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Cheyenne County commissioners press for clearer Human Services supervision, keep Kit Carson IGA in place
Summary
State DHS and county staff reported gaps in mentoring and documentation for Human Services Director Jane Tallman; Tallman committed to attend daily Red Team meetings and the board agreed the intergovernmental agreement (IGA) with Kit Carson County will stay in place until staff are trained and confident.
Commissioners heard updates March 31 from county and state human services staff about training and supervision gaps in the Cheyenne County Human Services Department.
Jennifer Gribble and State Department of Human Services staff Sarah Cashion and Korey Elger told the board that Director Jane Tallman had attended 53% of daily Red Team meetings and missed two meetings that directly pertained to Cheyenne County. Gribble said Tallman committed to attend all daily Red Team meetings going forward.
Cashion said that while the prior contractor, Lurenda Taylor, completed the work during her contract period, she did not actively mentor Tallman. Carley Lane reported there has been consistent virtual supervision and that Tallman has visited Kit Carson County several times, but Lane said Tallman had not yet demonstrated full engagement in learning both the caseworker and supervisor duties. Lane told the board that inconsistent communication and uncertainty about implementation have caused frustration.
An in‑home review conducted last week — Tallman’s first — found that case documentation needs improvement. Commissioners and state staff described the review as a learning experience for Tallman and emphasized hands‑on involvement in cases as a key training opportunity.
Commissioner RJ Jolly said the IGA with Kit Carson County should remain in place while Tallman and any future caseworker gain comfort and confidence; the board and staff agreed on the value of maintaining Kit Carson’s involvement during the transition. The board also supported a regular check‑in cadence — Jolly suggested at least one scheduled phone call each week — while acknowledging some issues will require immediate communication.
Next steps: Tallman will attend Red Team meetings consistently, county and state staff will continue mentoring and supervision arrangements under the Kit Carson IGA, and staff will report back to the board on training progress and any changes to staffing or case management practices.
