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UW Extension staff highlight recovery training, sober events and dire childcare shortage in Adams County
Summary
University of Wisconsin Extension staff reported a statewide recognition for local health educator Sheila Michaels, previewed Farm Technology Days programming, described a new recovery‑oriented training piloted with Noble Community Clinics, and warned the county has only 81 childcare slots for about 650 children under age 5.
University of Wisconsin Extension staff updated the board on local programming, youth activities and community needs, saying one local program was featured in a statewide Health and Well‑Being Institute report.
Pat, who opened the Extension report, said the state institute’s report highlighted programming by Sheila Michaels, the county’s health and well‑being educator. Pat said Extension is onboarding a new regional crops educator and will streamline which educators attend future meetings.
Sheila Michaels described a training piloted in partnership with Noble Community Clinics that uses a locally produced video featuring residents with lived experience of substance use disorder. "We had so much interest in that video, that we were able to incorporate that into this new program that was recently piloted," Michaels said. She also said she chairs the Drug Free Adams County coalition and listed upcoming sober, family‑friendly recovery events, including a sober bingo held in April and a recovery‑friendly kickball event scheduled for Aug. 22.
Adam Hartfield, an Extension educator, highlighted Farm Technology Days (July 14–16 in Stratford, Marathon County) and said Extension and partners will host hands‑on sessions about beef quality, including opportunities to measure ribeye area; the event has a $15 gate fee and opens at 8 a.m.
Michaels told the board the county faces a severe childcare shortage: "We have a total of 81 childcare slots and approximately 650 children under the age of 5," she said, and noted this shortage affects workforce retention and child development. Michaels said the childcare alliance has a technical‑assistance grant from the Office of Real Prosperity to develop a concrete plan to expand access.
Pat summarized other educator activity in the packet and said administrative staffing and a recent office move are settling in, and that a contracted services fee had not yet posted to the books but was expected to post to finance soon.
