Bayfield County aging services report jump in protective-service intakes, staff capacity strained

Brynna Watters-Moffitt, Aging & Disability Manager for Bayfield County Department of Human Services, told the Aging and Disability Services Advisory Committee on May 19 that Adult Protective Services (APS) intakes rose to 116 in 2025, up from 52 in 2024, and that APS case managers were handling a heavy workload under state-mandated reporting requirements. She said staff capacity is being evaluated to determine whether additional APS positions are needed.

Watters-Moffitt also reported that the county was awarded a $12,083 Elder Abuse Grant for 2026 to provide crisis services to residents age 60 and older, including emergency housing. She said quarterly I-Teams meetings are required to retain the grant funding. Jan Lee, the Bayfield County Board chair who serves on the committee, asked staff questions about ADRC demand during the discussion; Watters-Moffitt said ADRC staff were scheduling appointments about a month out.

The report on staffing followed a broader human-resources update: JoBeth Gonzalez transferred into a Behavioral Health and Community Programs Manager role, Hayley Weyers accepted the Family Services Manager position (leaving the Children with Disabilities Program Supervisor post open), and Brittany Anderson and Melissa Berthiaume were promoted to Social Worker III positions to assist supervision. Watters-Moffitt said Human Services was nearly fully staffed with one Family Services position remaining open.

Committee members did not take formal action on staffing at the meeting; the discussion was informational and focused on workload and grant administration. The transcript notes the rise in APS intakes and the grant award but does not record a formal motion or vote related to staffing.

The committee scheduled follow-up and will revisit resource needs as staffing and caseload data are refined.