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Richland County HHS reports new domestic violence assessments, staffing gains and school flu clinics
Summary
HHS Director Patricia told the committee behavioral health now performs domestic violence assessments, Medicare open enrollment services will be in high demand Oct. 15 onward, school flu clinics are scheduled and the children-and-youth unit is fully staffed; only a part-time front-desk vacancy remains.
HHS Director Patricia reviewed October administrative updates to the Richland County Health & Human Services committee, saying the department’s behavioral health unit has begun conducting domestic violence assessments and has notified courts that the service is available.
Patricia said the department’s elder and disability benefit specialists are preparing for Medicare open enrollment, which begins Oct. 15; she estimated those specialists will see “between 2 and 300 people” during the enrollment window. She also reported the county has received flu vaccines and that the first school clinic of the season would be held at Western, with clinics planned for Ithaca, Richland Center and Saint Mary schools.
On staffing, Patricia said the children-and-youth services unit is fully staffed after the return of Casey Banker, and that the only current vacancy in the agency is a part-time front-desk clerk. She asked committee members to review the organizational chart in the meeting packet and agreed to upload a current copy for committee access.
Patricia told the committee the department is pursuing prevention and community-based options — including expanding crisis response services and increasing outreach — as one way to limit costly out-of-county placements for children and adults.
The committee did not take separate formal action on the report; the items described were presented for information and operational planning.
