JOINT MEETING OF
AGING AND LONG TERM CARE COMMITTEE AND
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES BOARD
Monday, September 10, 2007
Health & Human Services Building Auditorium
5:00 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT: T. Johnson, J. Glasser, J. Billings, M. Wood, R. Plesha, R. Ebert, J. Ehrsam, A. Fisher, L. Montgomery, J. Gillett
MEMBERS EXCUSED/ABSENT: S. Hampson, L. Kannenberg, B. Pfaff, P. Schippers, A. Thompson, J. Sebranek
OTHERS PRESENT: S. O’Malley, J. Huber, P. Eide, P. Semb, N. Kuroski, J. Gausmann, D. Ruppert, M. Gilbert, P. Killeen, Dr. Viner, R. Weston
CALL TO ORDER
Roger Plesha, ALTC Chair, called the meeting to order at 5:07 p.m.
APPROVAL OF DECEMBER 11, 2006 MINUTES
MOTION by Gillett/Ebert to approve the minutes of the December 11, 2006 meeting carried unanimously (Hampson, Kannenberg, Pfaff, Schippers, Thompson, Sebranek excused)
LAKEVIEW UPDATE
Pam Semb advised that we have signed on nine counties for collaboration with Lakeview (Chippewa, Crawford, Juneau, Marinette, Monroe, Richland, Rock, Sauk and Vernon) via either a board resolution or a letter of intent. Taking into consideration the cost of care and what Medicaid pays, this collaboration effort will have a positive fiscal impact in the amount of approx. $740,220 per year beginning January 2008.
FAMILY CARE UPDATE
The Governor’s budget holds the cards for this expansion and it is hoped that the budget will pass soon, although no time line has been offered at this time. The consortium is drafting a letter to legislative leaders stressing the need for them to work cooperatively together to pass the budget expediently. The consortium has submitted its response to the state’s Request for Proposal (RFP) for a regional managed care organization, and the multi-county ADRC application has also been submitted to the state. The original implementation date for the expansion of January 1 has been delayed to March/April 2008. The original implementation date for the multi-county ADRC is also delayed. Several months ago Eau Claire, Pierce and St. Croix Counties asked to join the consortium, so the consortium put a placeholder in the RFP response for these counties without compromising the original counties’ efforts thus far. The Department of Health & Family Services extended the timeframe for the planning grant from September 2007 to July 2008. Once the consortium’s final report is submitted, we will be in the implementation stage. All counties submitted funds to cover Melissa Gilbert’s salary until January 1 and MCO reserve dollars could be used after that, but this has not yet been determined for sure. The county is holding off on hiring the positions approved by resolution by the county board until after the Governor’s budget passes. In October a resolution will be brought before the Health & Human Services Board asking for approval for CMO to reimburse Human Services for some of the consulting costs that have been paid to The Management Group over the past three years in connection with the expansion.
VETERANS SERVICES UPDATE
Jim Gaussman advised that there are currently 10,000 vets in La Crosse County and from 2004 to 2006, VA compensation and pension payments to county vets increased 25%. More veterans are taking advantage of the VA education benefits than in the 70s and 80s. The Tomah VA Medical Center is expanding services in La Crosse County over the next 6-9 months which will be more convenient for veterans so they will not always have to travel to Tomah for services. Jim outlined the services coordinated in a typical month in the Veterans Services Office incl. disability claims, requests for discharge documents/records/medals, VA medical enrollment applications, and families claiming military burial benefits/military grave markers, etc. for deceased veterans.
Jim is working with the Tomah VA and Franciscan Skemp (Vince Hatt) to provide services to veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan and their families who are suffering from stressful returns, family relationship difficulties, “soul wounds”, etc. This program offers confidential, non-judgmental, one-on-one (or group setting) meetings with trained spiritual companions free of charge. Jim advised that divorce and suicide rates are higher in military returns.
HILLVIEW ASSISTED LIVING UPDATE
Recently a consulting firm conducted a market study and found there is a local need of assisted living with regard to dementia patients. (Most nursing homes currently have some sort of assisted living piece in place.) In 5-10 years, this need will rise. The next step for Hillview is the financial piece and numbers will be provided to a future board meeting for this initiative.
ITEMS FOR FUTURE AGENDAS
None noted at the meeting, but if any items come up, please notify Tara Johnson, Roger Plesha or Steve O’Malley.
NEXT MEETING
The next meeting is scheduled December 10, 2007 at 5:00 p.m. in the Basement Auditorium of the Health & Human Services Building.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business, Committee Chair Plesha declared the meeting adjourned at 5:45 p.m.
The above minutes may be approved, amended or corrected at the next committee meeting.
Renee Weston, Recorder