Human Services highlights safe‑haven baby box and flags staffing and high care costs

The Manitowoc County Human Services Board reported on staffing challenges, a newly installed safe‑haven baby box and rising costs for specialized placements during the county board’s March meeting.

Supervisor Klein summarized the Human Services meeting, noting a presentation by Jenna Foster on the safe‑haven baby box that has been installed 'at the number three fire station' in the county. The program lets a parent legally and anonymously surrender an infant within 72 hours of birth; human services will then assess the infant and engage services, including foster or adoption options.

Klein also reported multiple staff departures and nine vacancies in the department; the board continues to realign positions toward those reimbursed by the state where possible. Human Services said it received approval for a $100,000 crisis grant but that the funding’s start date was delayed from an expected March 1. Officials said they will keep the board posted on timing and impacts.

Officials raised alarm at rising per‑day costs for specialized placements: examples discussed during the meeting included day rates that increased from $1,800 to $2,200 for one‑on‑one care (a burn rate of $66,000 per month per person), $700/day for specialized adult care (an increase from $400/day), and out‑of‑county treatment costs around $1,500/day in one cited case. Committee members said such cases create a budgetary strain if they continue as a trend.

The report also noted a weight‑limit issue that can force some patients to be placed in higher‑cost facilities due to equipment limitations and cited Man itowoc County’s high face‑to‑face contact rate for children in out‑of‑home care at 99.59% in 2025, a positive performance metric reported by the state Department of Children and Families.

Human Services will return with further updates and budget implications as grant timing and case costs become clearer.