Walworth County committees vote to keep Birth-to-3 therapists as county employees

Walworth County Human Resources Committee and the Health & Human Services Board voted to keep the county'employed Birth-to-3 therapists in their current employment model rather than move the program to an outside contractor, following extended public comment from program staff and families and committee discussion of budget and staffing risks.

The decision came after several county-employed therapists and parents described continuity of care, home-based services and benefits tied to county employment, and after county staff presented budget figures and a proposed contractor model.

County-employed therapists and program staff told committee members the current model supports continuity and close interdepartmental collaboration. Carlene Liberto, a speech-language pathologist, told the committees, "our program has worked for 20 plus years, and the 4 of us desire to continue working for this program, community, and county." Jeanne Luedke, an occupational therapist, said county employment "improves consistency and stability for families" and noted therapists coordinate directly with…