At the Tuesday, May 21 Morrison County Board of Commissioners meeting, Health and Human Services (HHS) Director Nathan Bertram presented his annual report on the activities of the HHS department over the past year. It had been a busy period of growth and change for the organization as it worked to meet the evolving needs of Morrison County residents.
Bertram began by praising the 107 dedicated HHS employees. He noted their extensive experience, with 950 combined years among the staff. Of these 107 employees, 29 of them account for 653 years of experience, whereas 17 current employees have a year or less of experience each.
However, one third of employees will retire in the next three to seven years as many reach retirement age. This presents both an opportunity and a challenge as valuable institutional knowledge walks out the door.
Bertram said he has made onboarding new employees and developing current staff a priority. He meets regularly with cohorts of newer hires to get feedback on how to improve training and culture. HHS also provides ongoing trainings on topics like ethics, diversity and stress management that are open to all county employees.
A key focus has been implementing trauma-informed care practices throughout the department. Bertram explained that both clients and staff have experienced trauma in their personal lives. HHS aims to avoid re-traumatizing anyone by making clients repeatedly tell their stories and supporting employees’ well-being. Subcommittees work on improving community agency interactions, fostering an empowering internal culture.
Bertram reported that on average, HHS handles around 10,500 open cases and new client intakes per month. This high volume is managed through programs supporting residents from prenatal care through end-of-life services. Needs have also risen with factors like increased food insecurity and use of language services like Spanish and Ukranian and sign language translation.
To stay responsive to the growing community, HHS has focused on streamlining internal systems using tools like continuous improvement training. Staff found the existing processes confusing and inefficient, so these changes aim to maximize time available to directly serve clients.
Over the past year, HHS distributed the county’s share of statewide opioid settlement funds. A citizen advisory committee was formed to determine priorities for these resources. HHS also took on regulating the growing vacation home rental industry to ensure visitor safety.
The department stayed engaged with the state legislature on issues like pursuing more funding for housing assistance, bolstering foundational public health capabilities and preparing for the upcoming reorganization of the Department of Human Services (DHS). HHS collaborated closely with groups such as the housing authority and homeless shelters on initiatives utilizing available aid.
Looking ahead, Bertram said HHS will continue to transition through changes on multiple fronts. This includes navigating the impacts of the DHS split and lifting up new employees as experienced staff retire. The goal remains supporting residents through improved community health and mitigating rising demands on services.
“Supporting residents is our number one (priority),” Bertram said. “We’re providing a high volume of services. You heard some of those numbers on that. And we pride ourselves in being responsive and resident-centered.”
The County Board expressed appreciation for Bertram and his leadership of such an important department. Many also noted that Bertram had stepped into the position of HHS director well, having held the title for just under a year.
“It is so good to have you on board,” said Commissioner Robert Kasper. “The shoes have fit well. You wear them well. Thank you for all you do.”
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