[{"_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",[32,75,87,99],{"_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",6163433,"mediaKeyId","5435044-b85c1e9568a37cab41025ebbc16e6f4e","parentId",5435044,"title","Open Arms reports growth in ARPA‑funded outreach clinics; staff say sustainability plans underway","audioSeconds",175,"startMs",4335000,"endMs",4510000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5435044-b85c1e9568a37cab41025ebbc16e6f4e&start=4335&end=4510","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5435044-b85c1e9568a37cab41025ebbc16e6f4e/thumbnail_4335000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6163433/Walworth-County/Wisconsin/Open-Arms-reports-growth-in-ARPAfunded-outreach-clinics-staff-say-sustainability-plans-underway","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6163433-57147e04132c6399d05d90b88357a446/orig.mp4?Expires=1771180131&Signature=IV8Wn-al0tMXjFSNbV82G42DTAlbAyy8Rlr2E9MyeZMit5ysYGVOoiQOCFyLss1zQzAqOF8QxpUubMlub4HX9jO50yIseIoQV-B-muTNDdHKq1LiGN20NiAJkVjcx3DKaZmYiOGkpETobYBaLKm~Myr6qW~XoWw6ZmUNoj3FJIZ8iDArnj3MaoX-W2449LRZvOgJQY~qCA3vGd0xeyAyCEXap7khvKxQG-0ufsb5ytCRRoPQfpd1cO6mvMLF1cwlo2DbkkY5qLuX7vJdRQQgpE1d4cLDCJW~yB6aq03tJ92oQqWVqi65A3e2QJxfQ0VPY~NZTlrcOFd6TmKhKua1BQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","WI / Walworth County ","date","2025-07-16T00:00:00Z","article","County staff briefed the Health and Human Services Board on July 16 about Open Arms’ ARPA‑funded outreach work. Sarah Nichols, Open Arms’ executive director, described the program as “transformative” and said the organization’s community‑based clinics and mobile health hub have delivered screening and basic services at community events and schools.

County staff reported that Open Arms enrolled more than 1,000 new patients in both 2023 and 2024 and has added roughly 500 new patients year‑to‑date in 2025. The program established a “quick clinic” model to handle increased volume and has ramped up use of its mobile health hub for summer outreach events. To date, staff said the county has awarded Open Arms just under $500,000 in ARPA funds and that the organization is seeking additional funding, including a University of Wisconsin Partnership Program grant, to sustain services after current ARPA funding is exhausted in 2026.

Sarah Nichols and county staff said Open Arms is planning for sustainability and presented a summer calendar of outreach events where nurses and clinicians will be available for blood‑pressure checks, school physicals and health referrals. County staff said they will continue to monitor enrollment and sustainability plans and to assist with letters of support for external grants.

Why this matters: the program provides low‑barrier access to basic health care in community locations and has rapidly grown patient enrollment; sustaining the model beyond one‑time ARPA funding will require additional grants or other revenue.

Board action: the board received the update; staff said they will continue to support Open Arms’ grant efforts and report back on sustainability planning.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Walworth County Health & Human Services Board - July 16, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Open Arms, an ARPA‑funded community health outreach partner, has enrolled more than 1,000 new patients in 2023 and 2024, expanded mobile clinic use and seeks additional partnership funding to sustain services beyond county ARPA dollars.","taxTitle","Walworth County, Wisconsin","taxId",54224,"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},6163437,"Walworth County presents behavioral health annual report; staff cite crisis response, program growth and testimonials",460,2415000,2875000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5435044-b85c1e9568a37cab41025ebbc16e6f4e&start=2415&end=2875","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5435044-b85c1e9568a37cab41025ebbc16e6f4e/thumbnail_2415000.jpg","/articles/6163437/Walworth-County/Wisconsin/Walworth-County-presents-behavioral-health-annual-report-staff-cite-crisis-response-program-growth-and-testimonials","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6163437-91cd5a01b3b8a34899060bb6ee4ccd86/orig.mp4?Expires=1771180131&Signature=G2cV4DsIznwmrZI~pTME5H7BJd2WMjd0TiEpzEyCMlFJACY8WNKN8byAF6nou4RFIYT0SsVzecicDUR6FUBE2CsP5RH9WqaW71awnmyWFp6eZBphhaTjIG9ND0P~Ah54EeQ2tSQEvQNfjT0DQ4JLOt6twcZSIhIWtKV4u-3MDyRhzbWkJxdnAqVpDctFveyFg~dvqfTCgqTyIiBTpslczmCKaYxSX3dUWV6IIeSky5nbNtFuPwlmrGkNOwVwxl~X9OCvvE0qDwGmzvJXUAdd3oRxziIZhgyhBEO9R7KpdxbsxL2OHuNIDwVJFAjMOxgNyucwfkpAfeJ~rD4gEpU7mg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Amy Hart, behavioral health division manager, told the Health and Human Services Board on July 16 that the division serves more than 1,000 Walworth County residents across a continuum of care that ranges from crisis services to long‑term community supports.

Hart gave a data‑driven overview: in 2024 crisis services logged more than 10,000 contacts, including 925 risk assessments; about 14% of those risk assessments resulted in inpatient admissions, totaling about 130 admissions and 1,245 hospital days, she said. Outpatient services completed roughly 506 new assessments in 2024 and about 3,700 individual sessions, with 265 family sessions. The division recently hired a full‑time advanced practice nurse prescriber to restore full medication‑management capacity, Hart said.

Program counts presented to the board included about 1,010 residents served overall (149 children, 762 adults ages 20–64 and 99 adults over 64); 140 consumers in Comprehensive Community Services (CCS) — 73 adults and 67 children — and 49 consumers in the Community Support Program (CSP) with 82 people served in 2024. Hart said staff transitioned about 30 CSP consumers into CCS to provide a broader set of services available under CCS.

Hart and staff emphasized crisis services as an entry point: “There’s no wrong door when you come into Health and Human Services,” she said, and described crisis case management for 156 people, 76 of whom are on court‑ordered commitments; six settlement agreements were noted. She said collaborative work with law enforcement, the county jail and community partners helps maintain continuity of care when people move between settings.

The presentation included consumer testimonials and partner remarks collected by staff. One consumer credited a case manager with medication delivery, grocery assistance and weekly contact; another described moving from a group home to a supported apartment with case‑manager support and group activities. Staff and consumers described Casa Mia, a community partner that operates a community‑based residential facility and supported apartments, and Crystal Flood of Casa Mia appeared in the presentation.

Hart said the division’s service model emphasizes early intervention for youth, flexible program assignment (including dual enrollment of case managers to allow seamless movement between CCS and CSP), and leaning on community partners for housing and employment supports. She described several examples where intensive community services averted repeated hospitalizations and allowed transitions to supported apartments or independent living.

Why this matters: the report documents local demand for mental‑health and substance‑use services, staff capacity and program shifts that change how services are delivered and billed. Board members were given program outcomes and told the division is focused on maintaining service levels while managing staffing and budget pressures.

Board action: the presentation was received; staff asked board members to note the range of services and future staffing needs when discussing the 2026 budget.","The county’s behavioral health manager described a continuum of services — crisis response, outpatient care, comprehensive community services (CCS), community support program (CSP) and case management — presented utilization figures for 2024 and 2025, and introduced consumer testimonials about program impact.",{"_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},6163442,"Board refers Racine County request on Chapter 980 placements to county committee amid shortage concerns",607,1168000,1775000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5435044-b85c1e9568a37cab41025ebbc16e6f4e&start=1168&end=1775","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5435044-b85c1e9568a37cab41025ebbc16e6f4e/thumbnail_1168000.jpg","/articles/6163442/Walworth-County/Wisconsin/Board-refers-Racine-County-request-on-Chapter-980-placements-to-county-committee-amid-shortage-concerns","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6163442-90c9bfe9d5570d8503eaefad26900da9/orig.mp4?Expires=1771180131&Signature=MSgkXgZemzR9k1R9m~hRSdyT2~oNOIneZeKeppTcL~IB8fBHlRfhUe5rD-I~Tg5WzTKdOaw7oaly85CMBVp~vRjYlgq6rZ-Vn1e5n2h7GPvA8sXk2XZ-8gIV3SIqYCdDg8ZJLaMRP9o7NTcGlzomfzYrUfvdPMUMhhvhX1W1lXzVoP86SHlNFghpwr8GZUcWs1t68pMCuRhoJ8hPnzWMtuRegw0KpRt5g-VK-qj3jN1gjxYc-YgN97mc7cM9246x4yBqFSywAseh-63a3h6vwjzcIWcKtEmhlHBDpmIz4jKqNE1mZfsQDnTUZD0Hj3MByXr9u3YO0AJmGoohxc0mBg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Walworth County Health and Human Services staff described ongoing difficulty finding housing that meets statutory restrictions for people committed under Chapter 980 and the board voted July 16 to refer a Racine County resolution to the county’s Chapter 980 committee for further work.

Carlos, an HHS staff member, briefed the board on the county’s experience placing people subject to Chapter 980. He said the statute imposes placement restrictions — such as minimum distances from schools, parks and other locations — that make it difficult to locate suitable private housing. “We went so far as to bring to you a request for a budget amendment in the amount of $400,000 to purchase a property,” he said, recalling prior efforts to secure housing.

Racine County asked for regional cooperation after facing multiple pending release petitions; staff reported two petitions with trials scheduled in August and October and said one has a meaningful chance of release. The Racine request, Carlos said, included asking whether Walworth could use an existing private bed the county now has contracted in the community; staff explained the contract is between the Department of Health Services and the private homeowner and not a county contract.

Board members pressed staff on legal limits. A member asked whether a judge could order Walworth County to accept someone; staff responded the Racine judge cannot force Walworth to take a person and said counties have a statutory responsibility to try to place their own residents. Staff also explained the Department of Health Services oversees the care once a placement is arranged and pays the housing contract when the state approves the residence.

On the feasibility of options, staff said Winnebago County built its own facility near Oshkosh and that Walworth could consider building a county‑owned placement on county land near the sheriff’s office, surrounding the site with county‑owned parcels to meet the statutory adjacency tests. “There is a definite cost benefit for us to do this,” Carlos said, because the county would receive the state payments currently made to private landlords.

The board voted to refer the Racine County resolution (filed as resolution 2022‑96) to the Chapter 980 committee for review and recommended reconvening the committee to address membership and longer‑term strategy. No new placement was authorized at the meeting; staff said they will seek committee and county‑board approval before pursuing any county‑owned facility.

Why it matters: counties face complex statutory restraints and potential civil‑rights risk if they cannot find legally compliant placements; staff and members said a regional approach or county‑owned option are among the alternatives the 980 committee should examine.

Board action: motion to refer resolution 2022‑96 to the Chapter 980 committee carried unanimously.","Walworth County supervisors referred a Racine County resolution asking for regional cooperation on Chapter 980 sexually violent person placements to the county Chapter 980 committee, and county staff described limited placement options, statutory constraints and a proposal to consider building a county facility.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":42,"_43":102,"_45":103,"_47":104,"_49":105,"_51":106,"_53":107,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":108,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":109,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6163447,"County officials warn state, federal budget changes could raise HHS costs and disrupt services",95000,270000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5435044-b85c1e9568a37cab41025ebbc16e6f4e&start=95&end=270","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5435044-b85c1e9568a37cab41025ebbc16e6f4e/thumbnail_95000.jpg","/articles/6163447/Walworth-County/Wisconsin/County-officials-warn-state-federal-budget-changes-could-raise-HHS-costs-and-disrupt-services","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6163447-b6c644298eaeda60b2447c2c6de52e0d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771180131&Signature=n5yzKvAH7NJRb7wDDZatDXlJbh339aEOA7EK3mLxGNqko6wNgKojAY4qi3ZIC0d5FTZyz~-Ys6s37lCElYJwaGEH8d4ABeVSI-p05xDhLQfQhtruPtaUfEukw-tWob~0L5OEsodKyiqICohlc5eN7sNdxSTyvhdLqZOtqDzAG4zryupH~tyTM76BMOvVS1X8z7tLUIXqKX659fFvHwp6wIHK--nO09k2klc~w~I3M6Pm2T4uM0dwXDu13IIKdpwgO9~yKGg3qBPXTjGo5hePu8KPKArpINYjLadpc3DJAPfknVPNEr6sj5-x0TatXboDuC4wuwR4FDqcljLe1B2GRg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Carlos, an HHS staff member, told the Walworth County Health and Human Services Board on July 16 that a recent state budget action and proposed federal changes create uncertainty for county programs and could increase costs to the county. He described a series of state and federal items that he said county staff are watching closely.

Carlos said Gov. Tony Evers used a line‑item veto to reduce a proposed juvenile corrections daily rate that had been set at $2,501 per day; after the veto the rate will be $501 per day in the first year of the biennium and will rise to roughly $700 per day in the second year. “That gives us a two‑year reprieve,” he said, adding that the county has not budgeted for youth correctional placements in 2025 and that the original proposed rate would have been “closing down a million dollars to treat one kid.”

The board was told why the veto mattered locally: counties that historically used youth correctional placements would have received higher state aids under the original distribution, while counties without such placements — like Walworth — had allocations reduced. Carlos said the county faces about $200,000 in reduced children’s services grant funding because of those recalculations.

The presentation also covered federal changes to SNAP and Medicaid enrollment rules and cost shares. Carlos said the federal proposal would expand work requirements for SNAP and add work requirements to Medicaid for people ages 19–64. He told the board that SNAP administrative and benefit cost‑shares paid by states are expected to rise and that the state currently passes those costs through to counties. “If the state does not keep counties whole, it’s somewhere in the neighborhood of $250,000 to $500,000 a year, depending on how they calculate it,” he said, and estimated a potential county budget impact in 2026 of $62,000 to $125,000 in one scenario.

Board members asked about advocacy. Carlos said the Department of Health Services (DHS) has asked counties to join them in urging the state to protect county funding and that Walworth County may coordinate with the Wisconsin County Human Services Association. “They’re asking for us to also help advocate for that,” Carlos said.

Other budget items noted by staff: an increase in the county’s aging and disability resource allocation that the staff estimated would yield about $30,000 locally; a modest 2.5% foster care and kinship care rate increase (about $10,000 locally); and state funding for the 988 crisis line that may lower local emergency mental‑health call volume. Carlos also said staff expect continued ambiguity about how proposed SNAP/Medicaid rule changes will play out and that the county’s 2026 HHS proposed budget currently does not include funds to backfill a state shortfall.

Why this matters: county staff said these changes could force staffing reductions, program cutbacks or midyear budget adjustments if the state does not continue to pass funds to counties as it has historically. Board members asked staff to monitor developments and to return with requests for formal support if needed.

Board action and next steps: there was no formal board vote tied specifically to the budget briefing. Staff said they will continue to track the items, coordinate with DHS and the statewide association, and bring proposed budget adjustments back to the board if necessary.","Walworth County Health and Human Services staff outlined state and federal budget changes — including a gubernatorial line-item veto on juvenile corrections rates and proposed SNAP/Medicaid cost‑share changes — and described potential local cost impacts, cuts to children’s grants and planning assumptions for the 2026 county budget.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Open Arms reports growth in ARPA‑funded outreach clinics; staff say sustainability plans underway

Walworth County presents behavioral health annual report; staff cite crisis response, program growth and testimonials

Board refers Racine County request on Chapter 980 placements to county committee amid shortage concerns

County officials warn state, federal budget changes could raise HHS costs and disrupt services