Jason Arndt, jarndt@wolfrivermedia.com
Up to 20 Shawano County Department of Human Services employees are expected to lose their jobs as the state expands its Family Care program into Shawano and Menominee counties.
However, many, if not all, of those workers could be hired by the two managed care organizations selected by the state to oversee Family Care locally or Include, Respect, I-Self Direct, a state program that is available to the elderly and adults with physical, intellectual or developmental disabilities with long-term care needs.
“There will be 18 to 20 positions that will be lost, and most of these people will be hired the MCOs to be case managers and social workers within their organization,” said Rick Kane, director of the Shawano County Department of Human Services.
Kane estimated 14 of the workers have already been hired by the MCOs.
The two MCOs taking over long-term support in Shawano County on Sept. 1 are Fond du Lac-based Lakeland Care District and Madison-based Care Wisconsin.
Each Family Care participant will be supported by a team that consists of, at least, a social worker/care manager and a registered nurse. Other professionals will participate as needed.
Lakeland Care District is expected to hire at least seven care managers and nurses, who will be based at the Human Services Department, 607 E. Elizabeth St.
“Right now we are working on projections and we committed with the county to interview each person,” said Katie Mnuk, chief executive officer of LCD. “We have extended job offers to some of those applicants based on these projections.
“This is a projection based on current enrollment estimates. We may need to adjust that number once we know how many people actually enroll in the Lakeland Care District.”
Care managers and nurses hired by LCD will begin training in July while continuing to serve their current caseload, Mnuk said.
Mnuk declined to say whether the county workers would be paid their current wage, saying only that pay is based on experience.
Susan Crowley, senior vice president of government affairs for Care Wisconsin, said her organization has hired three Shawano County care managers.
“As enrollment goes forward in Northeast Wisconsin, we can see additional hires,” Crowley said. “A lot will depend on enrollment figures.”
Crowley indicated the three initial hires had their first orientation session Monday. She said she did not know whether the pay is comparable to what they were making with the county.
“I can only say that our pay is competitive,” she said.
Care Wisconsin has offices in Green Bay, Marinette and Sturgeon Bay, and is seeking office space in Shawano, Crowley said.
Kane was unsure how much the county will save with the transition to Family Care, and County Finance Director Diane Rusch did not return a call for comment.
Gov. Scott Walker announced in 2014 the Family Care program would expand this year to Shawano, Menominee, Oconto, Marinette, Brown, Door and Kewaunee counties. About 4,000 people are expected to qualify. His goal is to expand the program to the state’s remaining eight counties by 2017.