Caledonia Argus

Human services frugality gets high marks

Posted: 2/24/04

By Shannon McKinney
Argus News Reporter

The Houston County human services department stayed within its budget last year.

John Schroeder, fiscal supervisor, informed commissioners at the February 17, human services meeting, that the department received four percent over its budgeted revenues and spent three percent under its budgeted expenditures. This was after a reduction in expenditures last year by $96,537. The human services fund balance has grown by $555,288 over the past two years.

Commissioner Kevin Kelleher praised the department. ìThis is an excellent job of running a department. This is the product of a lot of people being keenly aware of the situation.î

Human Services Director Beth Wilms acknowledged her staff. ìItís a team effort. John has done a wonderful job of keeping abreast of what needs to be done.î

Halverson reduces hours

The board approved a request from Janet Halverson, case aide, to reduce her hours from 40 hours a week to 32 hours a week.

ìSheís noticed that thereís an ebb and flow to her work duties and she thinks she can still produce as much work,î Wilms said.

Halverson will take off Fridays to spend more time with her family.

ìI would like to grant her request. We want to remain family friendly,î responded Wilms.

ìWhen did that get to be our motto?î quipped Kelleher.

ìWe donít want to tear families apart. I think itís really nice when families can spend time with their children. I spent time with my boys and I wouldnít begrudge anyone that,î Wilms responded.

County transfers equipment

The state has offered to give the county its child support equipment, which is now about five years old. Wilms noted, ìIt now becomes our problem. If it wears out, we have to take care of it.î

The equipment includes computers, printers and the software to run the programs.

The equipment is in relatively good shape right now, said Wilms, but added that this is

another cost-shift the state has put on the county.

ìHow do you explain that to the public?î said Kelleher.

Wilms pointed out that that the state has also stopped printing informational bulletins on changes and updates on policy. ìWe have to [print them now]. We pay for the ink. We donít get anything in paper anymore. Itís all e-mailed and I print it off because I like a paper trail,î she explained.

DWP update

The state is allowing counties a lot of flexibility on how they will start up the DWP (Diversionary Work Program), said Wilms. ìThe state will offer very little assistance,î she said.

The DWP is scheduled to begin July 1, 2004 and requires that those applying for MFIP (Minnesota Family Investment Planning) must first conduct a four month job search before receiving any cash assistance.

Kelleher noted that the issue with the program is that the state is not paying any money for the program.

Wilms said the flexibility that counties will have means each county may offer a different DWP, which is a concern.

RFP pushed back

Legislation referred to as the mental health initiative was passed last year, forcing the state to eliminate the majority of its residential facilities for adults with severe and persistent mental health issues. The state wants the individuals to be integrated back into society.

However, since not all adults are ready to return to society immediately, Houston County is looking at sending out an RFP (Request for Proposals) for a corporate adult foster home for adults who have physical and mental health disabilities.

The state has delayed implementing the law from July 1 to September 1. It may even be delayed to January 1, 2005.

It is unclear how many adults in Houston County will be affected with the elimination of these facilities. What is clear is that the county will have funded most of the costs of housing the adults in the corporate foster home that Houston County is looking to set up.

Wilms plans to meet with the Hiawatha Mental Valley Health Center March 15 to discuss what human services wants to do with regards to the adult foster home.

ìWe donít know that weíre going to get a lot of folks responding [to the RFP], because thereís not much incentive,î said Wilms.

Kelleher responded, ìThereís no incentive. Why respond to an RFP when thereís no cash?î

Wilms referred to the Broadway Center in Winona which will have to be dismantled. St. Francis Medical Center may also be closing Winona Hall in Winona.

Wilms said, ìYouíre going to make a system change without looking at the long term effects.î

Commissioner Dave Corcoran expressed his concern for shutting down the facilities. ìYouíre going to let these people out and there will be murder and stealing and weíll put them in prison and lock them up. The thing of it is, itís working now.î

Commissioner Larry Graf commented, ìYouíll have people living in cardboard houses.î

Kelleher commented, ìThere are places and times when all of us are better living in a group setting.î

Wilms said the state has never been on the front lines of dealing with people with mental health issues. ìIt sounds good in theory, but itís not very logical,î she said of the plan to integrate these people into society.

ìWe havenít had very many complaints,î Kelleher said of the current situation.

County is seventh best in state

Financial assistance supervisor Bonnie Goetzinger reported that Houston County has the seventh highest percentage in the state for people on MFIP who met the criteria from their employment service goals. However, the countyís percentage isnít high enough to reap incentive dollars, because that criteria is 80 percent. Only two counties in the state had percentages high enough to qualify for dollars.

MFIP update

Goetzinger reported that the average age of a person on MFIP is 29 years old. Of the 83 cases on MFIP who are referred to employment services: 19 are 21 years old and younger; 37 cases are between the age of 22 and 29; 19 cases are between the age of 30 and 39; four cases are between 40 and 49 years old; and four cases are 50 years old and older.

On the average, parents on MFIP have an 11th grade education.

Out of 83 households on MFIP, 59 households have children who are under school age. The average household has 1.73 children. There are five households on MFIP, whose heads of household are pregnant with no children. The average MFIP grant that families receive is $355 a month. In food support, the average grant is $273 a month. There are 11 clients who are not receiving any cash assistance because they are working their way off of it. However, those families are still receiving food support

ìThey are still struggling,î said Goetzinger.

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