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The news out of the county’s Health and Human Services (HHS) Department last week was  easier to take than the weather forecast-- as severe late season rain and hail erupted immediately after the county commissioners adjourned.  
The main item on the County Board agenda was the HHS annual report, presented by Director Nancy Dahlin and Supervisor Liz Dodge.  They shared no glaring concerns and some of the numbers, in fact, were on the upside of where they could be.  For instance; the number of  out-of-home placements for youth doubled since 2010, but are still well below the crisis days of the methamphetamine boom, according to Dodge.  

Compared to the whole population of minors in Chisago County the percentage being placed out-of-home is still “very low,” Dahlin added. Out-of-home placement for 2013 was 83 youth, versus 42 in 2010 and 2011.  But in the late 1990s and early 2000s placements due to hazardous meth lab home situations were 100-plus.
Dahlin also noted SNAP or Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program numbers spiked and are falling. (See chart)  “We can expect to see more decrease as the economy improves,” she said.
Those qualifying for General Assistance programs is also a “small number for a county of 50,000 folks,” Dahlin pointed out.
On the negative side of the HHS report,  the county was responsible for more than three detox clients each week in 2013. The Chemical Dependency Unit handled 168 detox clients, which is a costly program considering expenses to transport to a facility, etc.

Cases of financial fraud of vulnerable elderly adults have also been increasing.   The county attorney’s office has been aggressively pursuing these, and encourages reporting of suspected exploitation. Of 361 cases reported 54 went into full blown investigation.  

Of all  adult exploitation offenses-- nearly 30 percent were financially-related.  Other examples of exploitation include caregiver neglect, and emotional/sexual abuse and self-neglect.

The numbers of veterans being assisted through the HHS Veterans’ Service Officer Al Budde is staying fairly consistent over the years.  The cases are complex, Dahlin noted,  and behind the statistics there’s thick files that accompany these individuals.  
There are 4,221 veterans residing in Chisago County, according to state counts.  In 2013 587 vets or family members made an office visit here,  looking for assistance with paperwork, benefits, accessing programs, etc.

County Administrator Bruce Messelt asked Dahlin about available data on how many veterans are able to claim the property tax waiver which Minnesota allows retired veterans to claim to reduce their property tax liability.  
Messelt, who was attending the Association of MN Counties’ annual meeting in Alexandria spoke in the Board room via Skype.  
He said he heard at the AMC conference about the need for a policy dealing with counties experiencing large numbers of retired veterans waiving a large part of property value.  

Messelt said “retirement counties” up north want the association to get behind a state policy to equalize their tax revenue losses,  due to a veterans  claiming the exemption. Some small counties are losing a good chunk of revenue and feel the state as a whole should be sharing the veteran benefit costs.

In other business:   the commissioners agreed 5-0 to take advantage of a refunding window and re-finance bonds originally sold in 1997 for a Rush City housing project. The debt was repackaged in 2005 for a better interest  rate, and is being repackaged again.  

There will be $1.9 million in G.O. Housing Redevelopment Bonds sold at no more than 3.75 percent interest which will have the net effect of cutting about $169,000 off the debt service over payoff.

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