Focus
The
Winnebago County Department of Human Services
ISSUE
August
2015
The Director’s Report
First of all, our supervisory staff will
soon be trained in the new pay for performance system which begins with a
revised personnel evaluation process.
The evaluation process is meant to both
evaluate and recognize your efforts over
the past year and to collaborate with
you on some shared goals for career
development. Training on this new sysIt’s hard to believe that we have passed tem will begin in late August and be
the mid-point of 2015 so soon. Summer done by October. More details will be
is in full swing and I hope all of you are coming through Human Resources.
having fun and relaxing.
Secondly, we are looking ahead to next
The planning and budgeting process for year. We are hoping to have additional
2016 is underway for us here. We look staff to help with some waitlist issues
to continue to improve all of our ser- for behavioral health services.
vices. Looking to next year, we have
Lastly, we are continuing our focus on
some exciting new things to share.
secondary traumatic stress in our workforce and combining it
Our Mission
To serve our clients with professional,
quality, and cost
cost--effective services that focus on
prevention, protection, mental health, family
integration, self
self--determination and recovery with
respect for and in partnership with individuals,
families, caregivers and the community.
with a more comprehensive Trauma
Informed Care approach to assisting our
clients. We are looking for those individuals who have a passion for improving services to be on workgroups and
committees in the coming months to
help us better meet the needs of our
staff and clients.
I want to express my continuing thanks
to all staff who strives to do their best at
all times even when the going gets
tough. You are making a significant difference in the lives of so many who
need your guidance and assistance. Our
mission statement is continually being
fulfilled every day.
Many thanks!
Bill
“Water what is
going right instead of what is
going wrong,,
and the blooms
will choke out
the weeds”
— Jane Lee Logan
Page 2
LONG TERM SUPPORT
“Positive Strength Based Approach”
The Focus: Winnebago County Department of Human Services
A D M I N I S TR ATI V E S ERV I C ES
“Winnebago County Online Auction”
Winnebago County Public Surplus is the redistribution and/or sale of unutilized property that may be
out of date or no longer needed for the fiscal and
environmental benefit of Winnebago
County.Methods of reuse and disposal include transUnfortunately, the 9 yr old boy did not adjust to the transition very fer between county agencies or departments and
well, so when he started school in the fall of 2014 he was de- public auctions
Last summer a family experiencing chronic homelessness since
the 1990’s moved to Oshkosh. After living and witnessing many
things in a large city, mom decided she wanted to provide her children with a better life and move to Wisconsin. Oshkosh was the
first city to accept her housing application.
scribed as “completely out of control” and the school did not know
what to do. This young boy was referred to DHS on four disorderly
conduct charges within a 2 month period. He was verbally aggressive, using threats of physical and sexual violence. By the end of
January he was no longer able to attend Oshkosh schools, due to
injuring a teacher and had to start home-bound instruction, which
ended quickly.
Admin employees acquire and distribute many types
of items, including office supplies, furniture, equipment, vehicles, tools, hardware, electrical supplies,
and more. Anyone can purchase these items from
the Surplus Property public auction. If interested Instructions to access the Public Surplus site can be
Things seemed to be going down hill fast for this boy until a Juve- found by going to the Winnebago County Intranet
nile Justice Social Worker and a Long Term Support Service Coordi- under Departments / Purchasing/Surplus Property
nator started working with them doing home visits with mom and
the boy to discuss a Positive Strength Based Approach. Initially he Questions? Feel free to contact Kathy Kiraly, at
became upset and disrespectful, calling staff multiple profane ext.1192
names. By the end of the visit, he apologized and was more reTo Busy To Get It All Done?
spectful, talking about their need for food and some of his interests.
THE OFFICE SYSTEMS & CONFIDENTIAL RECORDS
Within DHS, the Long Term Support, Child Welfare and Behavioral
TEAM IS HERE TO ASSIST YOU!
Health Divisions collaborated. Together, a vision was created by
discussing desired achievements and the objectives and strategies We have transcriptionists trained in medical and legal terneeded to get there. Due to the collaborative partnerships be- minology available to assist you with any typing or word
tween the School District and DHS staff, this young boy started at processing project you have, such as:
an alternative school this past spring. On his first day at the
 Typing letters, fillable form letters or documents
school he received 100% of the expectations, and each day there Sending out a mass mailing
after, he got 101%. He received Student-of-the-Week, 3 weeks
 Develop forms
while attending this school. Immediately he felt like part of this
 Excel Spreadsheets
school’s family, experienced what success feels like, and on his
last day of school was told that he will be moving up to fifth grade
 Type & format manuals or brochures
next year. DHS staff was also able to coordinate a mentor for him.
 Proofreading court documents
Since he began with the mentor, he has made huge progress to Type and format anything handwritten
ward interacting with adults and peers. While playing basketball
with his mentor at the YMCA he complimented a boy on the other  Transfer texts, voicemails or email into TCM or eWiSACWIS from your work or cell phone.
team even when he wasn’t winning the game; completely opposite
to his previous behaviors. Given these outcomes, it is clear to see Email us at DHSTranscription@co.winnebago.wi.us
that the team was able to build a collaborative partnership based
on creating positive experiences to help steer this boy down a or call Lori Kubasta, Lead Transcriptionist, ext. 4714 or Tina
Anderson, Supervisor, ext. 4739.
more encouraging road.
Page 3
August 2015
C H I L D W ELFA R E D I V I S I O N
E C O N O M I C S U P P O RT D I V I S I O N
“ Alternative Response Ap proach ” “ Whil e I H av e You on th e Phon e ”
Several years ago, Winnebago County Child Protection
embarked on a new approach to conducting our investigations of child maltreatment. As part of a pilot program
known as Alternative Response, we have embraced the
process as our ongoing structure of service provision.
The traditional model of investigation involved interviewing children, at school when possible, without parental permission or even knowledge. Parents were understandably threatened and angered by this invasion of
their privacy, and workers were placed in a negative
light before even meeting the family. Alternative response allows us to call the parents as a starting point,
schedule a time to meet, explain the allegations, and
meet with the family as a unit. It does away with the
focus being on substantiating or un-substantiating maltreatment, and instead focuses on a complete assessment
of the family’s strengths and needs, while still investigating allegations, in order to provide services as needed
with a partnership model that families often respond to
very positively.
While some allegations such as sexual abuse, serious
physical abuse, or any egregious incident still require a
full traditional investigation with law enforcement involvement, about half of our screened in reports are now
managed with the Alternative Response process. Many
workers were initially hesitant about the new approach,
fearing that a contact with the parent would result in
anger toward the child, parents ordering the child not to
disclose their victimization, or additional abuse. However, experience has shown us that we are able to gain
the family’s trust and meet their needs much more effectively when we approach them with an offer of services
rather than an accusation of wrong doing. We have seen
no indication of an increase in abuse, and we find children will generally confide in their workers even though
the parent is aware of or even present for the interview.
Our Economic Support division has been part of a pilot initiative
within the East Central Call Center. We have expanded what is offered to callers while on a call center call. Initially, when the Call
Center began in January 2012, Call Center Agents would only process changes and reschedule appointments. Gradually, more services
were offered to callers in an effort to handle the case with a one
touch philosophy. For the last year, Winnebago County staff, along
with two other counties within our consortium, have added application processing and reviews to the list of tasks they’re able to complete at a caller’s request. This offers an option of immediacy to our
clients, versus waiting for a scheduled appointment. More recently,
the other seven counties have begun to offer the same services on a
trial basis. We have adopted the Nike philosophy of “just do it”
meaning take care of the caller as if it was your own case. As a result, customers do not need to call back multiple times and complaint
calls have decreased, which is good for everyone.
B EH AV I O R A L H EA LTH S E RV I C ES
“CCS Service Expansion”
Winnebago County’s Comprehensive Community Services (CCS) program,
housed within the Behavioral Health Division, has been in operation since 2005
for adults and since 2007 for youth consumers. For those not familiar with CCS,
it is a psychosocial rehabilitation program for people of all ages living with either
a mental illness and/or substance use disorder and needing longer-term, ongoing treatment and support beyond what can be provided in outpatient settings but
less than the intensive care provided in a Community Support Program (CSP).
The CCS consumer works with a dedicated team of providers to develop a treatment and recovery plan to meet the individual's unique needs and goals.
While our CCS program has always served individuals with co-occurring substance use disorders, we are in the process of expanding services to individuals
with only a primary substance use disorder (without a serious mental illness) who
have a similar need for services more intensive than can be provided in outpaThe community also has had questions and concerns tient settings and who have not benefitted from more intensive stays in residenabout accepting the new process. Mandated reporters tial service settings. To facilitate this service expansion we have identified one
often fear their concerns will not be addressed and chil- of our Safe Streets Program case managers, Mike Olig, to begin spending part of
dren will not be protected if the parent is contacted at the his time as a member of the overall CCS team. Mike has extensive experience in
starting point. However, as we continue to have success providing both mental health and substance abuse treatment in various settings
with the process, more reporters are coming to under- and is well-suited to assist with this service expansion. Mike will continue to be
stand the benefits of this transparent and family-focused involved in our overall substance abuse service system, but by lending his experapproach. For further information on this approach, tise to the CCS team we anticipate being able to better meet the needs of this
contact Mary Wiatrowski at ext. 4637.
hard-to-treat and expanding client population.
Page 4
The Focus: Winnebago County Department of Human Services
Avoid Risk Watch for Signs Apply De-escalation Skills Remove Yourself Evaluate & Report
TAILGATING & SHADOWING
DE-ESCALATION STRATEGIES
“The Importance of Adhering to Security Protocol”
“Staying Calm When They Are Not”
A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. One area this old adage
applies to is security. Many companies may task their human resource
departments with over-seeing security providers to keep employees as
safe as possible while at work. Larger companies may have their own
security teams. Either way, security professionals work at staying
abreast of crime trends to remain one step ahead of those who would try
to breach their systems, damage or
steal property, or to cause harm to a
company’s employees and visitors.
Staying calm in a stressful situation can work as an effective de-escalation strategy. People who stay calm are better equipped to assess the cause of an escalation and implement the right response. So the question is "how do I
stay calm when the person I'm supporting isn't?"
Complacency – Both HR and security experts tell me that an area of
great concern that they do not have
full control over is the human element; the tendency of folks to become
complacent and stray away from protocol. Some let people into the
building without following all sign in and authentication procedures. Accepting an expired visitor’s badge is also not uncommon. Others, when
carding in through a side entrance, will render the best security system
porous when they allow others to follow them into the building. This is
known as “tailgating”. In cases where someone sneaks in behind the
employee before the door closes; it is known as “shadowing”
A Typical Scenario – A well dressed polite man approaches an employee keying themselves in, flashes a pleasant smile, and says “I have
a 2pm meeting with Kathy in accounting” as he “tailgates” that employee
into the building. An unsuspecting employee might think, in that moment
of not wanting to be rude, “Well we have a Kathy in accounting and it is
2pm. I guess this must be her client?”
Hold your ground – It is human nature for us to want to be pleasant
and helpful rather than holding our ground and telling this pleasant man,
“I am sorry sir but it is against policy for us to let anyone who does not
work here in the secured doors. Please use our reception area to check
in” This very dynamic is usually why people will make an exception “just
this one time” and let someone in.
Rather be safe than sorry – So we all owe it to one another to follow
the procedures and protocols put in place by security experts and to not
make exceptions. If we start making exceptions to the rules pretty soon
all we are left with are exceptions!
personalsafetygroup.com
TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF.
Do a great job of taking care of your overall wellness, and
you will be more capable of meeting the needs of others.
For example, make sure that you are getting enough sleep.
If you are well rested, you will be better prepared to respond to a crisis.
VISUALIZE YOUR RESPONSE
Former NBA great Jerry West is a great example of how
this works. Known for hitting shots at the buzzer, he acquired the nickname "Mr. Clutch." When asked what accounted for his ability to make big shots, West explained
that he had rehearsed making those same shots countless
times in his mind. Do this and become known as "Mr. or
Ms. De-escalation.
HAVE A SAFETY PLAN.
Always have a plan for the worst case scenario. For example, many of us have a plan in case of a house fire. It's a
plan that you hope you never need to use, but don't you
feel more at ease knowing that you have that rope ladder
for a second floor exit? In much the same way, a safety
plan can also help you be prepared for a crisis involving a
person you are supporting. If
you have a safety plan, you
are going to be more relaxed
and confident.
YOUR TURN.
Grab a blank index card and
a pen. Write down "self
care," "visualize," and
"safety plan." Jot down at least one goal for each category. Keep this card with you or put it in a spot where you
will see it often. Review your goals regularly and add additional goals as needed.
rightresponse.com
Page 5
August 2015
Updates from the Secondary Traumatic Stress & Trauma Informed Care Workgroup
WHERE DO I START
“Why do I get up in the morning and do this to myself
everyday?” You know you’re stressed, you know you
have to do something about it, but changing habits is hard
and you just don’t have the energy for it. Does this sound
familiar. Are you feeling overwhelmed and don’t know
where to begin your self care journey?
We at DHS have been talking about self-care and stress
relief for quite some time now, but some of you still may
feel like you don’t know where to start.
Self-care isn’t about making huge life
altering changes and never looking
back. It’s a journey that requires focus,
commitment , and trying new things.
BUILDING AWARENESS
Self care begins with awareness.
Knowing your warning signs and understanding what works for you and what does not are
essential to building and maintaining a sustainable selfcare plan. Over the long term, this means building selfcare routines and rituals into everyday life. Over the short
term, we can create moments of awareness simply by
pausing to take a breath.
AVOIDING ROADBLOCKS
We could all list many challenges, barriers, and excuses
when it comes to taking the time to care for ourselves.
These concerns are real, valid, and legitimate. The importance lies in shifting those excuses into your reasons.
What’s pulling you away from focusing on yourself.
Maybe its your work. Maybe you’re too busy with family
responsibilities. Maybe it’s volunteering at another or-
ganization. Whatever is pulling you away from taking
care of yourself, it’s important to remember that if you do
not care for yourself, you will not be the best version of
DEEP BREATHING ACTIVITY
One of the best ways to combat stress is to breathe.
Deep breathing doesn't take long, doesn’t require
Special equipment, and can be done anywhere.
Follow this guide:
 Sit up straight
 Take a long, slow deep breath through your nose
 Stand Up
 Take a deep breath, feeling the air going into your
lungs
 Put your hand on your abdomen, feeling it expand
and contract with each breath
 Put your hand on your chest, feeling it expand and
contract with each breath
 Make yourself aware of the path that the air is taking
as it enters and leaves your body
 Focus on your breathing for at least two minutes, noticing how your body responds.
Try deep breathing at your desk, stopped in traffic, or
anywhere you need to refocus.
Page 6
The Focus: Winnebago County Department of Human Services
Opportunities offered through the Training Workgroup
Dr Derek Greenfield – Monday, September 21
Presenter: Dr. Derek Greenfield, Speaker, Educator,
Author/ Team Building Motivational Speaker
Coughlin Rooms A and B
Two sessions to choose from:
9:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. or
1:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Dr Derek Greenfield is a visionary speaker, consultant,
and thought leader dedicated to inclusive excellence
and positive change. With his dynamic and interactive approach, creative ideas, track record of success, and sense of humor, Dr. Greenfield has become
a highly requested presenter across the globe. His
powerful keynotes and workshops on issues such as
diversity and inclusion, motivation, team building, student development, innovative pedagogy, and hiphop culture have been featured at a wide range of
conferences, companies, and colleges, including
McDonald’s Corporation, International Conference
on Cultural Diversity, Hilton Hotels, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Texas-Austin, National
Dropout Prevention Conference, Progress Energy, and
the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks.
To register for all trainings,
e-mail Nancy Ruedinger at
nruedinger@co.winnebago.wi.us
The Dangerous Patient – Tuesday, October 13
Presenter: Dr David Mays
Coughlin Rooms A and B
9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. (with an hour lunch)
Many States, including Wisconsin, are poised to spend
tens of millions of dollars on mental health care in order to lower the incidence of violence in our communities, and to prevent mass shootings. The debate
about the relationship of violence to mental illness is
ongoing, impassioned, and generally full of erroneous
assumptions. In the meantime, mental health workers
often receive little training in how to do good violence
risk assessments and how to keep themselves safe in
the process. This workshop is designed to correct misconceptions about violence and mental illness, and
help clinicians do their job more safely and confidently.
THE TRAINING COMMITTEE IS STARTING TO LOOK AT THEIR
2016 SCHEDULE. HAVE IDEAS FOR A PRESENTATION? EMAIL
NANCY RUEDINGER AT
nruedinger@co.winnebago.wi.us
David Mays, MD, PhD, is a forensic psychiatrist who
directed the forensic program at the Mendota Mental
Health Institute in Madison for 13 years. He served as
the unit psychiatrist for the Management and Treatment Unit, a 14-bed maximum security unit for the
most challenging and violent mental health clients in
Wisconsin.
He currently provides training and consultation
throughout Wisconsin and is on the clinical faculty at
the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is the recipient
of the Exemplary Psychiatrist Award from the National
Alliance for the Mentally Ill, and the Exceptional Performance Award from the Wisconsin Department of
Health and Family Services.
New Audio Visual Presentation Equipment
Did you know that Room 33 in Oshkosh, and soon
Room 008 in Neenah, have permanent projectors on
the ceiling along with a Wyse terminal, wireless keyboard and mouse which gives you the opportunity to
sit anywhere in the room. The projector is extremely
user friendly so no need to be afraid to try it. Directions
are there; however if you would like a personal training, please contact one of the Administrative Assistants. They would be happy to provide you with training so you can host your meeting with confidence.
August 2015
Page 7
SPECIAL PROJECTS AND INFORMATION SYSTEMS
As you may know, HS staff members have been working with
our Information Systems department to program a replacement
system for Behavioral Health, Long Term Support and Juvenile
Restitution areas. The goal for 2015 is to bring up the Behavioral Health Services Division (ex. notes, treatment plans, crisis
plans) and the Administrative Services Division (ex. billing,
scheduling). In 2016 Long Term Support (ADRC, B-3 and Family Support) and Juvenile Intake – Restitution will move into the
new system. In addition, 2016 will bring system enhancements
such as e-prescribe medications, electronic signature pads,
patient portal, accounts payable and more.
To date we have completed design sessions and two phases of
testing with a third round to occur in August 2015. We will then
complete writing procedures and training for the “go-live” on
October 1st, 2015. It is exciting to see the transition from talking about what is needed to operating actual windows and
processes.
This project has been a huge endeavor for both Human Services and the County Information Systems Department. Each
staff person on the project has stepped-up to the challenges,
posed questions, offered ideas, and contributed hours of testing time. A huge thank you goes out to all Human Services and
Information Systems employees for your efforts and your dedication in making the new database the best it can be.
The Department’s 2016 Budget was presented to the Human
Services Board at its annual budget meeting in June. The gross
expenditures of approximately $43.5 million are offset by a combination of $25.5 million federal, state and other revenues and
$18 million of Winnebago County Tax Levy.
LIVING GREEN
It may be hard to believe that our approach to janitorial
services has anything to do with energy consumption,
carbon footprint, habitat enhancement, or stargazing, but
that’s exactly what you get when you embrace the under-appreciated benefits of day cleaning.
Cleaning during the day saves money. Because the lights
are off for all or most of the night, energy costs fall, bulbs
and ballasts last longer, and labor costs related to maintenance and security drop. Further energy and maintenance savings accrue through reduced use of elevators
and HVAC systems. As energy costs rise, so do the savings from moving to daytime cleaning.
The positive effects on workers are compelling as well.
Surveys show that, almost without exception, workers
feel more confident that their premises are routinely
well cleaned. They report fewer incidents of doors left
open by mistake, and fewer thefts within the building.
Most express that they appreciate the chance to get to
know the cleaning staff personally, which isn’t as possible
on the nightshift. And, staff get to play an active role in
the management of energy costs, which, naturally, has a
direct impact on their occupancy costs. According to
building managers, staff complaints drop dramatically
once day cleaning is implemented.
Following the Human Services Board’s Budget meeting the department’s proposed 2016 Budget will move to Winnebago
County Executive, Mark Harris, who will present the County Executive’s Budget to the County Board of Supervisors at its annual budget session in October.
From the cleaner’s point of view, day cleaning is like a
long-awaited bonus. It delivers more full-time jobs,
higher wages, and better working hours. Cleaners actually get to eat dinner with their families and tuck their
kids in at night. Their concerns about travelling to and
from work in the dark vanish. Enhanced job security contributes significantly to lower staff turnover. Managers
find that less supervision is required as well.
The Department continues to implement previously identified
strategic planning decisions that emphasize serving adults, children, and families in community based non-institutional settings.
This approach to planning and budgeting has enabled the Department to minimize costs and effectively counteract other economic-based budgetary challenges.
It is clear to see that Winnebago County has made a
huge stride in the right direction with the implementation of daytime cleaning. We at Human Services would
like to welcome the day cleaning staff as a part of our
workforce. If you have any questions or concerns regarding this new practice, please contact Ellen Shute.
Zara Bischoff
Mitchell Cornils
Holly Fink
Kari Kraft
Cheeia Lo
CHILD WELFARE
CHILD WELFARE
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
CHILD WELFARE
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
Honna Pilz
Pam Bartelt
Kathy Tollard
Vincent Vicente
Melinda Seelow
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
ADMIN. SERVICES
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
ECONOMIC SUPPORT
Deb Young
Tara Suplicki
LONG TERM SUPPORT
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
HOW CAN WE HELP YOU
HELP YOUR CONSUMERS?
Melissa Mader
LONG TERM SUPPORT
Please submit suggestions to:
ELLEN SHUTE
Deputy Director
The Winnebago County Human Services building located at 220 Washington Ave in Oshkosh has a new look.
Our talented County Facilities employees have been busy landscaping the
grounds. Please stop by and enjoy the
beautiful flowers, plants, and bushes.
There is even a berm! The flowers are
perennial and the red bark on the dogwoods will be colorful this winter. All
of us at Human Services wish to thank
Facilities we wanted to let you know
how absolutely pleased we are with our
beautiful new landscaping. As one HS
employee said: “It brightens the day!”
WINNEBAGO COUNTY DHS is on Facebook!
Please be sure to find and “Like” our page at
home or on your mobile device.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Winnebago-CountyDepartment-of-Human-Services/231426620211399