[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6105463,"mediaKeyId","2786506-39c931db3ccd1f21fbbd6720a6a0925e","parentId",2786506,"title","Committee approves ARPA-funded phones and network switches; vice chair confirmed","audioSeconds",535,"startMs",4280000,"endMs",4815000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2786506-39c931db3ccd1f21fbbd6720a6a0925e&start=4280&end=4815","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2786506-39c931db3ccd1f21fbbd6720a6a0925e/thumbnail_4280000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6105463/Richland-County/Wisconsin/Committee-approves-ARPA-funded-phones-and-network-switches-vice-chair-confirmed","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6105463-ce390bdab512beac3b5a8dfcbefbd98b/orig.mp4?Expires=1775777922&Signature=A8JTy1hQ5xhq-g46YfGfe5ZZ-v67NqBlPB85leusGHpZeNbH-bOnAjI-85SUyX2~ytS7Ys5jKG0sUrdee6zk3UXU9DL3KmPe85ER2FH0QQKywOjoYUcMxt3HDzxa614~LeDafFwnfPrdX4BNhjxGdLIvLjG1L-STtM~myc-UeOFaZJbDHZPcWf0zmitaT8BjUlfc8UCwOZhPg8wx5ZfXamVHl7W6z0U9oiOg-PIb0u4OweXmsaKabQJySkWCUzv7pnwbF2yqTMdYkHHPQBs9NmAcY1BqTWBBvjjZOCnuNAk-M3goL6Kx4cI3iLas4o4aHPovNnxZ9z1N9Mvbo48k5Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Richland County, WI","date","2025-03-27T04:19:31.023Z","article","The Richland County Community and Health Services Standing Committee voted on two ARPA-funded purchases and confirmed its vice chair at the May 1 meeting.

Vice chair confirmation: The committee re-confirmed Marty Brewer as vice chair after the body determined an earlier vote had not closed nominations. Sandra Kramer moved to confirm and a second was recorded; the committee recorded the motion as approved by voice vote.

ARPA purchases: The committee approved two resolutions to use federal ARPA funds allocated to the public-health unit. The packet shows $353,000 in ARPA funds for public health use this year; the committee approved:

- $24,765 to buy new desk and office phones for the Community Services Building. Trish Clements told the committee the phones are end-of-life and vendor support ends in mid-2025. The department said the vendor provides technical support as part of the purchase.

- $48,471.28 to buy network switches for the Community Services Building. Committee members said switches are needed for devices in the building to communicate and that failing to use ARPA funds would require the county to budget for the switches in next year’s levy-funded capital plan.

Other ARPA uses: Clements told the committee the ARPA allocation has been used sparingly to date; the county has used funds for leadership training, a vaccine refrigerator and website work and retains a multi-hundred-thousand-dollar balance. “We have not used much … probably still around $250,000,” Clements said as an approximate figure.

Why it matters: Using ARPA funds for infrastructure upgrades prevents immediate levy-funded expenditures and updates aging technology used by public-health and social-services staff.

Ending: Both ARPA items will move to the full county board for final approval following the committee vote. The vice chair confirmation was recorded and the committee adopted the outgoing schedule change proposals for future meetings.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Community and Health Services - 2024/05/02","oneSentenceSummary","The committee approved two resolutions to spend ARPA funds on new phone hardware and network switches for the Community Services Building and confirmed Marty Brewer as committee vice chair after a vote.","taxTitle","Richland County, Wisconsin","taxId",72898,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6105469,"Child support office reports strong performance metrics, 66% state reimbursement and recent state payment",548,3438000,3986000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2786506-39c931db3ccd1f21fbbd6720a6a0925e&start=3438&end=3986","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2786506-39c931db3ccd1f21fbbd6720a6a0925e/thumbnail_3438000.jpg","/articles/6105469/Richland-County/Wisconsin/Child-support-office-reports-strong-performance-metrics-66-state-reimbursement-and-recent-state-payment","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6105469-3ce2e9e3403a60dd0df1b25b95fa5921/orig.mp4?Expires=1775777922&Signature=LbYOEte3gimwUqxcHqSOQ3apV0FZnQ40zSBH5MHqN1s4yDMquNMH5NVU4kFukoNUSA8eOKNHMDHF5Muitb-Ask7eWkD5H7y6jz7dxyojjLNtNKWXlg5liIrZ2KMUdhTyE4dJAKyeATjiO4aSZ9Inc11nq8IvNtyRZ3lNDxAruHGwWt3r8XdKoY2f2WIyMYl0yY65eqhEWFsikXPmF89fmR5Ay7pAcYp5jAdzKVYupgrzkT71tEoW9dvXgxXnttIhMa5BgbaXXy4Z0Q1Pfjm26AN9xluWtx3pYPTe7iOMlpth3OjhrU0qMaLPM2ZiWnqaK6b-0X1kMNAdnHx0w-edcQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Richland County child support office gave the Community and Health Services Standing Committee an overview of its work, performance metrics and budget role at the May 1 meeting.

Melanie Walters, a case worker and financial specialist with the child support agency, told the committee the office’s primary responsibilities include establishing paternity and establishing and enforcing child-support orders. “First and foremost, child support’s responsibility is to establish paternity,” Walters said.

Performance measures: Walters presented state performance benchmarks and the office’s results through March. The office reported meeting or exceeding benchmarks for paternity establishment and court order establishment (the latter at 88.73%). Collection on current support exceeded the 80% benchmark (reported at 83.11%), while arrears collection (past-due support) was reported at 72.12% as of the report; Walters noted performance typically improves as the federal fiscal year progresses.

Funding and budget: Walters said the state reimburses 66% of the child support agency’s expenses so roughly 34% of the expense is county responsibility. She also told the committee the office had received a state payment of “almost $32,000” after the packet went to the board.

Awards and staffing: Walters reported the agency received a 2023 certificate of excellence for performance and that agency staff have completed notary and virtual training to support court filings. She described the agency’s reporting cadence and recommended quarterly reporting to the committee going forward.

Ending: The committee accepted the update and agreed child support would provide a quarterly report on performance measures and a near-term update if there were unusual changes to staffing or budget receipts.

","Richland County child support staff reported above-benchmark performance on several state measures, described their funding model and said the state reimburses 66% of agency expenses; staff also said they recently received a state payment of about $32,000.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6105473,"Richland County HHS to convert one therapist role to case manager to reduce CCS wait list",252,3056000,3308000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2786506-39c931db3ccd1f21fbbd6720a6a0925e&start=3056&end=3308","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2786506-39c931db3ccd1f21fbbd6720a6a0925e/thumbnail_3056000.jpg","/articles/6105473/Richland-County/Wisconsin/Richland-County-HHS-to-convert-one-therapist-role-to-case-manager-to-reduce-CCS-wait-list","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6105473-e081d8bf2c6278e38d1e964e5baaa14f/orig.mp4?Expires=1775777922&Signature=X3J-8OZOJgzWJbjNYvOftIhuHVoxknkhIe~I6P7p0Knoyo4gtCkg8xeGncKYRtqTB14ABp7T9iHolNCG1Re7oHLNGEcfPhK-QylLv8F3Lw0MqRkV7wsGuVpxLInvfgcSNetFgfwSZVf7~FuxzFRqwgePFPh~w63L8tc8UaxipIc-hzXaTkYWoZHrvbmQ3YKDjOtRykpDu~Ovfc0eYAQKLCnF1xZSbi-7HZ7H-n8Q0esF2kr2p4533Lgbkgga4hPf28lQLSKt2ut3KeIUh3JP9~ebHywmqQmb1qJIUBosAUcJG8RwSKr2D1zer5vjtNuDoB757CpCWt3V90W3IV9PcA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Richland County Health and Human Services plans to convert one mental health therapist position to a mental health case manager position to reduce a wait list for Comprehensive Community Services (CCS), the department told the Community and Health Services Standing Committee on May 1.

Trish Clements, director of Richland County Health and Human Services, described the change as a budget-neutral staffing realignment intended to improve service access for CCS consumers. “We currently have two mental health therapists and both of them have left in the last two months,” Clements said. “We are looking to switch one of our mental health therapist positions to be a mental health case manager … and so, really, we were wanting to let you know that we're doing this because this is something that will better serve the consumers and really be able to help us eliminate that wait list.”

Details in the plan: a mental health therapist’s hourly rate was cited at $33.10; a mental health case manager’s hourly rate was cited at $24.96. Clements told the committee the reclassification and new hire would be absorbed within the HHS budget and would allow a new case manager to take roughly 15 CCS cases immediately.

Why it matters: CCS is a Medicaid-billable program that provides community-based services intended to keep people out of more restrictive placements. The department reported 56 individuals currently receiving CCS services and 13 on a waiting list. Committee members asked whether the county could recruit therapists; Clements said recruitment has been difficult and some clinicians opt for private-contracting arrangements that pay more.

Staffing and hiring: Clements said the department has advertised the vacant positions, extended one offer and was awaiting a candidate decision. She also said the department will use exit interviews to learn why staff leave and try to improve retention.

Ending: The committee received the staffing update and the personnel change was presented as an administrative action that the director and county administration are authorized to implement; no separate committee vote was required.

","HHS will replace one mental health therapist position with a mental health case manager — a move the department says will reduce the Comprehensive Community Services wait list and be absorbed within the current budget.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6105478,"Richland County HHS: placement fund and institutional costs highlighted in monthly report",1534,690000,2224000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2786506-39c931db3ccd1f21fbbd6720a6a0925e&start=690&end=2224","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2786506-39c931db3ccd1f21fbbd6720a6a0925e/thumbnail_690000.jpg","/articles/6105478/Richland-County/Wisconsin/Richland-County-HHS-placement-fund-and-institutional-costs-highlighted-in-monthly-report","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6105478-38c437a93db4f3f32c53109be87003ab/orig.mp4?Expires=1775777922&Signature=TAuEOVbu9qhu0GsYt2LcwUFZHdk-0JBLnfDeyNSt21hfcY2RSt3ozRBr~jbbCnn9V6B-UAb4cepIotu7-H1oE74fne83nVekgU1TsWZJ80Niha7GD0y541r-dbq9lTHXotITtWt7Sd-yOx5xv1IOep9LbBP0BqzNjEMXs5PTOkGY2O8G4cYMVmR1HS48eF9qYDjcx2owTfgFmaiPL0yR-d8o0FoLV0ut1h0jMbvG-7rL95LwPL-8QtXeTEVWGaUE0jRJ0i2l-gashjcuANrnsExF36WWQ33gro~pzfoGS3W8HiYWb6eIOfve~fWajfTOaQx~~TgMPsDTPtcSOThkpg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Richland County Health and Human Services staff told the Community and Health Services Standing Committee on May 1 that the department’s operating budget is generally on track but that institutional and inpatient placements remain the largest and most-variable cost.

Trish Clements, director of Richland County Health and Human Services, told the committee the department separates placement costs into a distinct fund to avoid destabilizing the core HHS budget. “We have a separate fund specifically for those placements because historically … we were covering it out of HHS's core budget,” Clements said.

Why it matters: institutional placements — court-ordered inpatient stays and long-term institutional care — can be expensive and unpredictable, and historically have caused large swings in HHS spending. The separate placement fund is meant to make those costs visible to the board and prevent one expensive case from appearing to blow the regular operating budget.

Committee members reviewed the placement report for January through March. Clements said January included 74 total placement days for three individuals, noting that insurance or third-party payers may reimburse some of those charges. She told the committee that Winnebago (the county’s institutional inpatient provider referenced in the report) bills about $1,430 per day for a placement: “$1,430, which is the daily cost for Winnebago for one day,” Clements said.

On the adult placement fund, Clements said the budgeted fund balance was $705,000 and that expenses to date were “just under $57,000.” She also discussed community residential placements, where six adults were in group homes or community-based residential facilities that provide 24-hour staff but are less restrictive than skilled nursing.

Children’s placements also factored into the conversation. The committee saw a report showing 11 children in paid placements covered by the placement budget; Clements said the department prefers family- or relative-based placements when appropriate and that the placement report tracks only placements paid from the placement fund, not all custody arrangements.

Committee members pressed staff for clarifications on how reimbursements flow from insurers and Medicaid. Clements explained that the county pays placement costs up front and that some funds are later reimbursed by state or private insurers; those reimbursements appear on subsequent reports.

Ending: The committee voted to receive the monthly budget and placement reports and asked staff to keep refining presentation of anticipated versus received revenues so supervisors can track how reimbursements affect the placement fund balance.

","Richland County Health and Human Services staff told the Community and Health Services committee that most HHS budgets are on track, institutional placements remain a significant cost driver and the county maintains a separate placement fund to contain those expenses.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee approves ARPA-funded phones and network switches; vice chair confirmed

Child support office reports strong performance metrics, 66% state reimbursement and recent state payment

Richland County HHS to convert one therapist role to case manager to reduce CCS wait list

Richland County HHS: placement fund and institutional costs highlighted in monthly report