Column: Portage County’s HHS team stretches to meet growing demand

By Nancy S. Lind

STEVENS POINT — When you’re managing 148 employees and a $37.3 million budget while trying to protect a county’s most vulnerable residents, every decision matters. Every hire counts. And every dollar stretches a little thinner each year — with the flexibility of a yoga instructor.

That’s the reality for Portage County’s Health and Human Services Department in 2025, where demand continues to outpace resources in ways that would challenge even the most seasoned public administrator.

“I have an amazingly talented and dedicated staff who do the hard work every day,” said Kim Vagueiro, the department’s director. “We care deeply for this community and the families we serve.”

The numbers reflect the pressure. Staff has grown from 136 in 2022 to 148 this year — a nearly 10% increase. Four new positions were added to the 2025 budget, all focused on mental health and children’s long-term support. Fortunately, these additions are funded entirely by the state, requiring no direct impact on Portage County’s tax levy.

But not every change is a win. Three vacant positions were eliminated — victims of expired grants or persistent hiring challenges, a familiar problem for many local agencies in Wisconsin.

Behind the numbers are real people. Child protection workers carried an average caseload of 16 in 2024, expected to rise to 17 in 2025. That translates to 600 children needing protection assessments last year — and 610 projected this year. These aren’t just files in a drawer. They’re stories. Struggles. Lives in crisis.

Crisis intervention teams handled 1,393 cases last year. The county’s Comprehensive Community Services program supported 304 residents in 2024 and expects to serve 347 in 2025 — a 14% increase. Foster care workers oversee 61 licensed homes and coordinate around 200 supervised family visits per month. That’s more than 60 families, each receiving at least one visit every week.

Standing outside the department’s temporary office on Church Street — a relocation forced by flooding damage in 2023 — community members shared gratitude and concern in equal measure.

“My family has used their services twice in the past year,” said Mai Yang of Stevens Point. “The workers are stretched thin, but they really care. You can tell they’re doing their best with what they have.”

Julie Johnson, pushing a toddler in a stroller, echoed the sentiment. “The wait times are longer than they used to be, but I’m grateful these services exist,” she said. “Without them, I don’t know where families like mine would turn.”

The department operates under an integrated Health and Human Services model — essentially a one-stop shop for roughly 22 community programs. That’s a sharp contrast to neighboring counties like Marathon, where some behavioral health services are contracted out. Here, most services are kept under one roof, enabling more coordinated care.

Of the $37.3 million budget, personnel accounts for 52.7% — about $19.7 million — up 5.8% from last year due to wage and benefit adjustments. Contracted services, including residential care and therapeutic support, make up more than 40% of total expenses.

Looking ahead, the department faces more change. A new electronic health record system will replace software more than 35 years old — older than social media, smartphones, or most of the staff using it.

Program numbers continue to rise. The Children’s Long-Term Support Waiver expects to serve 370 kids this year, up from 322 — a 15% jump. Comprehensive Community Services projections are up 14%. Initial child protection assessments and environmental health inspections are also expected to increase modestly.

These numbers don’t just fill spreadsheets. They guide the daily work of a department trying to balance urgent needs with fiscal responsibility.

“It is important that Portage County residents know that we strategize every day to provide the best service for the money we receive,” Vagueiro said.

She beams with pride when talking about her team. The work isn’t easy. It involves hard conversations, long days and emotionally taxing decisions — but it’s essential.

Behind every budget line is a neighbor, a child, a family. And behind every desk in Human Services is someone doing the math, making it work — even when it doesn’t want to.