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Bayfield County CCOP advisory committee raises concern over CLTS capacity amid funding uncertainty
Summary
The Bayfield County CCOP Advisory Committee on Jan. 13 recorded 60 active CLTS enrollments and discussed concerns that the program may not have reached capacity and could face budget pressure from gaps in Medicaid reimbursements and uncertain federal funding for 2027–2031.
Hayley Weyers, chair of the Bayfield County Children’s Community Options Program (CCOP) Advisory Committee, said the committee is concerned the county’s Children’s Long-Term Services (CLTS) caseload may grow further and that the program’s budget faces uncertainty.
At the Jan. 13 meeting, Jo Beth Gonzalez, Bayfield County Family Services Manager, reported the CLTS/CCOP program has 60 active enrollments, one eligible person awaiting enrollment and four active referrals. Michelle Lampson moved, and Anna Hanson seconded, approval of the committee’s Nov. 4, 2025 meeting minutes; the motion was approved unanimously.
Weyers and Lampson said they do not believe the program has reached a saturation point. "It probably hasn’t been reached yet," the minutes record, and committee members discussed how economic pressures can push more families to seek services, which could increase demand for CLTS supports.
Members also flagged funding risks. The committee discussed uncertainty around federal CLTS funding projections for 2027–2031 and expressed concern about a persistent gap between state Medicaid reimbursements and CCOP costs that, according to the minutes, has at times been offset against CCOP funding. Committee members said reviewing and clarifying how state Medicaid funds and CCOP resources interact would help protect core client services if revenues or reimbursements change.
Committee members agreed that revisiting the committee portion of the CCOP Procedure Guide and redefining the committee’s focus and values would prepare the group for possible funding or caseload shifts; Weyers said she will include that review as an agenda item for upcoming meetings.
The committee also received informational follow-up about the Nov. 2025 government shutdown/reopening and noted reversal of certain reductions-in-force through H.R. 5371 (119th Congress). Weyers reviewed several upcoming conferences for families and providers (Raising Wisconsin’s Children, the Wisconsin Autism Conference and Circles of Life) and noted CLTS providers are beginning to open camp registrations for 2026; CCOP can sometimes cover travel or lodging for families attending in person.
Weyers adjourned the meeting at 10:34 a.m. after a motion by Lampson and seconded by Hanson. The committee set future meeting dates for March 10, May 12, July 14, Sept. 8 and Nov. 10, 2026, and noted a temporary room change for the March meeting due to remodeling.
