With all the projects and change swirling around, it is likely that we may begin to feel overwhelmed.

Change may be difficult, but it begins with the easy recognition that you are the author of your own

life story. By opting for doing more of the same, watching reruns, people sabotage invention and

imprison creativity. Stuck behavior has stuck consequences.

People perceive and remember what fits into their personal world. Beliefs and assumptions dictate what you look for and

attribute meaning. You always find or create that which confirms those beliefs, and ignore or don’t notice anything that

doesn’t fit into that pattern.

People repeat behavior, even some that do not work, because it offers security and familiarity. Doing the same thing re-

sults in a known outcome; predictability masquerades as effectiveness. Repetition reinstates the security of the familiar,

even if the repetition is limiting or frustrating. By opting for repetition of new methods, taking on different perspectives, we

are likely to make lasting change despite and practice the new stuff as hard as you practiced the old stuff.

So, as our agency moves forward with initiatives and projects across the agency, ask yourself a few questions: What do

you want from change? What do you want to outgrow? What do you want to avoid? And, what do you want to enhance?

- Shane Schuhmacher, Director

Beyond a Familiar Pattern

Calendar 2, 3

A Look at our Employees—Janet

3

Kick-Off! 4

Integration of Services

4

AARP Tax Service 5

Home Chore 5

Newsletter Survey - Thank You

5

Word Search 6

Recipe—

Heavenly Bars 6

I N S I D E T H I S

I S S U E :

L a f a y e t t e C o u n t y H u m a n S e r v i c e sL a f a y e t t e C o u n t y H u m a n S e r v i c e sL a f a y e t t e C o u n t y H u m a n S e r v i c e sL a f a y e t t e C o u n t y H u m a n S e r v i c e sL a f a y e t t e C o u n t y H u m a n S e r v i c e sL a f a y e t t e C o u n t y H u m a n S e r v i c e sL a f a y e t t e C o u n t y H u m a n S e r v i c e sL a f a y e t t e C o u n t y H u m a n S e r v i c e sL a f a y e t t e C o u n t y H u m a n S e r v i c e sL a f a y e t t e C o u n t y H u m a n S e r v i c e sL a f a y e t t e C o u n t y H u m a n S e r v i c e sL a f a y e t t e C o u n t y H u m a n S e r v i c e s

January—February—March—April 2012 Volume 1, Issue 1

As many of you know, Lafayette County Human Services Income Maintenance staff determines eligibility for BadgerCare

Plus, FoodShare, Medicaid and other programs and manage their ongoing benefits. On January 1, 2012, most income

maintenance begun to be provided by county agencies that are part of a group called a consortium. Lafayette County is in

the Southern Consortium with Crawford, Grant, Iowa, Green, Rock and Jefferson.

Folks may continue to get help applying for and managing benefits at their local agency that will be part of this consortium.

The goal of this change is to improve customer service and better manage enrollment services. And, the Income Mainte-

nance Consortia efforts will not change member benefits or how services are received.

You can continue to apply and receive service in person, over the phone and online.

To update folks about this change, we have been monitoring our performance. I am happy to share that the Southern

Consortium is meeting our expected performance measures; and, has progressively gotten better and continues to work

effectively as a consortium.

- Shane Schuhmacher, Director

Update on Income Maintenance Changes

P a g e 2 T h e V o i c e

SundaySundaySundaySunday MondayMondayMondayMonday TuesdayTuesdayTuesdayTuesday WednesdayWednesdayWednesdayWednesday ThursdayThursdayThursdayThursday FridayFridayFridayFriday SaturdaySaturdaySaturdaySaturday

1 2 3

4 Happy Birthday

Heidi!

5 6

7 Commission of Aging

Advisory Meeting, 1:00 PM

8 9 10 Happy 4th

Anniversary Dawn!

11 Daylight Savings

Time Begins

12 - LCHS Board Mtg.

6:15 PM

- Happy 5th Anniversary Crissy!

13 Happy 26th

Anniversary Marjean!

14 Happy Birthday

Dawn!

15 Happy 8th

Anniversary Joy!

16 17 Happy

St. Patrick’s Day!

18 19 20 1st Day of Spring

21 All Agency Meeting, All Agency Meeting, All Agency Meeting, All Agency Meeting,

11:00 AM11:00 AM11:00 AM11:00 AM Happy 18th

Anniversary Heidi!

22 23 24

25 26 27 28 29 30 31

MMMMARCHARCHARCHARCH 2012201220122012

SundaySundaySundaySunday MondayMondayMondayMonday TuesdayTuesdayTuesdayTuesday WednesdayWednesdayWednesdayWednesday ThursdayThursdayThursdayThursday FridayFridayFridayFriday SaturdaySaturdaySaturdaySaturday

1

2

Happy Birthday Melissa W.!

3 4 5 6 Offices Closed for

Good Friday

7

8 Happy 10th Anniversary Tara!

Happy Easter!

9

10

11

12 13 14

15 16 17 18 All Agency Meeting, All Agency Meeting, All Agency Meeting, All Agency Meeting,

11:00 AM11:00 AM11:00 AM11:00 AM

19 20 21

22 Earth Day

23 24 25 Administrative

Professionals Day

26 27

28

29 30

AAAAPRILPRILPRILPRIL 2012201220122012

SundaySundaySundaySunday MondayMondayMondayMonday TuesdayTuesdayTuesdayTuesday WednesdayWednesdayWednesdayWednesday ThursdayThursdayThursdayThursday FridayFridayFridayFriday SaturdaySaturdaySaturdaySaturday

1

2 3 4 5

6 7 8 Happy Birthday

Diane!

9 10

11 12

13 Mother’s Day

14 15 16 All Agency Meeting

11:00 AM

17 18 19 Armed Forces Day

20 21 Happy 11th Anniversary Janet Popp!

22 23 24 25 26

27 28 Memorial Day

Observed, Offices Closed

29 30 31

MMMMAYAYAYAY 2012201220122012

P a g e 3 T h e V o i c e

I grew up in DeKalb, IL which is the birthplace of barbed wire and the home of Northern

Illinois University, also my alma mater.

I graduated from DeKalb High School in 1977 and NIU in 1981, with a BS in Accounting

and a minor in Economics. Upon graduating, I moved to Darlington full-time (my former

husband was already employed at Memorial Hospital of Lafayette County). My first

position in this area was a bookkeeper for Eagle Valley Environmentalists, a non-profit

organization based in Apple River. Next, I worked for five years at Darlington Machine,

also as a bookkeeper. In 1988, I started working at Lafayette County Co-op Oil, and

began at Lafayette County Human Services in November, 1991. I have been a member

of the WI Human Services Financial Management Association since 1992, a member of

its Conference Planning Committee since 1997, and on the Board of Directors since

2003.

Volunteer work has always played a large role in my life. Over the past 31+ years, I have been involved with Darlington Jay-

cees, Darlington Day Care Board of Directors, Lafayette County Red Cross Committee, Lafayette County Relay for Life Com-

mittee,

Lafayette County EMS Committee, a CPR Instructor, Darlington Girl Scouts as a leader, the Methodist Church Choir, and vari-

ous Methodist Church leadership committees. My love for EMS began in the early 70’s watching Johnny & Roy on

“Emergency,” and that led to my becoming involved in EMS in 1991, receiving my license in June, 1992. I volunteered with

Rural Medical from 1991 to 2009, and with Belmont Ambulance since 2009. I have also worked part-time with Paramount

EMS since 2008 and became a licensed IV-Tech in 2010.

I have three daughters, two of whom are married; and the two most beautiful and brilliant grandchildren, Ty (age 2) and Ali

(age 5 months). My significant other, Doug, and I enjoy football, hockey, camping, biking, canoeing, and traveling.

- Janet George,

Support Services Unit Manager

A L o o k a t O u r E m p l o y e e s —

J a n e t G e o r g e

P a g e 4 T h e V o i c e

Kick—Off!

Lafayette County Human Services Organizational Effectiveness (OE) project has begun and we are working hard to

assess organizational effectiveness and to improve services to our clients, towards achieving our mission to improve the

quality of our client’s lives.

The OE process is also seen as a means to craft a comprehensive and effective management team and plan for moving

forward and be well positioned to meet the challenges and changes intrinsic to Human Service Delivery.

The Lafayette County Department of Human Services has a window of opportunity to strengthen and galvanize both the

leadership team and the full staff. The focus of OE work will be two-fold: to work intensively with the leadership team

around both deepening understanding of the current realities and setting a specific vision for the desired future state of

leadership in Lafayette County, and then to work with an OE team representing the full staff to effectively create and im-

plement systems of innovation and creativity that improve service delivery.

The OE effort will take place from February to May 2012.

- Shane Schuhmacher, Director

most help, are the least likely to be able to navigate such a

complex, fragmented “system.”

And as others have begun experimenting with ways to pro-

vide a more family-centered, seamless service delivery sys-

tem (a system that offers a broad continuum of services and

tailors these services to the strengths and needs of individu-

al families), Lafayette County Human Services (LCHS) al-

ready demonstrates and features some ways to integrate

social services across programs. Specifically, we offer a

single point of entry.

The LCHS access worker offers an element of most models

of integrated service delivery as a single point of entry for

families, and provides family members a point at which they

can be connected to a broad range of services. And, as we

move forward with our Organizational Effectiveness team;

we will continue to look at ways in which LCHS can continue

to build on our strengths and integrate services.

- Shane Schuhmacher, Director

Over the past several years, social service providers

have increasingly recognized that families seeking assis-

tance often face multiple, complex needs and that they

require the services of more than one program.

Lafayette County is no different. Due to the rural fea-

tures of our county, in order to access the range of ser-

vices they need, families may go to a variety of locations

and interact with a range of rules and regulations and a

variety of caseworkers and case plans. Due to a variety

of workers involved, some caseworkers may have incon-

sistent expectations and obligations in different case

plans or programs may conflict. In addition, agencies

often face limitations (actual or perceived) on the type of

services they can fund.

The fragmentation and complexity of such service deliv-

ery makes it extremely difficult, if not impossible, for

many families to obtain the services they need. Ironical-

ly, the most vulnerable families, those who need the

Integration of Services

P a g e 5 V o l u m e 1 , I s s u e 1

AARP Tax Assistance will be available in February, March and April in Lafayette County.

Contact Susan Elzen for an appointment at (608) 776-4887.

Locations: Woodford Bank in Argyle on February 1 and March 7. Lafayette County Human Services

on February 8 and 22, arch 21 and April 11.

A A R P T a x S e r v i c e

The Home Chore program is still available through Lafayette County –Aging Unit. This program provides a

hour or two of service every other week to do those tasks that individuals cannot manage on their own.

Some of the services offered are: Vacuuming, dusting, scrubbing floors, laundry, grocery shopping and

errands to persons needing assistance to maintain their homes. This program is intended only to help

with light tasks, not to do all the housekeeping. For more information, call (608) 776-4888.

H O M E C H O R E

I just wanted to extend my appreciation to those of you who took the time to complete the Newsletter Survey

and offer your thoughts and suggestions. It truly helped a lot in finding ways to make “The Voice” appealing to

more individuals within the agency. The newsletter is for you, and I want to ensure it contains what you want.

One suggestion I received was to make the newsletter contain news for future months, instead of reporting on previous months.

I thought this was a good suggestion and very doable. We are also going to have the newsletter come out “quarterly”, so that is

the reason for the size of the newsletter. I am always open to suggestions and ideas, so please don’t be shy in sharing them.

Thank you again for your assistance, and also thank you to those who have contributed news and articles.

Warm wishes to all, Joy

N e w s l e t t e r S u r v e y — T h a n k Y o u

The Honoring BoxThe Honoring BoxThe Honoring BoxThe Honoring Box

Remember to “honor” your co-workers who have

helped you or brightened your day in some way.

Positive recognition is important for all to hear,

so let’s give credit where credit it due ☺

WE’RE ON THE WEB!!!

www.lchsd.org

Lafayette County Human ServicesLafayette County Human ServicesLafayette County Human ServicesLafayette County Human Services

627 Main Street

Darlington, WI 53530

Phone: 608-776-4800

Fax: 608-776-4914

www.lchsd.org

Lafayette County Human ServicesLafayette County Human ServicesLafayette County Human ServicesLafayette County Human Services

LCHS BoardLCHS BoardLCHS BoardLCHS Board

David Hammer, Chair

Leon Wolfe

Gerald Heimann

Connie Hull

Janet West

Sherry Crist

Brandee Blaine

LCHS ManagementLCHS ManagementLCHS ManagementLCHS Management

Shane Schuhmacher, Director

Janet George, Support Unit Manager

Kate Chambers, ADRC & Economic Support Supervisor

Brenda Poss, Family Services Unit Manager

Christine Kelly, Behavioral Health Services Unit Manager

Kristine Brunkow, Executive Secretary

1st layer

2 cups brown sugar

1 cup white corn syrup

2 cups peanut butter (smooth)

3 oz pkg of vanilla instant pudding (½ pkg)

4 cups rice krispies

2nd Layer

½ cup butter, soft

4 cups powdered sugar

¼ cup milk

3 oz pkg of vanilla instant pudding (½ pkg)

Frosting

1 cup chocolate chips (I used milk chocolate)

1 cup butterscotch chips

1st Layer: Melt in saucepan over medium heat - brown sugar, corn syrup & peanut

butter. Add ½ pkg of pudding and the rice krispies. Pat in a jelly roll pan.

2nd Layer: Beat butter, powdered sugar, milk and other ½ of pudding. This should be

the texture of frosting and not runny. Add more powdered sugar if needed. Spread

this over the first layer and chill.

Frosting: Melt chips in microwave (or stove top) and spread on cooled bars. Chill.

U G Y D B T K J I Q Y Q A F O T C A P G

S F S F A S G G E D E R O L O C P C R D

P F X M H Y Y O H H T D S Z N I P S E N

M A R T I N L U T H E R K I N G J R S O

D S E N F I U I B O I A S K T J S E I T

I H H Q A V K J G Z N T R H W T K W D G

P X X A E M U S E H P U V T E O C O E N

U S B E M B W A T A T E A K S J U L N I

C P U U Y R S O T U D S S H R X L F T H

J R E M N T O R N U Y A A H C R A M S S

A I R V E N I C E S B P L V E E J I D A

N N W R O C Y N K T A X E S I J R Z A W

U G L C K L I D G C Y M C F Y N N P Y Z

A U L S M T W S D H B Q K W M D G Q E F

R C D J N J X V T N U K S Y P X P S L L

Y A H E S H M Y G H W V L X V N W A C D

Y E L O J F E B R U A R Y I E V G R O Q

P A W O B N I A R W U Z U E R D Y Q L J

V D E L A Y S W O L P I R P A P B D D Y

E G B F N B H J L H X G I Y X K A D V B

APRIL BASKETS BUNNY

COLD COLORED EGGS CUPID

DAYLIGHT SAVINGS DELAYS EASTER

FEBRUARY FLAG DAY FLOWERS

GREEN HEARTS JANUARY

LEPRECHAUN LOVE LUCK

MARCH MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. PINK

PLOW PRESIDENTS DAY RAINBOW

RED SHAMROCK SNOWMAN

SPRING ST. PATRICK’S DAY TAXES

VALENTINE WASHINGTON