Sawyer County HHS reports multiple staff departures and approves May 13 training day

A Health and Human Services staff member told the board the department is undergoing multiple personnel changes, including the announced retirement of Carol Martin (effective June 1) and recent resignations among peer-recovery and economic-support staff. A new administrative assistant, Britney, began work this week; Melanie Roloff is scheduled to leave April 30. Staff said Joe has begun handling OWI assessments while Allison is training to become a CCS facilitator and later an OWI assessor to shore up behavioral-health capacity.

The board voted to close the Health and Human Services department for a full-day staff training on May 13. The motion was moved and seconded, taken for a voice vote, and recorded as carried. The closure applies to the HHS department only, not the courthouse. Staff framed the training as part of the department’s strategic-plan goals to improve employee engagement and retention and to finalize staffing patterns.

Department leaders also reported progress on operational changes: implementing a new electronic health record to reduce duplicate documentation, starting a centralized referral intake meeting on Tuesdays, and converting certain forms into the EHR. Staff said these process changes aim to free time for client-facing work and help manage transitions as vacancies are filled.

The board asked whether the closure would affect other county operations; members were told the closure is limited to Health and Human Services. The meeting record shows staff will return with updates on recruitment and any further schedule changes at future meetings.