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Sawyer County HHS hires youth diversion specialist; out-of-home placements and related costs remain a fiscal concern

3806828 · April 13, 2025
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Summary

The committee learned that the county has hired a youth diversion and truancy specialist to start June 1, and discussed existing youth placements, high-cost out-of-home placements, and early-year budget pressure in youth services.

Sawyer County Health and Human Services reported on child protective services (CPS), youth justice (YJ) and a new youth diversion hire at its April 8 meeting.

Staff said the department hired a youth diversion and truancy specialist with experience in the Hayward School District; the specialist is scheduled to start June 1 and the department will begin outreach and letters to families now for 10-day school-drop referrals. At the time of the meeting staff said there were eight active referrals tied to 10-day drops.

Staff also reported the county has seven to eight out-of-home youth placements in higher-cost facilities (locations mentioned in discussion included Eau Claire, Lincoln Hills, Mendota and Copper Falls). Committee members and staff flagged that those placements and related transportation have already consumed a significant portion of the youth-aids budget early in the year and will be an area to monitor throughout 2025. One department official noted roughly 33% of the budget for a specific youth-aids line was used in the first two months of the year; transportation lines showed elevated usage as well.

Staff discussed care-team meetings to plan transitions for older youth approaching 18 and potentially needing longer-term supports, and noted a gap period between children's services and adult services for ages 18–22 in some cases. Department staff said they are tracking those transition cases to try to find closer and less expensive living arrangements as youth reach adulthood.

Separately, staff reported an approximately $11,000 carryover grant related to COVID vaccination work was pulled back at the state or federal level; the department said the amount was small and not yet resolved but that the county is monitoring potential impacts to department programming and contracts.

The committee received the reports for discussion and oversight; staff did not propose new budget actions at the meeting.