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Economic support administrator seeks supervisor role to meet new FoodShare quality requirements
Summary
Rhonda Braun told the St. Croix County HHS Board that federal and state FoodShare quality‑control rules require counties to implement pre‑certification reviews; she asked the committee to endorse a supervisor position that would be 50% funded by the Great Rivers Consortium and would carry an estimated county share of about $120,000.
Rhonda Braun, the county’s economic support administrator, told the Health and Human Services Board on July 15 that new federal and state expectations for FoodShare quality control require a stronger, dedicated supervisory structure and a phased PCR (pre‑certification review) team.
Braun said the federal framework now pushes states and consortia to lower their active error rate below a 6% threshold or face potential financial consequences; to comply, counties must begin reviewing a substantial share of FoodShare cases before benefits are issued. “We must improve and maintain accuracy or face significant financial consequences,” Braun said.
Key points
- Error rate and scope: Braun reported Saint Croix County’s active FoodShare error rate at 9.91% and said the consortium is required to build a PCR plan that initially reviews at least 25% of cases monthly and then adjust upward as needed.
- Funding and structure: The Great Rivers Consortium agreed to fund half of the proposed supervisor position (the role supports PCR coordination, SharePoint data work, staff coaching and scheduling). Braun said the county’s portion would be roughly half of a position budgeted at about $240,000 total — i.e., an approximate $120,000 levy impact — with part of that eligible for federal match.
- Implementation plan: The consortium’s lead agency (Eau Claire County) is expected to carry hiring liability for review positions while St. Croix County’s supervisor would focus on SharePoint coordination, data analysis and communications with the PCR team. Braun said the plan will be phased so the call center can continue operating while trained staff transition into PCR reviewer roles.
- Technology and training: Braun described an effort to adopt intelligent optical character recognition for earned‑income documentation to reduce miskeying errors and said the division is participating in a statewide AI work group to explore such tools.
Board response and operational detail
Members pressed for county‑level comparators and asked whether client errors drive the score; Braun said some month‑to‑date spikes were client errors but emphasized that interviewing skill and staff continuity affect error rates and that some errors can propagate through handoffs. She urged county supervisors to review monthly data and perform one‑on‑one coaching with staff to address recurring error patterns.
Next steps
Braun said a PCR plan has already been submitted to the state for review and that the consortium is meeting with DHS staff monthly. The proposed supervisor role and the phased PCR hires would be implemented if funding and operational sequencing allow; the consortium funding is dedicated to PCR work and cannot be repurposed. The committee did not vote on the position July 15.
