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Price County Health & Human Services Board Minutes Date: July 8, 2026 Time: 9:45 a.m. Place: Courthouse County Board Room 101; 126 Cherry St; Phillips, WI 54555 Call to Order: Meeting called to order at 9:45 by Paula Houdek, Committee Chairperson. Roll Call Members Present: Joe Baratka, Paula Houdek, Sally Huml, Robert Kopisch, Patricia Stephan Members Excused: Nicole Kulwicki, Dennis Wartgow Also Present: JoAnn Baratka, Substance Use & Mental Health Coalition; Krisan Bastil, Health and Human Services Accounting Assistant; Brian Ernst, County Chair person; Dawn Griesel, Aging and Disability Manager; Keri Hammond, Health and Human Services Fiscal Administration Division Manager; Beth Moore, Economic Support; Tiffany Palecek, Public Health Manager; Sarah Reese- Socha, Health and Human Services Director Chana Rymarkiewicz, Behavioral Health Division Manager; Nick Trimner, County Administrator Items For Discussion and Possible Action 1. Public Comment: None. Communications: A request was made for the Public Health Manager to look into health- related information regarding the asphalt plant topic discussed at the June 2026 Zoning Land Use & UW- Extension Committee meetings. 2. Vouchers – Krisan Bastil: Motion Kopisch/Stephan to approve the vouchers in the amount of $485,686.84 for May and June 2026. Motion carried. 3. Minutes from the May 13, 2026, Meeting: Motion Baratka/Swenson to approve the May 13, 2026, meeting minutes. Motion carried. 4. Committee Appointments (Suzy Ocker’s seat) a. Health and Human Services Board: (term 6/1/2026 through 5/31/2029): Recruitment is ongoing for the open seat on the Health and Human Services Board; a nursing requirement applies. 5. Subcommittee Appointments (Robin Nielsen’s seat) a. Price County Nutrition Advisory Council (terms 5/1/2026 through 4/30/2028): Beverly Heikkinen of Brantwood was appointed. 6. Opioid Committee Update – Paula Houdek: The Opioid Committee will hold its third meeting this afternoon, and five total meetings are scheduled. The Committee is comprised of representatives from the medical field, law enforcement, and school districts who meet to discuss observations and research on opioid- related issues throughout the County. The County was awarded roughly $250,000 with additional $15,000 to $20,000 yearly to spend towards things dealing with opioid use. Supplanting with the opioid funds is not allowed, but the funds can be used alongside grants and matching grants. The goal for today’s Opioid meeting is to start a general list of potential items to be funded along with an estimated cost. 7. Public Health Unit – Tiffany Palecek a. Substance Use & Mental Health Coalition Annual Report – Jojo Baratka: Presented the Price County Substance Use and Mental Health Coalition 2025 Annual Report, and it is on file. The Coalition mission: Price Substance Use & Mental Health Coalition are leaders in promoting, protecting, and preserving the health and wellbeing of Price County adults and youth through partnerships with people and communities. Their committees include: Strong Families, Strong Kids; Community Awareness & Emerging Drugs; and Stomp Out Stigma. b. Communicable Disease Update : There have been five confirmed mpox cases in Wisconsin this year. Ebola updates from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) show cases in Congo and Uganda, Africa. To date there have been no recorded cases in the United States. Other communicable disease reports were presented and are on file. c. Quarterly Report: Second quarter immunizations decreased by 44 cases. Magnets with American Pediatric Association (ADA) and CDC recommended vaccinations are being distributed t to families for awareness. Updates were presented for maternal child health and family health, including WIC, PNCC, and Reproductive Health, and are on file. Environmental Health updates were presented and are on file. The Public Health Preparedness Plans and COOP are being updated. Educational Preparedness displays handouts and resources are being promoted this quarter featuring Spring Safety and Weather Awareness; and Summer Safety, Fight the Bite, and Beat the Heat. Community Needs Assessment and Plan promotes positive mental health with community events such as Music in the Park in Phillips; Sources of Strength grant money in schools; school presentations; Youth Focus Group at Phillips Library; grant money for healthy snacks at the Youth Library Program in Phillips. Reports on Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse included providing harm reduction materials to the community: 107 Deterra Bags; 84 lock boxes/bags; and 24 full Narcan Kits. To aid chronic disease, a $5,465 ARPA LTHD Mini - Grant was allocated to the Health and Wel lness Coalition. Other Agency activity and information was presented and is on file. The Vaccine Usage Report for quarter two was presented and is on file with a total of 10 vaccines and six clients. 8. Aging & Disability / Senior Services Unit – Kris Mabie, Dawn Griesel a. Aging & Disability Quarterly Report – Dawn Griesel : The Aging and Disability Unit, Quarter Two Report for 2026 was presented and is on file. There were 92 referrals handled by ADRC Specialists; 13 Long Term Care Functional Screens completed; six enrollments into Family Care MCO; two enrollments into IRIS; 1 0 reported in the National Family Caregiver Support Program; and seven in the Alzheimer’s Family Caregiver Support Program. The Dementia Care Specialist aims to host an event at the Park Falls Library in July. There are 43 cases of dementia reported; 10 attendees at the Phillips Memory Cafes; 360 newsletters sent out; and numerous attendees at virtual and local dementia support groups throughout the County. The Disability Benefit Specialist had a quarter two monetary impact of $40,405; year-to-date $174,956. ADRC Outreach was held at the Senior Nutrition Sites in Park Falls, Phillips and Ogema; and at Senior Housing in Park Falls and Phillips. Adult Protective Services statistics were presented and are on file with four New Protective Placement Referrals; four Emergency Protective Placements; 18 Protective Placement Reviews; four Guardianship Consult Referrals; and 22 Elder abuse Neglect, Adult at Risk, or Welfare Concern Referrals. b. ADRC Governing Board Update – Dawn Griesel: At the last meeting they elected a chair and vice chair, reported branch updates, and gave the fiscal budget report. Updates were given to changes in how allocations are made to the County. They used to withhold funds with expenses and now they give money to Counties up front, causing Price County’s allocation to increase by $28,000. In July, there are updates to the state system, and the County will use a state system called Pier Place for Medicaid. The G overning Board also set guidelines for finalizing reports and documentation. c. Woodland Enhanced Health Service Commission – Dawn Griesel : Updates will be provided at the next meeting in August. d. I Team – Dawn Griesel: The Interdisciplinary I Team requires four meetings yearly, and they have been meeting every other month. The group is comprised of people who handle and are aware of elder abuse in the County including representatives from law enforcement, ADRC, Banks and Hospice, just to name a few. Handling financial fraud and scams was one of their recent presentations and discussion topics. e. COA Update – Kris Mabie: The Senior Services Manager was substituting at the Park Falls Dining Site at the time of this meeting. Some updates from the Council on Aging meeting on June 8, 2026, include a birthday celebration for Norma Swan in July; April meal site statistics were presented. Two candidates for congregate meal site substitutes were interviewed. Dementia care programming has been going well, and an advanced planning presentation was given at the Ogema site in June. Farmers Market Vouchers for senior nutrition were distributed in April. The next Council on Aging meeting is scheduled for September 14th, 2026. 9. Children & Youth – Kayla Borgen a. Quarterly Report : Price County Placement Statistics for In- County and Out -of-County were presented and are on file. In 2026, quarter two, 24 children total were in out-of-home care, and 39% of the cases were drug related. Price County’s 2026 Quarter Two Placement Types and Costs were presented and are on file including the number of kids and total cost. Subsidized Guardianship costs are fully reimbursed by the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families (DCF). Costs for other placement types may be offset by reimbursements from Child Support, SSI, SSA, and Title IV -E federal funding. Two individuals were placed in Secure Detention from their placements for a total cost of $6,500. Price County’s Annual Placement Costs were presented and are on file. Quarter two in 2026 shows $248,891, and costs are broken down by cost of placement per month. Two youth were reportedly moving out of residential care, and one youth will be going into residential care. There are two new foster homes in the County that will accept all age groups of youth, and one foster home is retiring after 38 years. Two additional applicants were interested in becoming foster homes. 10. Behavioral Health Unit – Chana Rymarkiewicz a. Quarterly Report: Crisis calls are up again in quarter two with 19 calls in April, 9 calls in May and 17 calls in June. The Behavioral Health Unit Reporting Crisis Calls for 2026 report was presented and is on file. The Behavioral Health Programs Report was presented and is on file including one case for Intensive Supervision Program; between 26 and 27 cases for Comprehensive Community Services; 20 cases in the Community Support Program; and 9 cases in the Coordinated Services Team. The Children’s Service Programs Currently Enrolled Report show between 71 and 73 cases under Children’s Waiver (CLTS) for the quarter, and six cases under Birth to Three. All reports were presented and are on file. Children’s Waiver continues to increase, and the unit is looking for a Spanish translator to work with children. 11. Economic Support – Beth Moore a. Quarterly Report: The Price County 2026 Second Quarter Monthly Estimate report was presented and is on file, with a total of $5,365.53 in benefits paid out. b. Resolution: Create an Additional Economic Support Specialist Position: Motion Kopisch/Baratka to approve the Create an Additional Economic Support Specialist Position and move it to the county board. Discussion held. Motion carried. 12. Fiscal and Administrative Unit – Keri Hammond a. High-Cost Placements Reports: The High-Cost Placement – Children and Youth 10-Year Expense Comparison was presented and is on file showing $324,857 in May of 2026, which is up 12% from 2025. The High- Cost Placement – AODA 10 Year Expense Comparison was presented and is on file showing $188,731 in May of 2026, which is up 25% from 2025. 13. Director Report – Sarah Reese-Socha a. Agency Updates: Attorney Schoenborn and Attorney Schoeffler are filling in interim for the Corporation Counsel opening, and they are helping with the Children and Youth, APS, and Behavioral Health Unit. Children and Youth received $5,000 in grant money . Would like to invite the Connors, a Foster Care Host for 38 years, to the next Health and Human Services regular meeting to honor them. a. Personnel Updates i. Behavioral Health: Two (2) Social Worker CLTS Positions : The Health and Human Services Department is recruiting t wo (2) Social Worker CLTS Positions . There are four other openings in the Behavioral Health Department, and interviews for all positions are scheduled for this Wednesday. Board Chair Houdek was chosen by the Wisconsin Counties Association to serve on the Health and Human Services Steering Committee as a voice for Northern Wisconsin. There will be a report at the next meeting. 14. Next meeting: The next meeting is scheduled for August 12, 2026; the regular meeting will be held at 4:00 p.m.; and the public participation meeting will be held at 5 p.m. An agenda item for next meeting: Staff Introductions. 15. Adjourn: Meeting adjourned at 11:10 a.m. by Paula Houdek, Committee Chairperson. Respectfully Submitted by Meredith Hueckman, County Clerk