IT'S BACK TO SCHOOL WEEK IN
WISCONSIN AND WHILE KIDS ARE
MAKING NEW FRIENDS, THEY'RE ALSO
SHARING GERMS AND NUMBERS FROM
THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
SERVICES SHOW AN INCREASING
NUMBER OF PARENTS ARE OPTING OUT
OF IMMUNIZATIONS FOR THEIR
CHILDREN.
MORE THAN 8% OF ALL SCHOOL
CHILDREN DID NOT MEET THE
MINIMUM IMMUNIZATION STANDARDS,
A NUMBER THAT HAS INCREASED IN
RECENT YEARS.
THE NUMBER OF KIDS WHO ARE
PROTECTED FROM THE MEASLES
VARIES FROM 70% TO 980 -- 90%.
OUR GUEST ON NOON WEDNESDAY WAS
DR. JAMES CONWAY.
HE EXPLAINED WHY THIS PUTS
WISCONSIN AT A GREATER RISK FOR
A MEASLES OUTBREAK.
>> THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 80%
AND 90 PERSZ% IS ENORMOUS.
FOR MOST DISEASES WE WANT TO BE
OVER 90%.
FOR SOME DISEASES THAT ARE
HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS, MEASLES ONE
OF THE MOST TON CON TAI GENT ON THE
PLANET, YOU WANT 95% PROTECTED
SO YOU DON'T GET INTO AN
OUTBREAK SITUATION.
>> JOINING US NOW IS THE
SECRETARY DES DESIGNEE, ANDREA PALM.
>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.
>> HOW MUCH AT RISK IS WISCONSIN
OF A MEASLES OUTBREAK?
>> LIKE ALL STATES WHO DON'T
HAVE A CASE IN THEIR STATE, IT
JUST TAKES ONE EXPOSURE TO START
AN OUTBREAK.
SO I THINK OUR FOLKS AT THE
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SERVICES IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH LOCAL HEALTH
DEPARTMENTS ARE FOCUSED ON
MAKING SURE WE ARE TRACKING AND
TRACING ANY SUS SUSPECTED CASE SO WE
ARE PREPARED TO LIMIT ITS SPREAD
AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
>> DEMOCRATS IN THE LEGISLATURE
PROPOSED A BILL THAT WOULD
ELIMINATE THE PERSONAL EXEMPTION
CLAUSE FOR PARENTS.
HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT?
>> WE NEED TO USE ALL THE TOOLS
TO INCREASE IMMUNIZATION RATES.
ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES WE
FACE AND PART OF WHY YOU'RE
SEEING AN INCREASE IN PERSONAL
EXEMPTION ONS IS MISINFORMATION
ON THE INTERNET.
IMMUNIZATIONS ARE SOME OF THE
SAFEST AND MOST TESTED MEDICINES
IN THE MARKETPLACE AND THEY KEEP
US SAFE.
MEASLES IS HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS.
THE SAFEST WAY TO PROTECT YOUR
FAMILY AND COMMUNITY AT THAT 95%
RATE IS TO GET THE VACCINE.
>> GIVEN THE IMPORTANCE OF HERD
IMMUNITY, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT
THE STATE CAN RISK OR SHOULD WE
REMOVE THE EXEMPTION FOR PUBLIC
SAFETY?
>> THERE IS A BILL MOVING
THROUGH THE LEGISLATURE.
WE LIKE WITH ALL LEGISLATION ARE
ABSOLUTELY INTERESTED IN WORKING
WITH THE LEGISLATURE TO MAKE
SURE IT IS AS WORKABLE AS
POSSIBLE.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT KIDS
AND FAMILIES WHO HAVE MEMBERS
WHO CAN'T BE VACCINATED BECAUSE
OF MEDICAL CONDITIONS OR OTHER
THINGS, THAT THOSE PROTECTIONS
REMAIN IN PLACE.
BUT I THINK THE MORE WE LOWER
THE RATE OF PERSONAL EXEMPTIONS,
THE MORE PROTECTED WE ALL ARE.
>> SPEAKING BROADLY ABOUT YOUR
DEPARTMENT.
THE BUDGET WAS BUILT AROUND A
MEDICAID EXPANSION.
THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR DHS?
>> IT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
MEDICAID EX ANGS IS A REALLY
IMPORTANT THING FOR US TO DO IN
WISCONSIN.
37 OTHER STATES HAVE DONE IT.
IT WOULD BRING DOWN, AS YOU SAW
IN OUR BUDGET, A WHOLE LOT OF
NEW FEDERAL MONEY THAT WOULD
ALLOW US TO MAKE REALLY
IMPORTANT INVESTMENTS IN OTHER
PARTS OF THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM,
NOT JUST IN MEDICAID, BUT IN
OTHER PARTS OF THE SYSTEM THAT
WOULD BENEFIT ALL WISCONSINITES.
SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO
PRIORITIZE IT, TO PUSH TO BRING
THAT TAXPAYER MONEY BACK TO
WISCONSIN TO SPEND A MORE
IMPORTANT THINGS HERE.
IN THE MEANTIME WE'RE FOCUSED ON
MAKING SURE WHO ARE ELIGIBLE FOR
BADGERCARE KNOW THAT THEY ARE,
THAT THEY'RE ENROLLED AND GET
THE SERVICES THAT THEY NEED AND
THAT WE'RE CONTINUING TO MAKE
IMPROVE MENTSZIMPROVEMENTS IN THE PROGRAM.
>> WITH THE TRANSITION TO A
DEMOCRATIC ADMINISTRATION, WE'VE
SEEN OTHER STATE AGENCIES SHIFT
SOME OF THEIR PRIORITIES.
IS THAT HAPPENING AT DHS?
>> SO I THINK AS YOU SUGGEST,
ALLINGSAGENCIES ARE TAKING A LOOK AT
WHERE THEY'VE BEEN, WANT TO HEAD
TO.
WE HAVE A NUMBER OF PRIORITIES,
THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC, METH
EPIDEMIC.
THOSE ARE REALLY IMPORTANT
THINGS FOR US TO CONTINUE TO
PRIORITIZE AND TRY TO GET IN
FRONT OF, REDUCING DEATHS FROM
OPIOID OVERDOSE IS A REALLY
IMPORTANT THING FOR US TO DO.
I THINK WE ALSO ARE LOOKING AT
THE LONG-TERM CARE SYSTEM, AGING
POPULATION.
WE KNOW IT'S COMING.
HOW ARE WE MAKING SURE THAT WE
ARE RESPONSIBLY AND
STRATEGICALLY READY TO SERVE
SENIORS AS THEY AGE IN THEIR
HOMES AND COMMUNITIES IN THE
LEAST RESTRICTIVE SETTING THAT
HONORS THEIR CHOICES.
THAT IS A PLACE WE WILL BE
SPENDING TIME.
AS WELL AS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH.
I MENTIONED THE OPIOID AND METH
PROBLEMS WE HAVE.
MENTAL HEALTH, SUBSTANCE ABUSE
DISORDERS MORE BROADLY ARE
PLACES WHERE WISCONSIN CAN TAKE
A LEADERSHIP ROLE NATIONALLY,
INTEGRATING THOSE INTO HEALTH
CARE SO WE'RE REDUCING STIGMA,
ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO SEEK THE
HELP THEY NEED AND MAKING OUR
HEALTH AND WELLNESS OF OUR
PEOPLE BETTER.
THAT'S ANOTHER PLACE WHERE
YOU'LL SEE SOME FOCUS FROM US.
>> NEWS REPORTS TALK ABOUT
PURDUE PHARMA BEING IN
SETTLEMENT TALKS WITH STATES
OVER THEIR ROLE IN THE OPIOID
CRISIS.
HOW WOULD YOU WANT TO SEE
WISCONSIN SPEND ANY SETTLEMENT
DOLLARS?
>> THE SCIENCE ON THIS IS PRETTY
GOOD.
WE KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE,
MEDICATION-ASSISTED TREATMENT IS
THE MOST EFFECTIVE METHOD OF
TREATMENT.
WITH FEDERAL AND STATE COLLARS
WE'VE RECEIVED OVER THE LAST
NUMBER OF YEARS WE'VE MADE
IMPROVEMENT IN ACCESS TO THAT.
ANY SETTLEMENT WE MIGHT SEE,
WE'VE GOT TO DO MORE TO INCREASE
ACCESS TO TREATMENT AND
MEDICATION-ASSISTED TREATMENT.
YOU SEE A LOT OF IMPROVEMENT TO
THE OVERDOSE REVERSAL DRUG SO
ADMINISTRATION OF THAT WILL SAVE
YOUR LIFE.
SO WHILE WE NEED TO GET YOU INTO
TREATMENT, YOU GOT TO MAKE IT
THROUGH THE OVERDOSE FIRST.
SO INCREASED ACCESS TO THAT
WOULD BE ANOTHER PLACE WHERE WE
WOULD WANT TO SEE SOME ABILITY
TO EXPAND OUR RESOURCE
ALLOCATION IN THAT SPACE.
THERE'S LOTS OF WORK THAT CAN
AND SHOULD BE DONE ON THE
PREVENTION SIDE.
THAT'S THE BALL GAME.
IF WE CAN KEEP PEOPLE FROM
BECOMING ADDICTED TO THESE
SUBSTANCES, YOU GOT LESS OF A
FIGHT ON THE BACK END.
SO FOCUS ON PREVENTION, ON USE,
ON THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF FOLKS WHO
ARE MORE LIKELY TO BECOME
ADDICTED.
WE NEED TO FOCUS EFFORTS THERE.
AND THEN ONCE YOU MAKE IT
THROUGH TREATMENT, IT'S A
LIFELONG COMMITMENT AND THERE
ARE ALWAYS MOMENTS WHERE YOU
NEED A LITTLE SUPPORT.
AND SO RECOVERY AND THE SERVICES
AND THE SUPPORT THAT IS
NECESSARY TO HELP PEOPLE
MAINTAIN THEIR SOBRIETY OVER
TIME ARE ALSO IMPORTANT PARTS OF
THE SYSTEM THAT WE COULD AND
SHOULD BE FOCUSING ON TO HELP
PEOPLE REMAIN HEALTHY AND WELL
ONCE THEY GET THERE.
>> UNDER THE LAME DUCK LAWS, THE
JOINT FINANCE WOULD HAVE TO
APPROVE ANY SETTLEMENT AND THEY
THEY'D ALSO HAVE SOME CONTROL
OVER HOW THOSE DOLLARS WERE
SPENT.
HAVE YOU HAD ANY PRELIMINARY
CONVERSATIONS WITH REPUBLICANS
ABOUT ANY POTENTIAL USE FOR
THOSE DOLLARS?
>> I HAVE NOT, BUT THERE'S A
STRONG SCIENCE BASE FOR THE
KINDS OF THINGS THAT WE COULD DO
TO ACTUAL LI HAVE ACTUALLY HAVE REAL IMPACT AND
THAT IS WHERE I WOULD WANT TO
START ANY CONVERSATION WE HAVE
WITH THEM.
>> SO NO MEMBER OF THE CABINET
HAS HAD A CONFIRMATION VOTE.
HOW HAS THAT IMPACTED YOUR
ABILITY TO DO YOUR JOB?
>> DIFFERENT FROM THE FEDERAL
LEVEL WHICH IS WHERE I CAME
FROM, I CAN SERVE IN THIS ROLE
WITHOUT BEING CONFIRMED, WITHOUT
ANY SORT OF TIME LIMIT.
SO I GET UP EVERY DAY AND I'M SO
HAPPY TO BE AT DHS AND I'M
GRATEFUL TO HAVE BEEN NOMINATED
BY THE GOVERNOR.
I'VE TRIED REALLY HARD TO BUILD
RELATIONSHIPS WITH MY COLLEAGUES
IN THE LEGISLATURE, TO BE
TRANSPARENT, TO BE RESPONSIVE,
TO MAKE SURE WE'RE DOING GOOD
CASEWORK SERVICES AND TALKING TO
THEM ABOUT THEIR POLICY
PRIORITIES.
SO I AM CERTAINLY HOPEFUL THAT I
WILL BE CONFIRMED AND JUST GET
UP EVERY DAY AND TRY TO DO MY
JOB THE BEST THAT I CAN FOR THE
PEOPLE OF WISCONSIN.
>> IN JUST A FEW SECONDS, DO YOU
THINK HOLDING OFF CONFIRMATION
GIVES REPUBLICANS ANY REMPLEG
OVER YOU?
>> IT'S NEVER ANY FUN TO BE
CALLED UP IN FRONT OF THE
LEGISLATURE TO BE ACCOUNTABLE
FOR X OR Y, BUT THEY HAVE THE
ACTACTACT TO DO THAT.
SO I THINK HAVING AN OPEN
RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM IS THE