Empowering Individuals by Offering Opportunities

Our mission, in partnership with the community, is to provide quality, cost effective and accessible human services that maximize the potential of individuals and families.

What's New

Human Services at River Block
Posted 8/17/2017 by dschmutzer@co.wood.wi.us
Human Services now at River Block (Wisconsin Rapids)
  • Courthouse services
  • FSET services
  • 12th Street services
  • Economic Support
  • Transportation 
  • Energy Assistance

We are now located at:

111 West Jackson Street
Wisconsin Rapids, WI 54495

Our phone numbers have not changed.
Project Lifesaver Celebrates 10 years in Wood County
Posted 7/6/2017 by dschmutzer@co.wood.wi.us
Your support has helped us serve over 90 clients since 2007. With a current enrollment of 33 individuals, our program continues to grow.

Project Lifesaver is a rescue program for children and adults with cognitive impairments or medical conditions that put them at risk to wander and become lost. Citizens enrolled in Project Lifesaver wear a small personal radio frequency transmitter around the wrist or ankle that emits an individualized tracking signal. If an enrolled client goes missing, the caregiver notifies their local law enforcement/rescue agency and a trained emergency team responds to the wanderer’s area. Most who wonder are found within a few miles from home, and search times for participants have been reduced from hours and days to minutes from when the search team arrives.

Project Lifesaver of Wood County’s program is a combined effort of the Wood County Sheriff’s Department, Wood County Rescue, Marshfield Fire and Rescue Department, Aging and Disability Resource Center of Central Wisconsin, Stevens Point Composite Squadron, Civil Air Patrol, Pittsville Fire Department, Nekoosa Fire Department, Wood County Human Services and PIER-Parents Information Education Resources.

If you know of an individual that this may be beneficial for, please call:
For Individuals under 18:
         Contact: Wood County Human Services, Jill Jerabek at 715-389-0241
For Individuals over 18:
         Contact: Aging and Disability Resource Center of Central Wisconsin, Erin Johnson at 888-486-9545 or 715-421-0014
Trauma Informed Care Approach
Posted 1/13/2016 by dschmutzer@co.wood.wi.us
The Wood County Human Services Department began learning about what it means to utilize trauma informed principles of care as part of a department wide initiative. This process began with the development of a committee that includes employees from each service area throughout the department. Our vision for Trauma Informed Care is to empower and instill hope by understanding, recognizing, and responding to the effects of trauma and creating a safe environment for consumers, employees, partners and our communities.

Trauma Informed Care (TIC) shifts the perspective away from asking “what is wrong with you?” to instead ask “what has happened to you?”. We have recently completed an agency assessment that has provided information regarding areas of strengths and areas for improvements as we continue our journey towards becoming more trauma informed.

The principles of Trauma Informed Care align with our department mission, vision, and values; we believe that embracing the perspectives learned through research, regarding how traumatic stress can impact healing and recovery, we will have better outcomes for the consumers we serve.

Questions for Human Services?

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Department Oversight

Oversight of Human Services is provided by the Health and Human Services Committee.

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