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Sawyer County HHS reviews rising CLTS referrals and federal grant-funded youth diversion services
Summary
Board heard updates on increasing Children's Long-Term Support referrals, startup of two federally funded Sirona Recovery workers for intensive home services, and plans to hire a youth truancy/diversion worker to work with schools and tribal partners.
The Sawyer County Health and Human Services Board on March 11 heard staff reports that referrals to the Children's Long-Term Support (CLTS) program have increased and that two federally funded workers from Sirona Recovery will begin intensive home services for youth as early as the next day.
The discussion centered on capacity and continuity of services. Deputy Director Carrie Mann said the county has added staff support—Haley Sands—to help manage growing CLTS referrals and emphasized the county must avoid a waiting list because the program is a state mandate. Mann also described grant-funded contracts with Sirona Recovery that will place two workers in the community to provide intensive home-based services aimed at addressing parenting, mental health and substance-use issues that can lead to out-of-home placements.
The program aims to reduce out-of-home placements for youth who are justice-involved or at risk of justice involvement by providing diversion and family-centered interventions. Mann said the Sirona Recovery contract is tied to federal grant funding that is potentially renewable for up to four years but that future renewals are not certain. ‘‘The goal would be as we start to really see things change, then our…we can kind of handle and do staffing differently with what we have in house,’’ Mann said.
Caitlin, a representative of Northland Counseling who spoke to the board, said crisis referrals have ‘‘been kind of, kicking off a little bit more this month,’’ and that the county team is managing both an increase in demand and internal transitions after staff changes. Northland Counseling will begin providing monthly numerical reports to the board so members can track volumes and outcomes.
Board members discussed youth truancy and diversion staffing. A previously offered position was declined; staff reported re-interviewing candidates and said they hope to fill the youth truancy/diversion worker role within weeks to focus on early-school engagement with local schools. Mann described plans to coordinate messaging with tribal partners and invited consultant Ben Tran to assist with culturally sensitive outreach and fentanyl-awareness messaging in the community.
Board members also received a background document described as the ‘‘161 agreement’’ related to placement timelines and permanency goals; staff presented the document for information only. When asked about statutory timelines for moving children to permanency, staff said the county’s goal is to move to permanency within roughly 18 to 24 months.
No formal action or votes were taken on program changes during the meeting. Board members asked staff to continue reporting monthly volumes and to provide updates on grant renewals and hiring for the truancy/diversion worker position.
