January 17, 2025 Minutes
Human Services Advisory Commission - Meeting Minutes
Meeting: January 17, 2025
In Attendance: Stacey Casteel, Ernest Cienfuegos-Baca, Stephanie Foos, Stephanie Gausch, Stanley Graffis, Jodi Hartmann, Andrea Hernandez, Enita Kearns-Hout, Kelly Martinez, Tammy Phillips, David Reyes Jr., and Gillian Smith
Absent: Lynette Peppler and Adam Turk
In Attendance: Tami Grant, Julie Witkowski, Karin Crandall, and Lesley Cobb
Recording Secretary: Lesley Cobb
Welcome
The meeting was called to order at 8:15 a.m.
Presentation
Department of Human Services Child Welfare Differential Response
Staci Devore and Ashleigh Titus presented on the Human Services Child Welfare Differential Response (DR). Staci explained that DR allows counties to assess children for safety through partnering with families and the community to facilitate sustainable behavioral change with a family. Without this it is believed that families have a lesser chance of being successful. Ashleigh discussed how Child Welfare’s traditional response may have impacted children and families and that it was scarry and caused increased anxiety. With the paradigm shift and new way of doing things, Child Welfare is able to reach out to the family first to create a trusting relationship that will increase engagement and be transparent about the concerns in the referral. Ashleigh expressed that they are trusting families as the expert and that they know what they need. DR is designed to be more flexible in responding to child abuse and neglect reports by understanding family issues that may lie beneath the report and to engage parents in utilizing services to address those issues. Staci mentioned that there are several components to DR, one of the most valuable components is family meetings. This meeting brings everyone together, including their supports, to say how can we make sure your family functions the best. There are two tracks a referral can take, one is a Family Assessment Response (FAR), in which they meet with families together if it is believed that they are a low risk. The second is a High-Risk Assessment Response, where they go out, make a finding to determine if the event happened or not, and then tell parents what they think would benefit them. Staci explained that even know Child Welfare has these dual tracks, it doesn’t change the authority that a caseworker has such as court involvement or anything that could have taken place before Weld County started DR. The biggest difference is the approach.
Introductions
Andrea Hernandez (The Weld Trust) and David Reyes Jr (School District 6) were introduced as new Board Members.
Review of Minutes from October 25, 2024
Motion to approve the minutes was made by Stanley Graffis and seconded by Ernest Cienfuegos-Baca. The minutes were unanimously approved.
Orientation
Karin Crandall did a quick review of the orientation.
Duties, Responsibilities and Bylaws
A highlight of some of the duties of the members include attending board meetings, providing input/recommendations, reviewing the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) as this board is a requirement of that grant, helping with recommendations and approval of budgets, approving reports, and planning how we are looking at the needs of the community. One of the other responsibilities is that the committee serves as the Placement Alternative Commission (PAC) which reviews the Core contracts within a subcommittee.
Membership Structure
The committee is required to have 12 to 15 members and be a tripartite board with one-third being public officials or their designee, one-third representing the low-income client sector, and the remainder from the private sector of the community. Within those parts there are preferred members that are accountants, attorneys, medical and mental health providers. These specific types of memberships help when reviewing Core contracts. The board meets quarterly and is required, by the bylaws and the Department of Local Affairs, to meet at least four (4) times per year. To have a quorum there needs to be 50% plus one (1) of current members.
Volunteer Hours
Volunteer hours of the board are reported in the annual CSBG report. Karin asked that the board track their board specific volunteer hours, including the board meetings or subcommittee meetings, throughout the year on the Volunteer Hours Tracking Sheet that has been provided. She stated that she will need all of the board member’s tracking sheets for 2024. Those can be submitted to Karin or Lesley.
Confidentiality Statement and Conflict of Interest Policy
Each board member is required to sign one of these each year. The Confidentiality Statement refers to information that is obtained while here for board meetings. The Conflict-of-Interest policy should be reviewed by members. If any conflicts are identified, these should be noted in the disclosure section of the form. Karin pointed out that board members received these forms in their packet to review, complete and sign. Completed forms should be submitted to Karin.
Whistleblower Policy
The Whistleblower policy is posted on the County website as well as a hard copy provided to members. This informs members of their rights to report violations of law, gross mismanagement, gross waste of funds, abuse of authority, or concerns related to substantial harm to public health or safety.
Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) Budget Update
Karin Crandall apologized that she was not able to get the budget from our Fiscal Office before the meeting and hoped that she would have that for the next meeting.
Karin reported that the Department does not have access to the full CSBG funding amount until we receive Option Letters from the State. These Option Letters are issued throughout the year in varying amounts. In 2024 the Department opted to not spend money until the Option Letters were issued so we did not get fully funded until August. As a result, we had a carryover for this year of approximately $150,00.00. For 2025 we have not received any Option Letters yet and do not know when we will receive those. Karin expressed that right now it is nice to have the carry-over so that we have flexibility and can help support some of programs until while we wait for Option Letters.
Contract Services Update
Lesley Cobb provided an update regarding contracted services for the 2024 4th quarter and the 2024 End of Year report.
Division Audits/Evaluations/Reports
Child Welfare In-home Audit
Robin Overmyer reported on the Child Welfare audit. She explained that this was the Department’s annual review of cases. What that means is that the State does a random audit of Child Protection Assessments, in-home cases (kids not in DHS custody) and out-of-home cases (kids in DHS custody). Robin reported that overall, they did very well but there are always things that need to be worked on. She highlighted several areas of strengths as well as areas needing improvement. Based on those findings from the State, Robin detailed recommendations that came from this audit.
Employment Services State Monitoring
Elizabeth Barber reported on the Employment Services State Monitoring from the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment. The final report came out and Employment Services had only one finding that resulted in an application needing to be redone but overall did very well. The State noted two Promising Practices, the first one was the Youth Committee and the other was moving the Veteran’s Services Office under Employment Services.
Department Updates
Colorado Child Care Assistance Program (CCCAP) Funding and Waitlist.
Elizabeth Barber explained that this program allows for families to apply for childcare assistance. This would be for those families who qualify and receive services through DHS through another manner. Currently there is both a State and Federal shortage of funds that is coming and for the first time in our history, Weld County will have to go on a CCCAP freeze. Elizabeth noted that the freeze will start on February 1, 2025, and that we will be the last county in Colorado to do this. The freeze will not affect families who are on CCCAP through TANF or Protective Services. It will affect those families who don’t make ends meet and want to apply after February 1st. In those cases, families will get an abbreviated application which will be held by the Department. Elizabeth indicated that they anticipate that this freeze will go on for a while. DHS staff have been working hard to let providers know and meeting with other teams within DHS to explain how this freeze may affect them.
Housing Authority Update
Karin Crandall reported that the Greeley/Weld County Housing Authority has hired a new director. He comes from HUD and has been in his role for a few weeks.
Ernest Cienfuegos-Baca reported that the County is reworking their Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with the Housing Authority and the County will continue to oversee the Housing Authority for now.
Success Stories
Karin Crandall spoke about a success story regarding a gentleman who was in emergent need of finding assisted living. Both with the help of the community and several DHS divisions, the gentleman was able to get the housing he needed in an assisted living facility within three days. Karin praised the work that was done in this case as she felt that getting the long-term care the client needed set up in three days is usually unheard of.
Suggestions for upcoming HSAC agenda items
- Julie Witkowski asked the Board for any recommendations on items/topics for future HSAC meetings. If anyone has any suggestions or would like to present on a top, please reach out to Karin, Julie or Lesley.
- Stephanie Gausch mentioned that it would be nice to hear from the County Commissioners about the growth that we are seeing in Weld County. Specifically, the projections for future growth and how, as human services, they think we will meet the need. She also mentioned that it would be nice to hear what the Department of Human Services is doing in South Weld County.
- Ernest Cienfuegos-Baca mentioned that there is a program called Ride NOCO that is a transportation system that services most of Weld County. He felt that this would be a good presentation to have so more people would be aware of it and the services they provide.
- Jodi Hartmann suggested that the Commission add an agenda line for outside resource discussions or presentations.
- Kelly Martinez suggested that she would like to see a future presentation done on the Health Department’s Community Health Worker program.
Community Updates
Ernest Cienfuegos-Baca
Ernest reported that the Cold Weather Shelter will be open from tomorrow to Tuesday night due to the severe cold weather that is happening. They will also be working with Catholic Charities to make sure people are getting the shelter they need.
Ernest announced that United Way Weld County is opening funding opportunities. They will be accepting applications for the Emergency Food and Shelter Grant ($118,000.00) and the United Way of Weld County Grant ($650,000.00). These will both be one-year grants.
Enita Kearns-Hout
Enita reported that thanks to The Weld Trust, Catholic Charities has a partnership with Greeley Family House, Almost Home, and Hope at Miracle House and will be able to continue to provide services for homeless prevention. This will be a two-year grant.
Stephanie Gausch
Stephanie reported that the Weld Food Bank, with its emergency food program, is serving an average of 30,000 neighbors a month. To put that in perspective, two years ago they served 10,000. She reported that the Weld Food Bank is struggling to meet the need and to keep an adequate and well-balanced supply of food. They are also struggling with having enough volunteers and she asked for any suggestions as to where they might find more volunteers who are available during the day.
Jodi Hartmann suggested that she would like to see the Commission set up a reoccurring time for members to volunteer at the Food Bank.
It was suggested that they reach out to schools and/or athletic teams for possible volunteers.
Jodi Hartmann
Jodi wanted to point out the Star Rise apartment project that is coming along in which you can visually see the progress. She felt that this is an important project for the community and will hopefully have a positive impact in housing our most vulnerable population come next November/December.
The meeting adjourned at 10:23 a.m.