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County looking at options for replacing child case worker
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By Charlie Warner
Argus News Editor
The Houston County Board will look at all their options before making a decision on how a child protection social worker will be replaced.
Director of Human Services Beth Wilms told the county board at the Feb. 2 meeting that she had received a “verbal resignation” from one of her social workers.
“Keeping our current number of child protection social workers is in the budget,” Wilms told the board. “Our case loads are such that if we didn’t replace this person, it would jeopardize the safety of our clients.” The county currently has three full-time child protection case workers.
Commissioner Dave Corcoran asked if the county could contract for services. Wilms said she wouldn’t recommend that because the liability issues would remain with the county.
Wilms added that she is looking at some realigning of duties in her department and plans to have that completed before a new hire would come on board.
“We got some time to work with,” Wilms said. “The person who is planning on leaving wouldn’t leave us high and dry. She’s not planning on leaving until May.”
“If you’re thinking about doing some realigning, maybe we should look at that first and then see what we really need,” Commissioner Tom Bjerke said.
Wilms replied that the case workers are swamped, “and we can’t turn anyone away.” She also pointed out the process to hire a new case worker takes up to three months to complete. Potential hires must take and pass a merit system exam. The next exam won’t be held until next month in Winona.
“With what we keep hearing from St. Paul and the economy in general, we will be looking at more potential cuts,” Commissioner Jack Miller pointed out. “It is less painful to not fill a position than filling it and then having to cut it later.”
Miller added that the county will be discussing various sharing issues with Winona.
Wilms reminded the commissioners that mental health caseworkers “pay for themselves,” referring to the fact of the state reimbursement for mental health case workers.
Corcoran said he understood that they needed to move forward with the issue, but suggested that the Human Services Committee discuss it at their upcoming meeting on Feb. 16.
Wilms felt that would still give her enough time and said she would work on realignment plans and also be speaking with Fillmore County as far as possible sharing with them.
In other board action:
Veterans Service grant
County Veterans Service Officer Rob Gross informed the board his department has $10,000 remaining of a $15,000 grant it received last year. He requested that the $10,000 be included into his line item budget for 2010.
“We were not awarded another grant for 2010, but Houston County was awarded a grant three years in a row,” Gross told the board. “We only used $5,000 last year for marketing and advertising, which is what the program is all about. We want to be able to reach every veteran to let them know of the various programs and help we can offer.”
Gross said the new office location on the highway and the red, white and blue vehicle wrap on the department’s van have really helped get the message out.
“There was $3 million in grant requests this year and only $800,000 awarded. Houston, Fillmore and Olmsted counties have received grants during the past couple of years. None of us got a grant this year. But Winona County, which hadn’t received a grant for some time, got a partial one this year.
“You can have all the right tools and staffing in the world, but if you can’t get your message out to the veterans who need the help, it doesn’t do them a bit of good. This program really helps us get the message out to the men and women who earned it by serving their county,” Gross added.
You can contact Charlie Warner at
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