accountability & Performance Management; Organizational Capabilities Agent of the State As of March 26, environmental health staff have completed 76.3% (697/914) of inspections of licensed facilities in our fiscal year (July 1-June 30). As a reference, we are 73.2% through our fiscal year. As of March 26, staff completed 35 routine and pre-inspections this month. We will be submitting our quarterly report to DATCP by April 14. CHRONIC DISEASE & INJURY PREVENTION: Assessment & Surveillance; Community Partnership Development; Communications Overdose Data, Trends, and Prevention Meeting on March 24. Law enforcement, health care, school, and other agency representatives attended. Frontline staff shared current trends and strategies to deter the use of substances within our community. CHRONIC DISEASE & INJURY PREVENTION and ACCESS TO & LINKAGE WITH CLINICAL CARE: Assessment & Surveillance; Community Partnership Development; Accountability & Performance Management; Communications Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) Tamarack Health and Sawyer County Public Health continue to collaborate on our Community Health Improvement Plan. Workgroups have co-chairs identified from our Steering Team, and community members have self-selected to serve in areas of interest and expertise. The co-chairs met on March 12 to discuss workgroup flow and goal setting. Workgroups plan to meet within the next month to begin their work. FOUNDATIONAL CAPABILITIES: Emergency Preparedness & Response; Communication; Accountability & Performance Management; Organizational Capabilities Training In March, Sawyer County Public Health staff participated in the following trainings and conferences: ATCP 72 updates, CPR recertification, onboarding for DART (new budget and reporting program with DHS), measles training, a Hazmat exercise, several substance use trainings, and a Standards workshop for DATCP. Staff shared program information for local radio and a newspaper as well in March. Page 36 of 38 715.634.4806 or 800.569.4162 Health Services Fax 715.634.3580 Human Services Fax 715.634.5387 HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES Sawyer County Courthouse 10610 Main, Suite 224 Hayward, WI 54843 February 2026 Youth Justice Report February 2026 Total Referrals: 1 Pending Scheduled Intakes: Counseled and Closed: 0 Recommended DPA: 1 Recommended DA File Petition: 1 Recommended Waiver to Adult Court: 0 Recommend Serious Juvenile Offender Program: 0 Jurisdiction in Different County/State -Sent Referral: 0 Handled Through Current Court Order: 0 Handled Through Diversion Program: 0 Current Out of Home Placements: 9 1 moving from residential to foster care next month 1 residential placement ending in July 1 assessment returning home, w/ no recommendation of residential TPC (Temporary Physical Custody-JDC): 0 Serious Juvenile Offender Program: 0 Active Capias (warrant): 0 2026 Total Youth Justice Referrals: 3 Total YJ Cases: 36 Melinda Hoyos: 9 Ongoing | Kim Lambert: 10 Ongoing | 1 Pending Court Jami Engebretson: 10 Ongoing | 3 Pending Court Amy Thompson: 3 Ongoing Respectfully Submitted, Sarah Inczauskis, CSW Children, Youth, and Families Supervisor Page 37 of 38 715.634.4806 or 800.569.4162 Health Services Fax 715.634.3580 Human Services Fax 715.634.5387 HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES Sawyer County Courthouse 10610 Main, Suite 224 Hayward, WI 54843 Behavioral Health Programs Report for March 26, 2026 Behavioral Health Outpatient Clinic Supervisor Carlson continues to assist with managing referrals and case management related to crisis contacts, coordination of services and discharge referrals for those individuals that are either hospitalized on an involuntarily or voluntarily basis. Supervisor Carlson has been working collaboratively with Joe Bodo and Caitlan Myren to develop and implement the most person-centered, strength-based and appropriate programming possible, despite current staffing limitations. Carlson, Bodo, and Myren will hold regular meetings to review all referrals, discuss each case, and determine the most suitable course of treatment and program for each individual referral. This team-based approach is intended to ensure that all referrals receive comprehensive and individualized care planning, even during periods of reduced staffing. CCS Program (Comprehensive Community Services) Service Director Carlson has been actively working to reestablish the Comprehensive Community Services (CCS) Program within Sawyer County since October 2025 and has had two referrals ready to enroll in CCS Programming. However, Ms. Sands, our only CCS facilitator, applied for the Children’s Supportive Services Supervisor position, and Ms. Lyons hired her. Consequently, the CCS Program is currently undergoing restructuring. Efforts are underway to train another employee, Alison Carlson, to fulfill the requirements necessary for CCS certification and to provide service facilitation. During this interim period, until Alison completes the required training and certification, any CCS referrals received will be directed to outpatient services provided by either Sawyer County (Carlson and Bodo). Service Director Carlson has communicated with Taylor County’s CCS Administrator to update Sawyer County’s Chapter 36 roster and to inform them of the current delay in providing CCS services. Taylor County’s Administrator has been highly supportive and under- standing throughout this unexpected and disruptive transition, providing not only guidance on the updated training requirements but also encouragement and assistance in developing creative solutions to bridge service gaps. Their collaborative efforts with SD Carlson have focused on identifying interim strategies to maintain service continuity until Sawyer County is able to train and onboard sufficient staff to operate the CCS Program efficiently and effectively. The collaborative support provided by the Division of Care and Treatment Services (DCTS), the Department of Health Services (DHS), and Taylor County has played a critical role in Sawyer County’s successful transition to future certification of employees. Their guidance included clarifying regulatory requirements, offering technical assistance, and sharing best practices to ensure Sawyer County’s opera- tions align with updated state and federal standards. This partnership has facilitated timely resolution of compliance issues and im- proved staff training resources. By leveraging the expertise and resources provided by DCTS, DHS, and Taylor County, alongside the knowledge of experienced, long-standing county employees already providing Comprehensive Community Services (CCS), the Sawyer County CCS Program is optimally positioned to implement evidence-based practices, ensure regulatory compliance, and continuously improve service delivery. This collaborative approach supports the county’s commitment to providing safe, effective, and accessible care to its residents. Intoxicated Driver Program The recent staffing changes also impacted the OWI (Operating While Intoxicated) Program. However, Joe Bodo, who has been a certified OWI Assessor since 1990, agreed to begin conducting OWI Assessments immediately. Supervisor Carlson promptly contacted the Department of Transportation (DOT) and Division of Quality Assurance (DQA) to update the roster, adding Joe and removing the previous assessor. Three OWI Assessments were completed this month. Supervisor Carlson, Assessor Joe Bodo, and Coordinator Alison Carlson are collaborating effectively to streamline the assessment process and enhance the client-focused approach for individuals undergoing OWI Assessments at Sawyer County. Additionally, Coordinator Alison Carlson has committed to completing the OWI Assessor Training once she has accrued the necessary hours to meet eligibility requirements. CST Program (Coordinated Services Teams) Currently, there are six clients enrolled in the program, with no discharges and two referrals during this reporting period. Supervisor Carlson revised the 2026 CST grant to broaden our referral sources from just the Youth Diversion Program to include all internal departments as well as outside agencies as Sawyer County has witnessed a growing trend of hospitalizations among children and adolescents following crisis contacts with school personnel, local law enforcement, or our contracted crisis provider. This revised budget was finally approved on 03.25.26. Our quarterly meeting was held virtually on March 11, 2026, and was quite a productive meeting. Respectfully, Alicia D. Carlson M.S., LPC, NCC, ICS, CSAC, CCTP, IDP-AT Behavioral Health Programs Clinic Supervisor/CCS Service Director/IDP Supervisor 715-638-3303 acarlson@sawyercounty.gov Page 38 of 38