---

WALKER - Minnesota Department of Health selected a Cass County health services nurse to be one of five in the state recognized as an Everyday Hero for their exceptional service in the Women, Infants and Children program.

Sherry Fitch is a licensed practical nurse and the county's WIC coordinator. Her co-workers in Cass County nominated her for the state award.

In their nomination letters, coworkers cited Fitch's ability to clearly inform parents about good health and nutrition and to make them comfortable with participating in WIC clinics. They also cite her ability to calm crying babies and to entertain young children while their mothers get the information they seek at the clinics.

The WIC program serves mothers from prenatal until their child's fifth year.

Cass Health, Human and Veterans Services ran at budget expectations through August this year, having spent $13,064,083 or 66.01 percent of the expected 66.67 percent by Aug. 31.

Out-of-home child placements, however, ran much higher than anticipated, with 97 percent of that portion of the budget spent by the end of August. Costs for child placement at foster homes, group homes and correctional facilities all are running much higher in 2015 than 2014.

Cass spent $1,503,278 through August on out of home child placements. Of that, $1,368,734 came from county property tax dollars. The county share already exceeds budget projections.

A Medicare audit showed Cass County had provided insufficient data to allow the county to collect for two claims. As the county checked its records further after that, county officials determined the county actually should not have submitted 13 more claims due to insufficient documentation.

Cass now voluntarily has refunded $29,195.28 to Medicare.

The county board accepted two Minnesota Department of Health grants. One contract enables the county to provide Hepatitis B vaccinations through 2018. The other will provide $147,788 in 2016, 2018, 2019 and 2020 and $154,788 in 2017 for the Statewide Health Improvements Program, which Cass calls "Live Healthy."

The commissioners received notice Minnesota Department of Human Services has increased the base rate from $189 to $194 per month for residential housing services to provide care to clients who do not need nursing home level care under the income maintenance program.

These care services providers include several assisted living and group home providers in the county.

Second publication rights after Brainerd Dispatch.[[In-content Ad]]

---