[{"_1":2,"_110":-5,"_111":-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",[32,74,86,98],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_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":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},"mediaId",6611410,"mediaKeyId","2896027-9f5cf058758ffc31cce1113906e375c2","parentId",2896027,"title","Advisory board approves March minutes and adjourns April meeting","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",3332000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2896027-9f5cf058758ffc31cce1113906e375c2&start=3332&end=3332","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2896027-9f5cf058758ffc31cce1113906e375c2/thumbnail_3332000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6611410/Cass-County/North-Dakota/Advisory-board-approves-March-minutes-and-adjourns-April-meeting","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6611410-c90c9ea25ca450a210d842421fafdb2c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771059856&Signature=Z4-8PCc4CzFR7iD59S7GPFqXdtd9ludc~cXMl-BaKWnhhAc8FKp~TTyRHnWoanRPpiq~iYJB4tKtNR9jAL2JMHTFZZq8lBzaNmikWuZ~Rj1SrVMQuQNsiSm~VQyfMOtNDK4GvX82~2obKqhgErI3MsLKGxE6btB0hUoJ2boesTQSyjKGYqqWIi8IAT9GM7rvHxKRaLPWZfa~lOg9DrC5IrLKLgMFeIkUAmY6LOuLhE~hbOjlCXctajFuUR69NqLG81EE92KNpddejI1MiFdJPsIL66XEq6VsDS09mm2MSuORd2fnzzPZzUeuJ2Tt142R7YFN8WHZN7CtdkVMDrsxvQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Cass County, KS","date","2025-04-07T19:35:39.673Z","article","At its April advisory meeting the CAS Human Service Zone board took two routine procedural actions: the board approved the March 3 meeting minutes and later approved a motion to adjourn the meeting.

A board member moved to approve the March 3 minutes and a second was recorded. The board voted by voice and the chair declared the motion approved. Later, a motion to adjourn was made, seconded, and the board voted by voice to close the meeting.

Both approvals were routine voice votes; the transcript records the motions, seconds and the chair’s confirmations but does not list a roll-call vote with named yes/no tallies.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Human Service Zone Board Meeting 4/7","oneSentenceSummary","The CAS Human Service Zone Advisory Board approved the March 3 meeting minutes and later approved a motion to adjourn the April meeting; both actions were carried by voice vote.","taxTitle","Cass County, North Dakota","taxId",2734,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_46":80,"_48":81,"_50":82,"_52":83,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":84,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":85,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6611415,"Zone operations report: standards dashboards, targeted training and staffing improvements",431,2582000,3013000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2896027-9f5cf058758ffc31cce1113906e375c2&start=2582&end=3013","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2896027-9f5cf058758ffc31cce1113906e375c2/thumbnail_2582000.jpg","/articles/6611415/Cass-County/North-Dakota/Zone-operations-report-standards-dashboards-targeted-training-and-staffing-improvements","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6611415-c3a529b127a04fbe8493ebe2a3837e45/orig.mp4?Expires=1771059856&Signature=Nm8ryLSQ-0EYqb6-OdbMQ3W72CHGRhUQgQDG0zSbIAVK64i5PuIX9FargaAAKoHUy15-O8eYsPu2EQBVIop9DlWusgoG49GrUqQjmOOzSCY2kQBZbXDlQBszWBrimb0ybrUdH-3p1DcXsnmPLuSrvRB6IHdzvYFbqOSBjodgHCHH459csui2M1Md2VEiH9H6j1YrNC93FMU8bQgtddLs4Dz6tVgsJkJBmUMyy~xQFadP~4jPmKbESijCfxLAJ6l8jT-zn9ND8sCoxoSVDovYMXHoAwNatkh0Nvyh5W5pI-MJYQnlxWHM0Fa6TVaf2zhjNdZnEWlBw~b~yS~8NNO~5g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Board staff reviewed the zone operations report and a newly completed state dashboard that summarizes standards of administration for human-service zones. The third quarter (ending March 31) dashboards were complete, staff said, and will be accompanied by a cover letter from the state explaining measurement context and exceptions.

Staff said the dashboard currently covers 10 measures; the zone reported results for nine measures and staff noted one remains under development. For the economic-assistance measures the zone reported one measure exceeding standards, five meeting standards, one failure and two severe failures across the nine measures the county tracks. Staff cautioned board members that some measures require explanatory context — for example, timeliness on Child Protective Services (CPS) assessments can be affected by law-enforcement involvement or case circumstances and that the cover letter from the state will explain such exceptions.

The board was told that, when a zone falls into lower categories (F, S or C), state teams will recommend targeted training and support; the vice chair and zone director expect to receive the third-quarter report and cover letter in advance of the June meeting and to discuss training options then.

Family-services staffing and caseloads were also discussed. Staff said the region had onboarded three new family-services team members in March and had one additional worker starting the following week. The county temporarily received casework assistance from partner zones; staff noted that a Richland/Ransom/Sargent colleague took more than 20 cases in one week, which helped the zone reduce caseloads. Staff said the county briefly had fewer than 300 child-protection cases and that numbers had begun to creep up again.

Operations materials in the board packet also included a monthly dashboard and a staffing-and-turnover summary through February. Through February, staff reported five hires and six separations for the fiscal year; recruiting and onboarding work is ongoing and staff said they made nine offers that were accepted during the reporting period.

Board leadership said the packet would be followed up with more detailed dashboards and that the June meeting would include a fuller discussion of targeted training options and corrective steps where measures fall short of state standards.","At the April advisory meeting, board staff previewed the state standards-of-administration dashboards for the third quarter, described performance on nine measures in economic assistance and summarized recent hiring and caseload activity for family-services teams.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_46":92,"_48":93,"_50":94,"_52":95,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":96,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":97,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6611420,"State shifts LIHEAP to year-round program and adds electricity coverage; Cass County staff prepare for rollout",285,2269000,2554000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2896027-9f5cf058758ffc31cce1113906e375c2&start=2269&end=2554","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2896027-9f5cf058758ffc31cce1113906e375c2/thumbnail_2269000.jpg","/articles/6611420/Cass-County/North-Dakota/State-shifts-LIHEAP-to-year-round-program-and-adds-electricity-coverage-Cass-County-staff-prepare-for-rollout","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6611420-cce1fde0e1c48ea44ad5630334c1a199/orig.mp4?Expires=1771059856&Signature=F-QbHBSqefCL1jFjVQjb7F78VU9mYqf62DYai-FLzsoHE1oIakdh9B4xMagQsHpOKzYTB3jqq6UrVad6Y5T3OaAOyg8-NoCxTAhmM8dZPeCL-T8ucUbGImVOsjXxbBCwA6Z5At3rVdMP4Vi80TYMrfde9hpWPMP6jSLRlegICd0Al6RZ3LZmYIFcDV4wURvl7aPI2Ff1YGuF9HIRo24vt7FteZFDyTbltukXagp6JTx57gpYKuaB7nZXAgO8IdeuyBH-SrG7kL2jznzPSCMCexrDesWFBt5xZQ0R22~-5-shrb0p7xozDrRsy-GRMbz19eRi-7i1JguXXLeD3E4x5A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Board and county staff briefed advisory-board members in April on statewide changes to the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), including a move to year-round eligibility, the addition of electricity as a covered utility and planned communications and training for local staff.

Staff said the state will shift LIHEAP from a seasonal program to an all-year program and will roll out related public announcements beginning May 5, with an operational transition on June 1. County staff said that, under the new model, many households that previously had to reapply each October will be shifted into an annual review cycle and that the state plans to stagger reviews to smooth the workload for county eligibility teams.

The board heard that the change also expands program coverage. Previously focused on primary fuel sources, the updated LIHEAP guidance will explicitly include electricity, county staff said, which they expect will improve assistance for households that pay both fuel and electrical bills.

Staff did not provide a full list of new funding levels or an exact dollar increase tied to the modernization at the meeting and said additional details and statewide training sessions for eligibility workers are being scheduled. \"We've not gotten a lot of the specifics yet,\" a staff member said; officials expected training and further guidance to be announced in coming weeks.

County staff described the modernization as intended both to benefit clients and to level workload over the year by avoiding the historical October surge of applications. They said the state will stagger reviews so not all cases come due simultaneously and that staff will receive training before the change takes effect.

Board members expressed support but asked whether the change represents additional state funding or mainly a smoothing of application timing. Staff said they expect some increased assistance but had not yet received the full fiscal details. Staff also said they will provide briefings to the board when training and the state’s implementation schedule are finalized.

The county will share public-facing materials with advisory-board members and follow up with the state trainings for the economic-assistance team.","Board staff told the CAS Human Service Zone advisory board in April that the state’s LIHEAP program will move from a seasonal model to year-round access, add electricity as a covered utility and begin public announcements in early May, with an operational rollout June 1.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":102,"_45":103,"_46":104,"_48":105,"_50":106,"_52":107,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":108,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":109,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6611425,"Cass County staff detail state-standardized burial assistance and how final-disposition claims are handled",1078,703000,1781000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2896027-9f5cf058758ffc31cce1113906e375c2&start=703&end=1781","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2896027-9f5cf058758ffc31cce1113906e375c2/thumbnail_703000.jpg","/articles/6611425/Cass-County/North-Dakota/Cass-County-staff-detail-state-standardized-burial-assistance-and-how-final-disposition-claims-are-handled","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6611425-372e7044a6397000d926eddb89948eb8/orig.mp4?Expires=1771059856&Signature=D7VIJ2FkVAhAFEwcVToJWE7zzQJkQpmt0~BGnhpMz4--dpO4AH5s6xnxasizCA-BoOpNQpb7NeLXWxGtLK-HhVhNERjfYS388PHrjYZW2lpPCc4PHK3S1njwXKH6p2dNLVJayzuCNmrGJuggXB8xJtoRTz2WuoxKq9FcDNgbHn3mo5bIWDX14WHCG6wmbgq5t~IaRwfU1-L4T6MH5NfNHcyYdikg0G3XogJpCVboS81PxzrlXJdp6PTS7u44pMCuD9LuGszNUsAYgMcSglqO8cU7Bto2Au79uKtQ8gBldLJ6IaZgnRay4z69UU0turxuQrV9-Ae~U1VTlGtoEfSqTQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Clarissa Ron, an eligibility worker with the CAS Human Service Zone, outlined the county’s final-disposition program — commonly called burial assistance — at the board’s April advisory meeting, explaining who qualifies, how applications are processed and recent state changes that set a flat $3,500 payment limit.

\"So burial program is technically called final disposition,\" Clarissa said, adding that the program is primarily for \"indigent people and low income families\" and that the state recently standardized the payment amount. She told the board: \"We cannot go over that amount for any reason.\" The program is county-administered but state-funded, Clarissa said.

The program accepts applications from funeral homes, family members or friends. Clarissa said most applications arrive via funeral homes and that the county applies a time limit: applications must be submitted within five days of the date of death or before the final disposition occurs. \"There's a time limit for when the applications can get in. They do have to be in within 5 days of the date of death, or before the final disposition has occurred,\" she said.

Eligibility rules described at the meeting include a citizenship or SNAP-immigration test and a residency requirement: the deceased must be a Cass County resident or otherwise meet the county residency rules the program follows. The county focuses on liquid assets when reviewing deceased persons’ finances; Clarissa said vehicles and real property are generally not used as a basis for denial because probate and estate recovery are time-consuming.

If a deceased person has verified liquid assets in their name totaling more than $3,500, Clarissa said the application is denied. When that verification is not possible — for example, when banks do not release account details — staff are directed to approve the application and submit an estate-recovery form so state legal teams can attempt to recoup funds later.

The program also considers \"responsible relatives\" in specified categories: surviving spouses, parents and adult children (and their spouses). Each responsible-relative category receives a $10,000 disregard for liquid assets; Clarissa said a responsible relative would need to show more than $13,500 in liquid assets to trigger a denial under the county’s application rules.

Clarissa provided recent activity metrics to the board: \"Typically, I would say I work maybe 10 applications per month... Last year, I did approve 97 applications. I denied 12, and only 1 was withdrawn.\" She said December, January and mid-summer months tend to be the busiest.

Board members asked about tribal burial programs; Clarissa said that one tribe in the region operates its own program and the county refers qualifying cases to tribal partners when appropriate, but she could not confirm the tribe’s name from memory. She also said burial assistance gets higher priority in state estate-recovery processes than some other recoveries, although county staff generally do not track full recoupment statistics locally.

Program manager Shana Hovenen and other board members praised Clarissa’s work and relationships with local funeral homes. \"Clarissa does an excellent job with the final disposition program,\" one board member said at the meeting.

Board staff said they would circulate additional data and handouts to the board after the meeting and that standardization at the state level — specifically the $3,500 cap — has made the county’s process more predictable for families and funeral directors. Staff emphasized that the county’s role is administrative and that the payment cap and estate-recovery rules derive from state policy.

The presentation included practical reminders: applications must be completed promptly, funeral-home screening is the usual referral route, responsible-relative affidavits are required when applicable, and approved or denied decisions are generally worked within seven days of receipt.

The county’s final-disposition program provides a state-funded option for families without means to cover funeral or cremation costs. Board members said they would share the information with colleagues and distribute the county’s summary materials to advisory-board members after the meeting.","At an April CAS Human Service Zone board meeting, county eligibility staff explained the state-funded “final disposition” (burial assistance) program, eligibility rules, time limits, and how estate recovery and funeral-home screening interact with a new $3,500 statewide payment standard.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Advisory board approves March minutes and adjourns April meeting

Zone operations report: standards dashboards, targeted training and staffing improvements

State shifts LIHEAP to year-round program and adds electricity coverage; Cass County staff prepare for rollout

Cass County staff detail state-standardized burial assistance and how final-disposition claims are handled